Are you going into the summer months with a fear that you will spend too much money? You need to keep everyone cool, find fun things to do since summer is out, and you want to travel.
Thankfully, there are many ways you can save money this summer, most of which are really simple!
Read on for 10 easy ways to save money this summer!
- Use a programmable thermostat
Running the air conditioner non-stop during the warm summer months can really increase your energy bill. Getting maintenance done via some affordable air conditioning solutions can help with this, but a programmable thermostat will help keep your home cool while you are away without being to excessive. You can set it a bit warmer when you aren't home, with it kicking on 1-2 hours before you arrive so you house is comfortable for you to enjoy.
- Plan a staycation
Traveling is a huge part of most family's plans. However, you can easily save money on activities by staying closer to home. With a staycation, you can forego the hotel and sleep in your own bed each night, while still planning fun attractions and events during the summer days.
- Rent your home improvement tools
You may want to tackle some home repair or remodeling projects in the summer. However, equipment that you may need for these tasks can be expensive. Renting is a great solution over buying, especially if you won't need the tools once the improvements are complete. Many home improvement stores will let you rent their larger tools for a few days, enough time for you to get each project completed.
- Take cooler showers
Jumping in beneath a cool shower helps to lower your body temperature. The less heat you use, the less energy your home has to use to replace the warm water. Plus, with your temperature decreased, you won't need to run the A/C as much.
- Grow your own garden
Produce usually isn't cheap, but it is when you grow your own! This is also a great learning tool for children, teaching them responsibility and the science behind how plants grow. By the end of summer, you should have a variety of vegetables and herbs to use in your cooking.
- Cook outdoors
Speaking of cooking, it's best to do as much meal prep outside as you can during the summer. Your home is already hot enough thanks to the sun. Using the oven increases the temperature inside, causing the air conditioner to run more. Have a BBQ with family and friends often, letting your home stay cool while you enjoy time with loved ones - and therefore saving money on your electric bill!
- Dry laundry outside
Build a clothing line in your backyard, forgoing the dryer and the costs associated with running it during the summer. Your clothing may benefit from the sun exposure. Many stains can be lightened from the sun - which can also save you money on replacing soiled clothes!
- Turn off your cable
There are many ways you can entertain your family during the summer without the television. Get the whole family outside, taking hikes or swimming to combat boredom. Even on rainy days, you can still utilize your DVD collection if you want to watch something. This one tip alone may be able to save you $100 or more this summer!
- Change your air filters
It's important to keep the air conditioning system in your home properly maintained in the hot summer season. One simple way you can help the machine run more efficiently is by changing the air filter once a month. If you don't, you may waste money in increased energy costs or worse, have to replace your unit sooner than expected!
- Find free things to do
The summer is a great time to get out and explore your city. There are likely free festivals, concerts, and more you can enjoy to save money. Browse your local Facebook pages and events to see what's happening around you!
Saving money during the summer isn't a difficult task. You simply need to rethink your spending habits and find cost-effective ways to enjoy the warm weather months.
Great tips! We have 4 kiddos and 1 on the way so frugal is my middle name! I love getting my kids involved outside so to fun things that doesn’t cost a small fortune.
We turned off our cable long ago and it has saved us hundreds of dollars! We are strictly a local and streaming family now 🙂 Never going back!
These are all brilliant tips. We do a lot of them already, but will definitely give some of the others a go. After all, who doesn't like to save themselves a bit of money?!
Louise x
These are great ideas. I would love to save some money this summer. I would love to cut cable. Working on it.
I am all about saving money this year! We have one bit vacation and then the rest is staying home and doing what we can for as little as possible!~
There are so many ways to save money! One of my favorite ways to save money is growing my own fruit and vegetables, which I haven't had much of a chance to do this year.
Omg so many helpful tips!!!! We are all about the stay cations! They definitely help you save since you don't have that expensive airline ticket to purchase
Great tips! With kids home for summer it's easy to see those bills increase. We decided to lose cable years ago and never looked back. Best decision we ever made for our house!
Line drying is something I am trying to do more of lately. It's super convenient at we live in So Cal, so the weather is definitely favorable for it!
Air filters are so important to change. They can really up your energy bills over the summer if not checked regularly.
Such great ideas! I forgot about hanging laundry to dry outside. For some reason I like the way it smells after drying on the line.
These some great ways to save money this summer. I've always thought it was better to take a warm shower to cool your body than a cold one. Medically speaking something about the way your body regulates it's temperature to keep you cooler....
Great tips! You just reminded me that I need to change my air filter. It really does help to lower your electric bill!
I love growing a garden - and I definitely think it helps save money on produce throughout the summer. I also second the cloths line. My electric goes down substantially when I dry things outside.
Some fantastic tips! With baby on the way this summer we are definitely looking at being frugal and staying within budget! Will bear some of these tips in mind!
Really nice tips to save money.
At one time or another, I have done each and every one of these. They do help to save money. Glad to see that someone put them all in one place.
Great ideas! I've already done some of them! We love to grill outside and planted a garden!
These are all great tips and although my house stays cool in July and August we need to find ways to keep cool. Thanks for the reminder to change and clean the air filter I always forget.
Great tips! I will have to follow through on them! I love how the summer offers us so many more opportunities for free activities!
I think the summer is great at just going out and walking and exploring and not having to spend loads of money on activities x
I've already got the not so hot shower thing down. I can't handle hot water, it makes me feel faint. I love the idea of drying your clothes outside and letting get that fresh air smell.
I hope I could still save money while going to different places. For me, summer is the second most expensive season (next to holidays) because it's the best time to have different adventures!
Great tips! A staycation is a great way to save money, vacations can be so expensive and it's stressful to travel with kids sometimes. Breaking it up into a staycation can be really fun!
Thanks for sharing some awesome tips to save money! I am always looking for inexpensive ideas of things to do with my kids.
These are some great tips to save money this summer. A few months back I invested in a pressure cooker and I've been using it ever sence and it certainly has helped me lower my energy bill .
Awesome ideas! Airconditioning can make the power bill skyrocket in our house so definitely glad to see that on the list! It's winter here in Australia but I'll keep these aside for next Summer!
These are excellent suggestions! We did away with cable years ago, and it has saved us so much! We also invested in a Nest Thermostat and it has been amazing as far as saving on our electric bill!
Great post. I am on a tight budget at the moment. My blog is about doing cheap crafts with your kids, using recycled materials!!
We plan a 2 week vacation every summer, so I do a lot of saving before those 2 weeks. This could definitely help me save more for our family trip. Thanks for the lovely suggestions!
I am totally on board with all of your suggestions! It's nice to save money at any season. I didn't know that home improvement equipments can be rented, that's so helpful!
Finding free things to do is key! I live in a huge city where there are a bunch of inexpensive things to do that are also super fun.
Much love,
Ashley | dearash.com
This is so interesting. You have so thoughtfully mentioned some very interesting outdoor activities like gardening etc which can be very fulfilling.
I'm all about saving money, especially during the summer! Thanks for sharing these tips!
We live by the beach, so there are lots of staycations in our near future!! I love all of your ideas.
The local library is a great resource for free things to do. Our county libraries host interactive events. You have to arrive early, though. They will up fast!
These are all great tips! We grow some vegetables in our backyard during the summer. It is not only economical, it is also a learning activity for the grandchildren. They learn how a seed can grow into a plant and bear fruit. The activity they like most is "harvest time"
We do a lot of grilling during the warmer months. It can get so hot in the kitchen when we use the stove.
These tips are very thoughtful. Summertime can be difficult to save money with no school and great weather, but these tips are great for not having to sacrifice a whole ton.
These are definitely some great ways to save money this summer. We try to turn off lights in rooms we aren't using them in.
Cable can be so expensive. That's a good one to take off the list, especially during summer when we're outside so much anyway.
Cooking outdoors is a good one. Plus it's festive...makes it actually FEEL like summer, even if you're working. 🙂
Taking cooler showers is something I've started doing. It's too hot anyways, but Im used to really hot showers and bubble baths. COoler is better.
I would love to save money this summer and that usually means staying in or just exploring around town which I don't really mind! These are all helpful suggestions!
Summer doesn't always have to be expensive. There are plenty of ways to maximize the vacation without going over your budget. I am loving these tips!
We love summer cookouts and staycation! I think it's not important if you're going somewhere near or far as long as you are with your family, that's the best summer for me!
The best thing we've ever done was turn off our cable. There isn't even a THING worth watching and if it's something we have to have, we just watch it on Kodi!
This looks like a good reference and approach to going into the Summer.
I like the idea of controlling the thermostat via auto means.
These are all great ideas! We are expanding our garden this year and I hope that will help with the grocery budget some.
I never thought about renting my home improvement tools, that's a first I have heard of it but it's brilliant! Thanks for 10 easy ways to save money this summer, I will be putting some to work!