Summer Adventures Planned? Here is How You Can Save Money this All Summer Long!
Happy Memorial Day everyone! This holiday is known for many different reasons, most importantly it is to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we often take for granted.
Andrew and I would like to say thank you to those soldiers who did make that sacrifice, including their families. It is because of their sacrifice we are able to freely blog about our crazy ideas. Many people around the world do not have the freedom to express their thoughts like we do here in the United States. We are very appreciative of what they have given so we can express ourselves freely.
Often we celebrate the freedom we have been gifted by spending our summer at barbecues, time outside, and traveling. Today I want to help give you ideas on how you can make your summer adventures better by saving money on these traditional activities.
To be honest, a lot of these saving tips can be used all summer long! Memorial Day weekend is the start of the summer celebrations.
BBQ
There are millions of barbeques that happen throughout the summer.
The grocery stores want to make sure you shop at their store instead of at their competitor’s store. To entice you to shop at their store and nowhere else they put on some amazing weekly deals. Make sure you take advantage of these deals by planning your event’s menu around the sales.
Also, download the Ibotta application. They will have additional deals going on that can help you can stack on top of the deals you already got at the grocery store.
Yard Games
A barbecue cannot be great without some backyard games.
There are so many yard games you could make yourself to save money on. Last year I built my own bags boards and saved us $100! It was very easy to do. They only took me about an hour to construct.
This does take some planning so I recommend you read my more detailed article about DIY backyard games.
Traveling
This summer (2018) is forecasted to be a horrible summer for traveling as gas prices inch higher and higher. Thankfully there are several ways for you to save on your travels.
Loyalty cards. My wife and I use the King Soopers loyalty card to help us save money at the pump. They even increase the number of points you earn from purchasing groceries over the summer months. We usually save 10 to 20 cents while fueling up because of this program.
Airbnb can be a great way to save on your accommodations especially if you are traveling with a group of people. Renting a house or condo that sleeps 8-10 people helps bring down the bill very easily. Also, you can cook your meals at the rental, saving you tons more money on food.
Lastly, there is nothing wrong with car camping. You can save a boatload of money by camping out. Typically a camping spot will only cost you $10 to $20! That sure beats the price of a hotel room by a long shot.
Shopping
Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest sale weekends for retailers. If you are looking for a new mattress or outdoor clothing, this is the weekend to make your purchase.
I used to work at Dick’s Sporting Goods. They would put on some amazing sales over Memorial Day weekend. A lot of parents would take advantage of these sales to stock up on gear for the sports their kids are in.
If you miss out on this weekend’s sales, do not worry. The Fourth of July is right around the corner and there will be more great sales during that holiday as well.
Thinking Ahead
This is something I do for Christmas but really any holiday applies to this strategy.
Here is what you do. Go into the stores a day or two after the holiday has passed. All of the decorations will be on sale for you to use the following year.
I made a killing this past Christmas by going to Target a day or two afterward. I grabbed so many Christmas lights that were 50% off. Sure it sucks I couldn’t use them this year but I saved so much money by having some patience to wait.
Any Other Ideas?
These are just some of the ways on how you can save money this summer. They give you a wide variety of opportunities to keep money in your checking account.
What other ideas do you have to save money this summer?
Wallet Squirrel is a personal finance blog by best friends Andrew & Adam on how money works, building side-hustles, and the benefits of cleverly investing the profits. Featured on MSN Money, AOL Finance, and more!
I really admire your blogging consistency, Adam. You might still be on your day job for now. But I do see you full time with this in less than 2 years from now. Don’t forget the little people when you get to the top. 🙂
This Summer is inspiring me to go the extra mile in the quest to build relationships with great bloggers such as yourself, write more content, and look to the future. I’m creating more evergreen content, giving love to other bloggers and internet marketers, and focusing on people and less on sales. One thing I learned not just about Summer but anytime of the year is, if you build with people and stay consistent, the sales will automatically come. Am I right? 🙂
I had to double back to this post and add 2 more humble cents. I was out & about early this morning running errands when I felt that heat getting to me. I was in the vehicle literally blasting the air conditioner. Couldn’t wait to get back home. Since I’ve been back, I’m virtually laid up under the a/c now at almost full blast, hoping the cold air wouldn’t run out as I plan to run the air conditioner all night. I’m doing cardio now, eating right, had a few mixed nuts and cashews today that I bought from the wholesale market, filled up the gas tank with 92 octane, and ready to get dressed up tomorrow for church. 🙂