With summer right around the corner, you may have already started planning your kickoff itinerary. While trips to Cabo and cruises to Jamaica sound marvelous and exotic, why not add in some entertaining elements without breaking the bank?
Here are 15 fun things to try this summer to help manage your finances:
1. Beach it. This one’s a no-brainer! Soak up fresh vitamin D as warm rays shine down and the cool tide rushes over your feet.
If you’re fairly close to the beach, try biking or rollerblading there. You’ll save on gas, while getting in some cardio for the day. If you don’t live near the beach, relax poolside at a friend’s pool or a community pool.
2. Potluck cookouts. This is a fantastic way to socialize, while uncovering new and delicious cuisine. By purchasing ingredients for one dish, you’ll end up with a vast array of meals to choose from.
Make sure to create a list of what everyone is bringing. You wouldn’t want to show up to find a wide variety of napkins, plates and utensils with no food or a drop to drink.
Trust me. It happens!
3. Visit free venues. Scour your neighborhood for free venues, such as museums, local libraries and community centers.
4. Find a fun and free hobby. Do you love to sing? Still haven’t mastered the guitar or piano? There are some helpful resources that you can refer to, rather than spending loads of money on hour-long lessons. Take advantage of lesson books in your local library or browse the web for tutorials.
For example, if you’re a beginner, YouTube user Lypur offers an incredible video tutorial on piano basics. Take some time to perfect your craft. You can even share your talents with the world by posting your own videos on YouTube.
5. Clean. Get around to the spring cleaning that just never happened. It’s unbelievable how much easier life gets when you organize your surroundings. Determine what needs to be done and tackle those areas day by day.
You may even locate that twenty-dollar bill you lost last week!
6. Get active. I’m sure you’ve seen those people who circle the front parking spaces at a store like vultures. It’s a waste of time, a waste of gas and a waste of money. Parking further from the entrance won’t be the end of the world.
If you only need to pick up a few items from the grocery store, attempt walking there. You can also start an exercise regimen or plan a run in the park. Recruit a workout buddy. The company may help to keep you motivated and provide a safer environment.
7. Pack snacks and meals. Cut down on fast food and vending machine purchases. Create healthy meals and on-the-go snacks to take to work or for a day out. It’ll save you cash and calories.
8. Have a yard sale/ donate. Time to put on your entrepreneurial hat. Having a yard sale will earn you extra revenue and create more space in your home. You can also donate your clothing and other items that don’t get sold.
9. Local events. A lot of local events are free for the community. You can visit your Patch community news site to stay up-to-date with gatherings in your area to shake up your routine and meet your neighbors.
You can even create local events of your own. If you’ve ever been to camp, you’ll know that every day is planned out with different activities to participate in from arts and crafts to hiking. For an additional perk, you can plan a community park clean up, which will bring people together and benefit everyone!
10. Learn something new. Do you and your friends speak multiple languages? Or perhaps one is brilliant at math while another excels in the creative arts. Swap knowledge with free tutoring sessions!
11. Plan some quality time with the kids. You don’t have to take a trip to Disneyland. Everyone who has kids knows that they can find entertainment with a cardboard box. Get creative! It’s astonishing where the imagination can take you.
Have you run out of bedtime stores? Have your children or siblings create their own bedtime stories, complete with pictures! Not only will this encourage them to use their minds, it will also open them up to reading and writing at a young age. A homemade book will give them something unique to pass down to their own children some day. Check out more activities that you can enjoy with the kids from the Six Sister’s Stuff.
12. Free games. Before you go out and spend your hard earned paycheck on an expensive video or computer game, check out some free games available online on sites like bigfishgames.com.
You can also go old school. Gather up some friends for a board or card game.
13. Go green. Save money while doing your part to make a global difference. Check out these tips on how to save funds by going green.
14. 4th of July fireworks. Isn’t it great that we can look at the sky for free? It’s not as if someone comes to charge a fee when you glance up, so relish in the beauty of a night sky emblazoned with brilliant lights.
Don’t forget to store this experience to memory. Do your pictures of fireworks never seem to come out right? Check out this article on how to snap the perfect fireworks picture!
15. Search deals. The sad truth is that not everything comes without cost. However, the good news is that some stuff does come with amazing discounts! Vionic’s iQpromotion application offers incredible deals, some of which are half or more than half off retail value!
Check out iQpromotion or download the application for free from the App Store today to browse through products and services in your area!
You may have already done some of these things, but for the ones you haven’t, it’s always exciting to discover something new! Use this as your summer checklist to save money and reap other priceless benefits.
No need to limit this list to summer alone either. The majority can still be done all year round.
Feel free to comment below with your own suggestions about how to spend summer on a budget!
Grab your SPF and enjoy the sun!