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Summer fun sometimes comes with a big price tag. If money is tight, you should fight the temptation to overspend on seasonal activities. Save your dollars for better things and try these budget-friendly alternatives instead.
Overspending in the Summer
The warm summer weather encourages people to socialize, so they feel obligated to spend more money on food, entertainment and travel. Researchers have even found that Americans spend more money on vacations than citizens of other countries, even though they don’t take as much time off.
You don’t have to plan luxurious vacations to go over-budget. Think of those common summer activities are easy on your budget like a trip to the beach. It sounds like it’s a cheap activity, but if you’re not prepared, the costs quickly add up:
- You’ll have to drive to the beach. That means rental prices, gas, and parking fees.
- You’ll need food and drinks when you’re on the road and at the beach.
- You may need new bathing suits, flip flops, beach towels, hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and more.
You could spend hundreds of dollars just to enjoy a day by the water. It’s easy to see how you can blow your budget.
Why You Need to Be Careful:
Getting swept up in the summer spending frenzy will feel great in the moment, but it will also come with financial consequences. If you’re not tracking your spending, you could go over-budget and put yourself into debt, miss out on bill payments, or bounce checks. You could also panic when an unexpected emergency expense crops up. What will you do when you have a flat tire or a plumbing problem?
If you make this mistake, you will need to get access to funds quickly. Go online to research what lenders like MoneyKey offer in emergencies. You may visit Moneykey.com/installment-loans-online/ to learn about installments loans and apply if they meet your needs.
Or, you can skip this scenario completely by sticking to activities that are easy on your wallet:
What Are Some Budget-Friendly Alternatives?
Have a Picnic in the Park
You don’t have to venture too far to enjoy the summer sunshine. Instead of taking a long and expensive road trip, head to the nearest park with a packed lunch and a few friends. There are lots of easy picnic recipes that won’t break the bank — you might find that most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen.
Hangout at Home
Restaurants, bars, and clubs will be enticing in the summer, but they will put big dents in your bank accounts. A savvy alternative is to host a get-together at your place. To save money, make batch cocktails or declare the event as BYOB so that everyone brings their own drinks. As for food, provide cheap snacks and encourage guests to bring their own. You’ll spend a fraction of the costs of a night at a bar.
Camp in the Backyard
“Roughing it” can cost a lot of money. Compromise by camping in your backyard. Set up a tent and some sleeping bags on the grass and get cozy. You can do classic camping activities like roasting marshmallows, stargazing, and singing songs. This is perfect if you’re trying to entertain kids while keeping a tight budget.
Spending your money on bar tabs, restaurant bills, event tickets, and grand adventures will feel amazing in the moment. But the second that you take a look at your credit card bill, your stomach is going to drop. Follow these tips so that you can be happy during the summer, and long after it ends.
