The temperature outside is climbing, kids are out of school and the family
needs something fun to do! However, keeping everyone entertained can put a
strain on your wallet. Water park excursions, grill-outs and Fourth of July parties
can all add up to an expensive summer! Here are a few ideas from the Wisconsin Bankers Association to keep your budget
from exploding this summer:
Create a spending
plan
As with any budget, creating a plan for how you will
spend your money is critical to enjoying a cost-effective summer. Maybe that means allotting each child a specific amount of "fun money" for
each week. They will have to determine how they want to spend their portion and learn good financial habits at the same time! A spending plan also helps reduce spontaneous
purchases that can add up throughout the summer. For example, planning meals
for the week can prevent the potential cost incurred by ordering pizza or fast
food as a last-minute dinner.
Create your own
summer camp
Get the neighborhood families together to create a
mini-summer camp for the kids. The adults can rotate taking the kids out to do
something fun once per week, whether it’s a visit to the park or the library.
Choose a couple of free activities and a couple of activities at a reasonable
cost like a water park or the science museum.
Research
budget-friendly activities
Many towns and cities in Wisconsin
offer inexpensive or free activities during the summer. Your city's Chamber of
Commerce or Travel & Visitors Bureau should have a full list of movie theater
specials, park activities, and outdoor concerts. Have a good ol' fashion water balloon fight, visit a local lake or river and let the kids splash around, or hook up the sprinkler as a fun (and cheap) way to keep everyone cool! Many local
libraries also have free reading sessions for kids on weekdays during the
summer, which can be a nice break from the heat if the rest of your time is
spent outdoors.
Have potluck celebrations
Throwing summertime parties can get expensive very quickly, especially if
you’re getting food catered or hosting at a restaurant. To keep costs under
control, organize potluck dinners so each attendee only has to bring one item
to share.
With a little research, careful planning and some creativity, you can have
an exciting and enjoyable summer without squeezing your budget.
