Savingin the Summertime: How to Gear Up for the Dog Days withoutOverspending
Nowthat the vernal equinox has just occurred, the days are gettinglonger and the weather is warming up. All this pleasantness comeswith lots of excitement about the summer ahead, only a few monthsaway. I don’t know about you, but I always find myself planningvacations, updating my wardrobe, and figuring out what on earth I’mgoing to do having the kids around all the time now that they’ll soonbe out of school. All this hubbub usually goes hand-in-hand with lotsof spending. Here are a few tips for keeping those summerpreparedness expenditures to a minimum.
1.Buy your swimwear now.
Well,technically you should have bought your swimwear a month or two ago,but since all the latest fashions are just coming in, this would bethe ideal time to buy your bathing suits, which are usuallyastronomically priced. Or you do what I do and use the same one ortwo every year. If you invest in solid swimwear, it tends to lastquite a bit of time.
2.Keep your kids’ summer activities to a reasonable level.
Whenwe know that we’re going to have the kids home all the time, we thinkthat we need to pack their schedule with tons of extra-curricularactivities just to get them out of the house. At the same time,however, this all can get to be pretty expensive, and all it does isstress you and your kids out. Keep the paid activities to a minimum,including only those that they show a genuine interest in.
3.If you have children, think of kid-friendly vacation destinationsthat aren’t tourist traps.
Summervacations with the family are always great fun, but if you go for thetired cliches like Disney World, you’ll end up spending way more thanyou anticipated. Book your travel arrangements early and scope outsomewhat local places so as to save on transportation.
4.Find cheap summer activities for yourself that’ll keep you busy andnot spending.
Asa school teacher, I too, get the summer off, and all that free timeputs me in spending mode. The way to combat this is to engage insimple, pleasant activities that don’t require a whole lot of money.A perfect example is getting a summer reading list together andheading to your local library, or doing something mildly physicallytaxing but relaxing, like gardening.
Theseare just a few ways to save on typical summer time expenditures. Withspring break over, summer vacation will probably be your next bigthing, so the best thing is to start planning accordingly now. Goodluck, and happy spring!
By-line:
AlvinaLopez is a freelance writer and blogjunkie, who blogs about accreditedonline colleges. Shewelcomes your comments at her email Id: alvina.lopez@gmail.com.
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