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Summer is in full swing here in South Carolina! We are officially done homeschooling until August. The sun is blazing after 10 a.m. most mornings. And I have 4 energetic kids who are ready to tackle this season head on! If your kids are like mine, they want to take advantage of this warm weather with new places to go, things to do, and experiences to try. It is easy to spend too much money on summer and its related activities. But, if you want to save money during summer, follow these easy hacks to keep you and your wallet cool all summer long!
1. DIY Laundry Detergent
Personally, I think DIY laundry detergent is a great idea any for any season, but especially during summer! Kids just seem to attract exponentially more dirt, mud, and ice cream stains to their clothes during the summer months. They also seem to go through about 3 times as many changes of clothes each day. This means you have a lot more laundry piling up during summer, and thus you probably use a lot more laundry detergent! Save money this summer by switching to a cost-effective DIY laundry detergent (here is a recipe that I use and love). And if you like it, why not continue using it all year?
2. Make-Your-Own Sno Cones
Another way to save money this summer is to make your own sno cones. If I gave in to every time my kids wanted sno cones, I’d have to actually re-enter the workforce just to support their habit! At an average of $15 every time we visit the sno cone stand, it adds up quickly. Instead, make your own for a fraction of the cost! Just order some syrup from Amazon and make ice use the ice crushing mode on your blender (this is the blender I have). There you have it, homemade sno cones! For a great-tasting, no high fructose corn syrup product, try Torani Syrup Varities. They are a little more on the expensive side, but still nothing compared to what you’ll save versus frequent visits to the sno-cone stand!
3. Use a Sprinkler Instead of a Pool or SplashPad
I’ve learned this hack the hard way! For many years, my husband and I prepared for the summer season by buying an inflatable pool or small splashpad for our young children. At $30 – $40 each, we never got our money’s worth. Every single one of the different splash pads we bought busted at the seams after only a few uses. And the kids lost interest in the pool (that took forever to inflate even with an air pump) because the water would get yucky with grass, sticks, or bugs. Or, the water was just a bit too cold. Or the pool would develop a mystery leak somewhere.
Every year, we ended up resorting to water play in the backyard with the good ol’ sprinkler. Yep, the same sprinkler my husband bought about a decade ago pre-wife and kids. And it still works, year after year! I do give the kids a few buckets or an old cooler, and they are ecstatic! So, to save money during summer, just skip the pool or splashpad and use a sprinkler. The kids love it just as much!
4. Ditch the Bottled Water
If you haven’t already, it’s time to ditch the bottled water! Buying bottled water is a healthy, but expensive, choice. My husband and I have gone through several water options before we finally found one that worked for us. We tried the Primo water cooler for a few years. The quality was great and we liked the hot and cold options. But lugging 5-gallon jugs of water up and down our stairs wasn’t fun, and it was rather expensive (about $120 a month). Next, we tried an under-the-sink reverse osmosis system, which we loved. It was low-maintenance and pretty affordable. The filters had to be replaced about every 4 – 6 months and only cost about $60. However, while we were on a vacation, the unit developed a cracked housing and a slow leak. We came home to an entirely flooded kitchen and dining room area and had to replace all of our downstairs flooring. It was a mess that we never wanted to deal with again! After that, we decided to try the 30-cup Zero Water dispenser. The filters are affordable and the taste is awesome! Best of all, we don’t have to worry about busted water lines with this one! So, this summer, get you a BPA-free water bottle and just refill it before you head out. You’ll save a lot of money without compromising quality with this dispenser!
5. Buy secondhand summer clothing
If you know your kids are going to destroy their summer clothes because they enjoy the great outdoors so much, why not shop for secondhand deals? Kids are so much harder on their clothes during the summer (as long as they aren’t indoors watching TV all day), so there’s no need to buy brand-new summer clothing at full-price. Great deals can be found at stores like Once Upon a Child or Pluto’s Closet. You might also want to check your local Facebook marketplace listings for deals, especially for toddlers and younger children. Finally, thrift stores or Goodwill may provide a hidden treasure or two (and something fun to do in the hot part of the day!).
6. Buy Generic Sunscreen
According to a report by US News, generic sunscreen works just as well as name-brand sunscreen but is generally less expensive. As long as the sunscreen you are buying has an SPF rating of at least 15 and is labeled “broad spectrum”, then it’s ok to buy the less expensive choice. So go ahead and save a few dollars by buying the no-name brand. You’ll still be preventing skin cancer as you save money this summer!
7. Skip the Indoor/Mega Entertainment Centers/Water Parks
With lots of free time and hot days during the summer, kids want to try fun new things that involve the indoors (or water). And guess what? Businesses know this and capitalize on this! Indoor entertainment venues are often overly expensive and quite frankly, not worth the hype (or cost). Places such as trampoline parks, escape rooms, adventure museums, water parks, movie theaters, mini golf courses, or bowling alleys are mostly money traps. Yes, you will probably have an okay time. But you will also likely regret the amount of money you will spend on just an okay time. In addition to entrance fees, consider the cost for concessions, equipment rental, hourly fees, etc., and you can see how these places add up quickly!
There are other less expensive experiences you can offer your kids, such as free events at the local library. Maybe they would enjoy a trip to the animal shelter? How about looking into KidsBowlFree, a program where kids really do bowl free at participating bowling alleys during the summer (besides the cost of shoe rental). A zoo membership is initially a little expensive but is worth the cost if you have a great zoo nearby that you can frequent during the summer.
Just a Few More Thoughts
Summer is definitely a magical season that should be enjoyed by kids and adults alike! Enjoying this season seems to take a certain amount of money, for my family anyway. With these few hacks, you will be able to focus on spending time with your family, not spending money with your family! Now go make your memories and have fun…summer is waiting, but it won’t be here forever!