Summer is right around the corner and the kids are almost done with school. Amazingly enough, summer is one of the more expensive times throughout the year for a few reasons.
In today’s article, you’ll learn how to make summer memories and enjoy summer fun while saving money!
Summer Fun For Less
Pay Cash – A huge mistake people make on vacation is to pull out the credit card to create their summer memories. Ultimately, they may buy the toy or eat at the expensive restaurants while traveling, but a few months later, their interest charges are rising. The very best vacations I’ve taken with my family were low budget, paid in full trips. Camping in beautiful mountain areas, and day trips provide lots of great summer memories at a huge reduction in cost.
Make it Age Appropriate – Several of my friends have spent thousands of dollars on vacations their kids will never remember. Think about all the strollers you see at Disneyland or any of the theme parks. If you want to take your kids on vacations like that and spend thousands of dollars to do it, at least wait until they will remember the experience. In addition to the lack of memory, you’ll pay extra for the strollers, car seats, and extra baby gear to travel with you.
Maintain Your Car – The hot weather in the summer is tough on vehicles. Make sure to keep your fluid levels checked and changed regularly. Keep your gas tank full. When your tank falls below half way, the mileage is greatly reduced. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and in good shape to help with gas mileage. These few tips can help you save at the pump when gas prices rise in the summer months.
Eat at Home – Remember, you probably have kids at home eating you out of house and home. They are normally at school eating lunch. A good rule of thumb to save during the summer is to eat your dinners at home as well. Cut down on the excess food expense of eating out when you’re also providing lunches. This can save you hundreds per month.
Season Passes – Yes, there may be a higher outlay for to purchase a season’s pass for the local theme parks or zoo, but these can give your kids hours of entertainment value saving you hundreds. If you shop for the passes in the off season, you may be able to get a special rate or savings due to their seasonal revenue short falls.
The most important thing in the summer is to have fun. Be safe. Spending money doesn’t always mean better memories!
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written by: Joshua Christensen
Joshua Christensen is author of “Consider the Ant: 3 Keys to Biblical Prosperity”.
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Image courtesy of: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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