5 Tips for Saving Money in the Summer Time
It’s summertime and the living is easy.
Or it’s summertime and you’re totally broke, but can’t bring yourself to waste the sunshine and your holidays.
We all wish we were jaunting off for a couple of weeks in Bali or tanning on Magnetic Island, but a lot of the time, that’s just out of the question. Beyond anything, I don’t tan. I freckle and burn, but I guess that’s not the concern here. So what to do with your summers beyond the usual beach and park excursions?
Here’s where you might find me come December:
Music Festivals
They can cost an arm and a leg, but if you’re willing to put in a couple of hours, then volunteering at a music festival can cost next to nothing. It’s all part of the fun; you meet great people, try and avoid the toilet-cleaning shift, and then once you’ve done your time, you’re free to go and enjoy yourself. Bring your own food, camp onsite and you’ve just had yourself five days of good times and your bank balance hasn’t even noticed you were gone. A lot of the time kids get in for free, or for next to nothing so it works for families too.
House Swap
Happen to live in the Blue Mountains, and some friends of yours live in Melbourne? Both keen on a holiday, but don’t have the resources to actually rent somewhere? Why not trade houses for a week. You both get a new location, but without having to spend any money of renting. With a bit of discipline, you can live off a similar amount to what you would have paid if you’d stayed home. It’s like they say, a change is as good as a holiday. Just try not to break their precious family heirloom while you’re there.
Get some culture into ya!
Movies come at a pretty heavy price these days, but summer will find most cities throwing a few big screens up and welcoming the masses for no charge at all. Christmas comes with free concerts (like the classic Christmas in the Domain, which is definitely a highlight of the season) and events. Keep your eye on the local rag to find out what’s buzzing this summer.
Market it up
Summer is perfect for markets, what with the weather and the relaxed vibe. Head down to your local growers market, and if there happens to be a free sample in the offing, so much the better. There’s usually some music playing, and if the sun is hitting the grass and you’ve brought along the picnic rug, it can be a pretty dandy way to spend the afternoon.
Get in touch with nature
Release the inner hippy. Whether it’s a day trip for a beautiful bushwalk, or the summer fun of an overnight camping trip, summer in Australia lends itself to the back with nature groove. http://ozcamps.net/ is a website that lists the free campsites this great country has to offer, and any of the natonal parks website tend to have good bushwalking suggestions.
While I love all of these options, my favourite summertime activity remains the afternoon barbeque, when the sun has finally started to cool off and you’ve got your first beer in hand.
Where does the first day of summer holidays find you? Share your best holiday ideas.
Tell us your best tips for saving money in the summer time. We would love to hear from you!
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