Save Money During the Summer
By brooke, June 24, 2011, Energy Efficiency, Family & Kids
Between children’s summer activities, family trips and increasing electricity bills, the summer not only brings an increase in heat but an increase in expenses too. So, to help with this increase, here are some ways to lower expenses during the hot summer months.
Yard Maintenance
As you probably know, watering the lawn is important to keep it healthy and most importantly green. As the summer months start, you may notice it takes a lot more water to keep your grass looking even remotely green (especially during this nasty drought). This results in more time spent watering and more importantly a higher water bill. So, to help cut down on your water bill, water early in the morning or late in the evening. Avoid watering during hotter times of the day like the afternoon because the water will evaporate quicker and you’ll need more water to get the job done.
Start a garden. If you have any unused yard space, you can grow your own food which can save money on your grocery bills. Seeds cost next to nothing and if you grow items you use a lot, for example, tomatoes and strawberries, you can definitely come out ahead. If gardening isn’t up your alley try shopping at farmers markets which tend to be cheaper and carry fresh produce.
Kids Entertainment
When kids are out of school, they tend to go for entertainment like movies, shopping or other pricey activities. As an alternative, get a subscription to a movie rental service rather than going to the movies. If going to the movies is a must then save money by going to a matinee and try to refuse the movie theater snacks. Amusement parks or water parks may be of interest to kids which can get expensive. Look into any summer promotional offers, purchasing tickets in advance or purchasing a season pass to see if there is a price discount.
Having kids home for the summer doesn’t just affect their activities; it can also affect running day to day errands. How many times have you bought extra items just to make them happy in order to actually get your errands done? Sometimes it can save you money to hire a sitter for a few hours to run as many errands as possible.
For more ideas on free outings for children visit the Bounce Energy Savings blog post, “Summer Activities Can Be Cheap!”
In addition to saving money outside of the home, here are some resources to save money inside the home.
- How to Cut Summer Energy Costs
- 10 Ways to Keep Your Texas Electricity Bill Low Through the Summer Months
- Summer Projects to Reduce Energy Costs
Follow @BounceEnergy
