This post is from our regular Wednesday contributor, Erin.
Spring is finally here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get ahead of ourselves and start planning for Summer. Right?! I know I’m not the only one looking forward to warmer weather.
Planning ahead is also the financially responsible thing to do. You might need some time to save up money to take a trip, and you might need to make some adjustments in your budget to account for it.
Growing up, my parents couldn’t afford week-long vacations, so we resorted to cheap ways to enjoy the weather that often involved the great outdoors.
If you’re on a tighter budget this summer, or need some ideas on how to keep your children entertained since they’re off from school, here are a few inexpensive ways you can enjoy summer!
1) Go to the Beach…or Somewhere With Water
Beaches are usually free or relatively inexpensive. In my experience, I’ve only had to pay for parking. If you carpool with friends, split the bill!
I recommend packing food and snacks, as the concession stands on the beach are usually a rip-off. They know they’re convenient and they charge for it. (Going to the beach is similar to going to the movies.)
The beach can be fun for just about anyone. I don’t particularly like going into the water, but I do like relaxing with a book or music and watching the waves.
There’s so much you can do at the beach:
- Build a sandcastle with your kids
- Bury someone in the sand and build a castle around them
- Take a stroll down the shore
- Do yoga if you can find a quiet spot
- Play volleyball or frisbee
- Search for seashells
- People watch
- Take pictures of the scenery
- Enjoy a bonfire with friends (as long as it’s legal!)
What if you’re not close to the beach? You probably have some sort of body of water near you.
Not too far from where I live, there’s a gigantic man made lake that’s a great alternative to the beach. You can rent boats, pontoons, and jet skis for a half day or full day and have tons of fun.
Heck, there’s a man made lake in my parents’ retirement community, and they have paddle boats you can use to get around!
Worse comes to worse, relax by a pool. It’s a good opportunity to give your kids a swimming lesson.
2) Go Hiking or Camping
Hiking is best done early on in the day, as it can get pretty hot if you’re on a strenuous trail!
Pack a lunch and enjoy the sights. This is another great activity you can enjoy with friends, family, or your significant other.
While you can’t beat hiking in the fall, summer is still a great time to get outdoors, and hiking is an excellent way to exercise. If your kids come along, turn it into a learning experience for them!
If you want to take it a step further, take a camping trip. This is only inexpensive if you already have the equipment, or if you can borrow it, but it’s worth asking around!
3) Take a Day Trip
Day trips are great for any season, but they’re the best during the summer when we have more sunlight. That means more time to enjoy local attractions, and you don’t feel as tired making the drive back home at night.
Brainstorm a list of places that are 2-3 hours away, and figure out where you want to go. Plan a day trip each month if possible so you have something to look forward to!
Back when I lived in NY, I had a variety of choices. I could head out to Montauk for the beach, go to the city for entertainment and Central Park, or I could head upstate to the mountains.
A day trip could literally mean going to a local attraction for a day, too. My parents brought me to aquariums, zoos, and amusement parks that were nearby when I was younger.
4) Go for a Walk
Yes, this is a simple one, but if all else fails, what’s a better way to enjoy the summer weather than going for a walk?
Many families enjoy geocaching, which is basically like an ongoing scavenger hunt. You receive directions on where to find caches that are local to you, which enables you to explore new places in your town.
If you or your kids think that walking is boring, this adds a nice element of anticipation to it!
Honestly, walking around is one of my favorite things to do. You notice so much more on walks than you do by driving by. There’s always something new to see, whether it’s a nice house, a random animal, or new store you’ve never noticed before.
5) Go to the Park
Okay, if you don’t have any water nearby, you should at least have a park you can go to! If not, you can find an empty patch of grass to play around in.
I grew up just a few minutes away from an ecology center which also happened to have a park next to it. My mom would take me there in the summer to see the animals, and then she would let me loose on the playground.
You could always go to a sports complex, too – enjoy playing frisbee, soccer, football, basketball or baseball with your friends. You might be able to catch a local game going on, too.
6) Go to the Library
This is technically something you can enjoy during any season, but one of my fondest childhood memories was going to the library during the summer. Why? Summer reading competitions!
Yes, I was that nerd who enjoyed spending her summers reading as many books as she possibly could.
Either way, if that’s something you think your kids might enjoy, see if you can sign them up!
(As a side note, I just checked my local library, and winners from last year received tablets and Chromebooks. Sheesh!)
In general, libraries tend to hold a lot of programs during the summer to keep kids entertained while school is out. Check your libraries website to see what’s happening!
7) Look in Your Backyard
If you have a lot of land, consider setting up something fun in the backyard. I don’t mean going crazy and purchasing a pool, but is there enough room to make it entertainment central for the summer?
The backyard at the first house my parents had was huge, and we made good use of the space:
- My dad helped me with soccer practice
- My cousin and I chased each other around constantly
- We also drove those little electric cars for kids around (and crashed into the deck multiple times)
- My dad had a target bag in the back for archery
- My family set up a net for volleyball and badminton
- There was a lot of barbequing
- We also had a swing set and a small pool
Needless to say, family parties for the 4th of July were a lot of fun! It seems like kids these days (I can’t believe I’m saying that) aren’t getting outside enough. Change that this summer!
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Any way you cut it, there are endless amounts of things you can do inexpensively to enjoy the summer. The nice weather opens up so many different avenues, which is a welcome change if you’ve been snowed in this past winter.
What are your favorite summer activities? What plans have you made for summer so far?
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I can’t quite grasp the concept of summer just yet ;)… it’s still pretty cold up here. But, once all the snow melts, I’ll be ready! We love just being outside in the warmth. Hiking is our absolute favorite, but, even just walking around town with Frugal Hound is a ton of fun. We also love being able to grill on our back deck, it’s delicious and doesn’t heat up the house!
I think we do nearly all of these, save for #1 as there’s not many beaches in landlocked Omaha. :). Anything that gets us outside and doing something together as a family is a winner in my book. We do a lot of gardening, which keeps us busy in the summer and grill most nights.
Well I got the beach covered! :) ha. One thing I know for sure about myself is that I need to live by SOME kind of water. So I need to take advantage of some other things LA and the surrounding areas have to offer. I was just realizing that the other day when I went to palm springs for work and realized just how much I never go to different places surrounding the city because I’m worried about traffic being a pain, or I’m just lazy. But there are so many free/cheap places to go, like hiking. And I’ve never been to Joshua Tree. Just stuff like that. Great tips!
Like, Tonya, we have the beach covered! We are fortunate enough to live within reasonable walking distance, which is fantastic. We not only don’t have to pay for parking but don’t have to find decent parking either. :) It’s definitely one of our favorite and most affordable places to hangout. You’re definitely right that concessions are spendy so we try to bring our own snacks and beverages. The girls do enjoy a popsicle which doesn’t travel well so we occasionally treat them to one and they return the favor too. :)
I love to exercise outside during the summer. It’s very refreshing. My plans for the summer are to visit a couple MLB stadiums.
Mrs. Frugalwoods The weather down here is still all over the place, too. Boo! I am looking forward to doing some more hiking, and walking around town is always a lot of fun. I wish we could grill on our little deck. Our complex has 2 grills by the pool, but they’re usually taken. I’m glad my mom is at least obsessed with grilling – yum!
FrugalRules It is such a weird feeling to not be close to a beach after so many years, I kind of forget not everyone has one a few hours away. =) Gardening is a great idea! I used to love taking care of plants with my mom when I was younger.
Beachbudget Traffic is such a deterrent, isn’t it? Back when I was in NY, there were always tolls to get out, so I tended to stick around as well. Thankfully there aren’t as many barriers here, so I’m hoping to explore more of what the state has to offer. There are so many beautiful parks!
ShannonRyan I’d love to be within walking distance of the beach. Finding parking is usually a nightmare near my parents. Most of the beaches back home are state regulated, so they have decent-sized parking lots that are pretty convenient. That’s adorable about the popsicles! Ice cold treats on the beach are the best…except when they’re melting. =)
Jason @ The Butler Journal Agreed – there’s something about the warmer weather that makes exercising more appealing! Baseball games in the summer are also fun. I’ve sadly only been to one game in my life, but Yankee tickets were expensive. =)
We have a neighborhood pool and I love spending the day there during the summer, and I just love thinking about summer right now when it’s 30 degrees outside. :-)
blonde_finance Yikes, 30 still? =( Neighborhood/community pools are great. My parents’ complex has a heated pool that’s almost always unused. It’s awesome to have the entire thing to ourselves.
This isn’t completely inexpensive, but my husband and I get Groupons for a local water park. It’s something like $14 for entrance and all-day drinks. Granted, we still have to pay for parking and a locker (I burn like crazy, so I need sunscreen on hand), but for a water park it’s a great deal.
My goal this summer is to get outside every day and I’ve started to take a lot more walks. My dog loves the long walks and it’s the perfect time for me to catch up on my podcasts!
AbigailP That sounds like a pretty great deal to me, especially for a water park! Groupon is a great way to score deals on outdoor activities that would otherwise be a bit too pricey.
SimplySave Aw, I’m jealous – I want a dog to walk. =) I love listening to podcasts while I walk, too. Always looking for ways to cram those in.
I’m jealous. My daughter has been the top reader for two summers in a row and all she got was a paint it yourself birdhouse! There are tons of great things you can do for free in the summer. We are taking a long trip this summer that is not free, but we’ve spend quite a few summers hanging out in the area. Day trips are awesome when you can’t take a long vacation. We also do those on days off during the school year. It’s amazing the things that are close by that you tend to put of visiting, thinking you’ll get around to it at some point.
Eyesonthedollar I don’t think I got anything for participating in the summer reading contests!
Yep, day trips are definitely the way to go when kids are off from school and you need something exciting to do. It’s fun to find new places that are within a 1-3 hour drive!
Hiking and day trips are my go to activities during the summer time. The geocaching sounds pretty interesting so I’ll have to look into that one. Thanks for the great tips! Erin @ Journey to Saving
Anum Erin @ Journey to Saving You’re welcome! Everyone I know that has tried geocaching has really enjoyed it.