Summer is here. The kids are out of school and the weather is nice and warm. While there may be some summer activities that can be expensive, the warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours also give you a nice opportunity to take advantage of some simple ways to save money as well. Put that saved money toward paying down account balances or getting bills up-to-date and improve your credit score for a brighter financial future.
This post has been sponsored by Lexington Law. All opinions are mine alone and are honestly conveyed.
Try these 15 simple ways to save money this summer and help get your finances back on track:
Grill out—not only is it a fun time to grill out when you have a backyard bar-b-que with friends, but grilling out during the warmer temperatures can actually save you money. Instead of turning on the oven and heating up the entire kitchen, fire up the grill and keep the heat outdoors.
Give your dryer a rest—with warm summer temps and a nice breeze you can hang your clean clothes outside to dry rather than running the dryer.
Turn off the lights—another great way to save money during the summer is to turn your indoor lights off. You may be used to just flipping on the light switch during the darker winter months, but longer daylight hours during the summer can help you save on your electricity bill by just opening the curtains and letting the natural light in.
Look for free community events—many communities offer events throughout the summer that are family-friendly, fun, and free! From concerts at the park, to parades, festivals, and carnivals, three are many events throughout the summer that are sponsored by local organizations for the benefit of the community. Check with your local visitor’s bureau, chamber of commerce, or community calendar for free local events.
Go camping—you really don’t have to go far to have a fun camping experience– you can just camp out in your own backyard! Of course you can find a nice campground for an economical price, but you can just pitch a tent in your backyard and have fun “roughing it” for a few nights. Cook hot dogs over a little camp fire and roast some marshmallows and get the full camping experience!
Make a day of fun at the park—pack a picnic lunch and take the kids to the park for the day. Do a little research to see if there are any local parks that offer a splash pad or water activities– which would be especially refreshing on a hot summer day. Your kids will have fun for countless hours at the local playground. Pack a picnic lunch and don’t forget to take the cooler for some ice cream treats.
Go to the library—signing your kids up for a summer reading club will help avoid the summer learning slump, but there is a lot more to do at the library than just picking out books. Your local library often times has train tables, Lego building area, coloring and so many more activities for kids.
Take a day at the beach—if you live close enough to drive to the beach for the day, you can have fun just soaking up the sun, swimming, or building a sandcastle.
Have a fun day at the lake—even if you aren’t close enough to a beach, you can probably find a lake nearby. Have a family fun day canoeing, water skiing, boating, or just splashing in the lake.
Visit a national park—not only can you see the beauty of nature all around the country, many of these parks offer free admission. Even the ones that do require payment are free for you and your fourth-grade student. Learn more about the Every Kid in a Park program to plan your visit.
Catch fireflies—sometimes just being outside alone in nature can be beautiful and entertaining on its own. Take time to enjoy the beauty of the fireflies lighting up in the evening, look at the stars, and listen to the sounds of the crickets…
Watch fireworks—many towns across the country have fireworks displays, along with parades and other free activities around Independence Day. Research the schedules ahead of time and take in a few shows.
Let the breeze in—on cool summer nights, turn of the air conditioning and let the cool breeze in. It will save you a few bucks and it is just as refreshing.
Grow a garden—think about how much it costs to buy a salad or even lettuce at the grocery store. If you plant your own, you will spend less for the seeds than what you can buy it for at the store, and you will have salad all summer. Plant some veggies and herbs and you can greatly reduce your grocery bill over the summer.
Go to a discount movie—several theatres nationwide offer summer movies that you can take your kids to for $1.00 or even less if you buy the package ahead of time. Many of the theatres offer special deals on popcorn and drinks for these events too. Check out the summer movie schedule here:
How can the summer savings help you improve your credit?
Utilizing free or cheap summer entertainment or even being able to save some money on regular expenses gives you a bit of extra spending cash. But be aware and make sure that you don’t spend that money frivolously—use that money to pay down credit card balances, or even get some of your bills up-to-date that may have slipped behind. Perhaps, you are at the point that you need to track and protect your credit, finances, and identity. Taking a few dollars of your summer savings to invest into monitoring these aspects of your life can help to set you up for a better financial future.
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