The summer weather is arriving, we are getting out of the house more after a long winter. The fun is beginning with concerts, baseball games, and vacations, which quickly turns into increased spending. Hopefully you have stashed some money away during the cold weather months and now you can afford to splurge a little, although just because it is now summer doesn’t mean you always have to break the bank. There are ways in which you can still have fun and save a little cash at the same time.
Day Road Trip
You are probably in a hurry to start planning a couple getaways this summer, but you can still have a mini vacation without having to buy the expensive airline tickets and hotel rooms. Even if you are driving a couple hours away in your home state you can still feel like you are getting out of the home routine, even for a day. Try a new brewery or winery that you have never been to, and even if you stay the night, get a cheap room and come home the next day. A couple of these trips a summer and it will be a fraction of a big vacation.
Projects Around the House
Sure, you may wonder how spending money around the house saves you money, but with a little bit of work with the extra time you have, you can have huge savings compared to hiring it out, not to mention you could be adding a little curb appeal to your property. Giving your home a fresh coat of paint and give it new life for $40 a gallon, buying bags of mulch while they’re on sale can give your landscape an upgrade, even giving your deck a wash with a new coat of stain. At least you are out in the nice weather working instead of being trapped inside.
Ditch Going Out to Eat
Nothing beats firing up the grill in the summer time, so why waste money going out to eat when you can do your grocery shopping to stock your fridge to ensure you can eat all of your meals at home. From cooking vegetables, pizza, to the usual burgers, hot dogs, ribs, and steak, everything tastes a little better coming straight off the barbeque. Cooking outside will also help your electric bill, so the air conditioner doesn’t have to keep kicking on when you would normally have cooked inside on the oven or stove.
Plant a Garden
Put your green thumb to test by planting a garden in your backyard, which with a little time and watering, can give you veggies to enjoy all the way into fall. Last year we had tomatoes and peppers come in so much that we had to start giving them away to friends and family because we couldn’t eat all of them. You can take pride in growing your own, plus saving money off of your produce bill this summer. Add a rain barrel to your garden and you can lower your water bill as well.