Easy Ways To Save Money This Summer
This guest post is written by Beverly Abrego at The Coupon Sweeper.
Summertime is here, and those summer bills will once again begin piling up. Summer brings extra expenses like costs caused by the kids being out of school, air conditioning costs, gas for summer trips, and yard maintenance costs. These extra expenses can be reduced by making a few easy changes in your typical summer routine.
Save Money While The Kids Are Home
Having the kids home for the summer is great, but if your not careful, you can see a big increase of your household expenses while they are home. One of the major increases in summer costs I see in my house is the cost of groceries during the summer months. Here are some simple tips to help with these costs during the summer.
- Look Into Summer Lunch Programs. Many schools have free breakfast and lunch programs during the summertime. All kids are provided free meals with these programs no matter what your household income is.
- Grow your own garden. Having a garden is a great way of cutting down on grocery costs during the summer. Not only will you be be able to grow and eat your own food, it will also give the kids something to do during the summer. You may even be able to sell the extras to make a little money, or you can give them away to friends and family.
- Use Coupons. Nothing saves you more money on groceries and everyday items than using coupons when you shop. Get the kids involved by letting them help you clip coupons and find deals in the local circulars. There are also plenty of free coupon sites on the internet. These sites let you print free coupons straight from your computer.
Save on Air Conditioning Costs
Air conditioning energy costs can account for the majority of expenses during the summer months. Taking just a few easy steps will help cut down on these costs and keep your house cooler in the summer.
- Invest in Fans. Fans offer a great, energy efficient ways to stay cool during the summer months. Try setting your air conditioner to a higher temperature to save on air conditioner costs while the fans are on.
- Keep Shades and Curtains closed. Keeping your shades and curtains closed will help keep out the sunlight and the heat caused by the sun.
- Check Your Doors and Windows. Be sure to check for cracks and small gaps around doors and windows. These can easily let hot air into your home as well as let the cool air escape. Patching up these problems spots can save a lot on air conditioning costs in the long run.
- Avoid Using the Oven During the Day. The oven can big source of heat and can quickly warm your home when it is on. Instead of using the oven try using the microwave or a toaster oven instead. You can also BBQ outside for cost effective summertime meals.
- Check Your AC. Check your AC at the beginning of every summer to make sure it is running properly. Also, make sure that your filter is clean. Having a dirty filter makes the air conditioner work harder and prevents it from cooling as well as it could.
Save Money on Gas
With gas prices as high as they are we can all stand to save a little money in the gas department. There are several things you can do to lower you gas bill in the high-priced summer driving months.
- Ride Bikes. Summertime is a great opportunity to do fun activities with the kids, and riding bikes with your kids is a wonderful way to spend time with them and save on gas in the summer. Instead of taking the car to the store, take a family bike ride to the store instead.
- Vacation Nearby. Instead of opting for a vacation destination that is far away, try vacationing close to home. Try heading to a local camp ground or lake for a few days. This will save you tons of money, allow you spend quality time with the family, and save on gas.
- Search For the Lowest Prices. There are plenty of sites and apps that offer you a list of the best prices on gas available in your area. Use these to find the best deals and save a few bucks when filling up your tank.
Save Money on Lawn Care
Another big source of spending during the summer months is lawn maintenance. Lawn care is something we all have to do to maintain the look of our homes, but it can be quite expensive. Taking these few easy steps will help your lawn look great and save you some money along the way.
- Do-It-Yourself. Instead of hiring people to mow your lawn and take care of your landscaping try doing it yourself to save a little money. If you have older kids then enlist their help with the mowing, watering, and landscaping care. If you don’t have time to do it yourself hire a neighborhood teen to do the work for you. Chances are you will be able to hire a teen for a lot less than you would a professional landscaper.
- Don’t Cut Too Short. When cutting your grass don’t go any shorter than 2 1/2 inches. This will allow the grass to stay moist for longer which in return saves you money by needing to water less often.
- Share Lawn Equipment With Neighbors. If you have some great neighbors, then you may be able to borrow expensive lawn equipment from each other to cut down on costs.
Can you think of any more easy tips to help save money on expenses this summer?
