Summer can be a spendy time of the year. Sure, you don’t have the high heating bills that happen in the winter, but your other bills and expenses can take a jump! Whether you are spending more on gas and food or your water bill is going through the roof, you probably need to find ways to cut back and save money. 

Whether you are on your own or have a family, everyone can save money during the summer. Your kids are capable of understanding the need to save money and helping to make sure you do. The money saved will help the whole family be under less stress. 

I am here to help you! I grew up learning many of these tricks and learned even more as an adult. Saving money has always been important and summer is a good time to implement these new ways.

50 Ways to Save Money This Summer! 

Gas/Driving

Combine your errands and activities to cut down on the trips. 

Walk or bike when possible. 

Keep up with vehicle maintenance and check your fluids weekly. Vehicles overheat more easily in the summer. Overheating vehicles cost money.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated to get the best gas mileage.

Keeping your car clean and your trunk light also helps you get better gas mileage. This also includes taking off roof racks and other carriers. 

Drive with your windows down. You have better fuel economy than running the AC, which uses more fuel to power the engine and the compressor. 

Use windshield shades to keep the car cool when parked and use less AC to cool down the car when started. 

Food

Host your own get-togethers instead of going out to eat – make it BYOB and potluck and you will cut down on costs even more.

Cook outside to avoid using electricity. If you have a spot, set up a small outdoor kitchen and cook out there.

If you need to cook inside, use small appliances and avoid using your oven. Your oven will use more electricity and heat up your home. 

Make your own popsicles and pudding pops by investing in popsicle molds or reusable popsicle bags. After the initial investment, you will save money by making your own and controlling the ingredients. 

Think cheap snacks for the kids. You do not need to buy fruit snacks, granola bars, and other costly processed foods. Make popcorn, bake cookies, make your own granola bars, and keep less expensive fruit like bananas and apples on hand. 

The same thing goes for drinks. Water is all your kids need. They do not need expensive sodas, energy drinks, coffee drinks, or juice. If you think they need some electrolytes, make a homemade version that will certainly be better for you or them. 

Keep breakfast and lunches simple in the summer. While it can be fun to make those meals special, it also costs more money. You can batch-make pancakes, French toast sticks, muffins, and breakfast sandwiches, then freeze them for a simple breakfast. Sandwiches for lunch never hurt anyone – especially kids. 

Water

Do not water your grass unless you have just planted grass seed. Yes, your lawn will look brown and dry, but is it worth the extra cost? No, not when you are trying to save money. 

Instead of dumping the water from your dehumidifier, use it to flush toilets, clean, and water non-edible plants. 

Water usage increases in the summer when people are home more. Teach everyone to shut off the tap when shaving, brushing their teeth, and washing their face.

Limit how long the shower runs before using it and set timers to keep the showers shorter. 

Outside spigots can leak a lot, especially with a hose attached. Keep hoses unattached when not in use and replace leaky spigots.

Set up a rain catchment system to collect rainwater from your roof via your downspouts. You can use this water to water plants and gardens. 

Electricity

You can reduce your air conditioner use by opening your windows at night and closing them during the day. 

Keep the shades drawn and curtains closed during the day to avoid heating the house and making the AC work harder. 

Use ceiling fans in the rooms that you are using. Moving the air around keeps the house cooler. If you are not in the room, shut them off to save electricity.

Keep your house warmer when you are not home. Your cooling bill will be better if there is a smaller difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures. 

Use portable fans at night to keep cool while sleeping. You can shut off your AC or turn the temperature up to use less electricity. 

Summer is a good time to repair screens, replace weatherstripping, caulk windows and doors to keep the warm air and flies out. 

Dry clothes outside and resist using the dryer. Your clothes should smell great and the dryer won’t heat up the house. 

Set timers on the televisions, computers, and tablets. Have them shut down after a set period to avoid unnecessary electricity use when not in use. 

Vacation/Staycation

Look for the free things to do. Movie theaters, libraries, parks, recreation departments, and more offer free activities in the summer. Sign up for their emails and newsletters to find out about these opportunities.

If you are traveling, consider tent or vehicle camping or staying in a cabin at a campground. State and county campgrounds are usually reasonable. 

Save money on food by packing a cooler with food and drinks to eat while on the road. If you don’t want to eat in the vehicle, many states have rest areas or parks where you can stop to eat. 

Stop at grocery stores to buy food while on the road. They are considerably cheaper than convenience stores. 

If you are going on vacation, plan everything in advance and use websites designed to help you save money. You can get great deals on flights, hotels, rentals, and more if you are patient. 

Kids/Summer Sports/Camps

Take your own food and drinks to the games.

Limit the camps your kids attend. They do not need to be at a camp every week in addition to the other activities they participate in. 

Say no. Sometimes the cost of the sport/activity/extra coaching/private practices is not worth the benefit. 

Encourage your older kids and teenagers to get jobs or find work. If they want to do things outside your budget, they can pay for their own activities. 

Landscape/Yard

Plant shade trees around your home and property. The shade will keep your home and yard cooler.

Plant perennials as part of your landscaping and garden to provide food for years to come. 

Plant drought-tolerant plants to save money on water. 

Hire your kid or a neighbor’s kid to mow your yard or help with landscaping. They will cost less money and you are helping him earn money. 

If you have the room, plant a garden. Gardens can save money on food. 

House and Family

Deep clean your house and take inventory of what you already have. More than likely, you have the item you are running to the store to buy. This is especially true of seasonal items that we put away and forget about.

After deep cleaning your home, have a garage sale or list items on Facebook Marketplace. You can make a little money on the items you no longer use.

Summer is usually garage sale season. It would be a great time to stock up on clothes, shoes, and presents for the future.

If you need to have daycare during the summer, you could pay an older teenager in your family or hire a babysitter instead. It’s helpful if they have a driver’s license to help take your kids to practices or swimming.

Season passes are a good way to save money if you know you are going to use them enough to pay for them. For example, my kids’ grandparents would buy them a season pass for the swimming pool. They lived across the street from the pool and my kids were there every afternoon while I was working. The kids would go with their grandmother to the pool for the afternoon and play with their friends.

Have a family movie night, indoors or out, and watch a new movie you can stream for free or rent from your local library. Popcorn is a frugal addition to the night. You can also make a special dessert or have ice cream sundaes as a fun treat.

Bring back the 80’s and 90’s! Send the kids outside with sidewalk chalk and bubbles. Buy a rubber ball and get a game of kickball going. Go on family bike rides. Hang out outside with no phones and talk to the neighbors.

Institute a reading time for the family or just the kids. They keep their reading skills sharp over the summer and you can borrow plenty of books for free at the local library.

Which ones are you going to use? What other tips do you have to save more money? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

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