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How To Enjoy A Brilliant Summer On A Budget

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You don’t need to leave the country in pursuit of a tropical island to have a lovely summer and break from work. You can instead stay much closer to home and enjoy gardening, outside sports and games in the garden, picnicking, cycling to lakes and going swimming, and staying inside to watch movies on those rare rainy days. Living on a budget doesn’t have to restrict you as long as you’re savvy with money and know where and where not to spend your cash. Always ask friends and family if they have bikes, paddling pools, and materials that you could borrow before purchasing them yourself. Follow this guide to enjoy a glorious summer by learning how to budget well, and make the most of the money you have.

Set Your Budget

First, set a budget and decide how much you can afford to spend (maximum) over the course of the summer months. Get yourself a calendar so that you can see each day of every month, and how you’re going to distribute what you have between them evenly. Once your budget is set, track your spending and be sure to check for discounts and deals before purchasing items. If you’re concerned that your budget won’t go far enough, then consider using Bonsai Finance to get a personal credit loan. Alternatively, you could begin saving sooner, and even begin putting money aside to enjoy in time for next summer.

Make A Thorough Plan

There’s no need to have what you plan to do each day written in stone. However, it’s useful to have a rough idea of what you’re going to get up to from one day to the next. If there are a few activities that you particularly want to get involved in, then schedule a day aside and book tickets, organise the finer details, and make reservations all ahead of time. Ensure that you’ve found cover at work, and care for your children if you have them before you spend money on booking activities. Otherwise, you’ll lose money and be sorely disappointed. Once you’ve constructed a day-by-day plan, you should feel calmer and more in control, which is ideal for enjoying a relaxing summer vacation.

Make Your Own Coffee

If you’re someone who needs their caffeine fix in the morning and on your way to work, then reconsider how you drink it. This isn’t to suggest drinking less, or having it differently, just that you make it yourself at home . Purchasing coffee every day can seriously increase your weekly spending, and by buying coffee made for you, you’re also paying for the service. So, prepare and pour it yourself. You can buy ground coffee, or you can use whole beans and ground them using a smoothie maker, for example. You don’t have to purchase an expensive coffee maker at home to enjoy fresh coffee to power through a summer’s day.

Get A Bike

This summer, instead of using your car to get from A to B, use a bike instead. For short journeys, hop onto your bicycle rather than opting to drive the car. You’ll save money on petrol, and you’ll have got far more exercise in the process as well; it’s a win-win scenario. You don’t have to get a fancy new bike with all the extras. Instead, you can look to find a second-hand bike online, in local publications, and in charity stores too. You could even ask around in your friendship circles and your family to see if there’s a bike sitting unused in a garage. It’s always worth a shot, so ask around before buying a new one.

Have Picnics

Picnics are a great way to get out in nature, incorporate exercise, and to have a good nutritious meal with those involved. Aside from packing the food you plan to eat; picnics are free of cost and hugely enjoyable. You can leave your house and head for the countryside, or drive a short way and then choose which route or path to take. If you’re going with your family, then prepare a round of sandwiches placed inside a cool box, along with crisps, vegetable sticks, hummus, and a small collection of pieces of fruit. Think about packing high-calorie foods such as protein bars with nuts, flapjacks, and packets of nuts and seeds if you’re going to walk for a long way, and you’re expecting to engage in activity all day. Importantly, remember to stay well hydrated and pack at least two litres of water for each person going.

Grow Your Own

It’s no secret that eating healthily can be expensive, especially given that vegetables, beans, pulses, and organic foods often cost much more than the likes of fast food, and food which contains little nutritional value. To live well on a budget, seek out a spot in your garden that receives plenty of sunlight and begin to grow your own vegetables. You can grow carrots, lettuce, green beans, potatoes, cabbages, spring onions, and chives, for example. In a shadier patch, prepare a few small pots and cultivate herbs such as rosemary, coriander, basil, mint, and parsley to add flavor to your foods. If you’re excited by the prospect of growing your own foods, then research further and grow your own peppers, chilis, and even lemons.

Build A Treehouse

If you have kids, then try to keep them happy and entertained in the garden as often as possible, as this way you don’t have to take them places and spend money. The garden is a great space to run around in, and you have plenty of choices to try and keep them busy. Build a treehouse using pieces of wood and corrugated iron to construct a roof, or create a small shed on the ground in which your kids can take shelter from both the sun and rain. Kids will enjoy having their own space, and somewhere out of sight to play in. For summer, try and source a paddling pool for younger children to cool down in, and for your older children, ask around your neighbourhood to see if any kind individuals would allow them to splash around in their pool, with their kids, for an afternoon a week or so.