Summer is here at last. For many people its hard to get out of the winter rut and enjoy summer like we used to as children. There are many ways to do that and here are some money saving tips for summer while you are out there.
Walk of bike instead of driving
With the price of gas climbing, even a short trip to the store in your car can cost you more than you realize. Plus its not just gasoline that you are paying for, but also depreciation on your vehicle, and maintenance costs that increase with mileage. You are better off walking or biking places in the summer when the weather is nice and you can chat with people along the way.
Eat vegetables and fruit that are in season
With the worldwide shipping we have today, food can come to our grocery stores from anywhere in the world for us to eat it. But often you don’t know the quality controls in other countries, the food is force-ripened during transit, and shipping costs add to the price you pay at the cash register. If you eat produce that is in season, especially if it’s grown locally, you will pay less and likely get much better quality food that is properly ripened and has way more taste.
Turn down your air conditioner when outside
For many people, in the summer their house is their refuge from the heat. Air conditioning has made life bearable for many people, but it’s too easy to turn your house into a Popsicle. It’s one thing to do this when you are home, but there is no reason to do it while you are outside your house. An programmable thermostat will let you save considerable money on your electric bill by turning off your AC when you are out of the house at work, and program it to come back on an hour or so before you come home to cool the house down.
Spend more time outside
During the winter many of us are huddled in our homes trying to forget about the cold biting wind outside. In the summer, people should be outside enjoying their gardens, playing in the yard, going for walks with friends, or meeting down by the swimming hole. None of these activities cost money, they are all fun, and most of them will make friends even! Plus the more time you are outside having fun, the less you need things like top notch high speed Internet, all extras cell phone package, or the 500 channel cable TV deal.
Hang your laundry outside to dry
One thing missing from many urban areas today is the nice clean laundry hanging on a clothesline. In some cases this is due to local bylaws prohibiting this “eye sore”. But in most cases its either a yard that’s too small, or someone just doesn’t have time to do it. While it does take a bit longer to peg those clothes on the line, you will be surprised at the difference in the clothes that come in off the clothesline. They will be static free, they will be nicely dry instead of too wet or bone dry, its more gentle on the clothes helping them last longer, and honestly clothes dried outside smell nicer. So you not only save the electricity to run the dryer, but in the long run your clothes last longer as well.
Take your lunch to work
Remember the days when your parents packed you off to school with your brown bag lunch? You would look forward to lunchtime when you sit down with your friends, possibly under the shade of a big tree, and chat about fun stuff and exchange lunch items. It can be just as much fun as an adult as it was when you were a child. Bring your lunch and eat it outside. It gets you out of the office and relaxing. Before you know it, you will have other coworkers joining you. On top of saving you the time of going out to eat, you also save the money since most bag lunches can be made for under $4 and most restaurant lunches start at $10 before tax, tip, and drink.
These are only a few of the ways that you can save money while enjoying your summer.