How to Save Money During Summer
Many places show movies outside for free during summer. Look for outdoor film festivals in your area. Some college campuses and town or city alliances organize them. For example, in Baltimore an area called Little Italy holds the Little Italy Open Air Film Fest. Once a week for July and June, they show a movie for free outdoors. Check the local news and newspapers for announcements or search the web for outdoor film festivals.
If outdoor showings are not your thing, you can also attend free advanced movie screenings for new releases. Use sites like advancedscreenings.com to see screening opportunities. On this site you can see free private screenings offered by gofobo.com and a list of contests or giveaways of screening tickets in your area. Advanced screenings are usually held 1-2 weeks before the release date of the movie.
Most homes now have washers and dryers in a laundry room or basement. However, if you want to save on electricity let the natural sunshine dry your clothes instead of using a dryer. You’ll save on dryer sheets and electricity, plus your clothes will have a natural fresh scent.
3) Make your own smoothies.
During the summer, many enjoy a cold treat in the form of a smoothie. However, smoothies can cost $4 or more at most places, especially if made with real fruit. Instead of purchasing smoothies in a store, make your own from scratch. You can freeze the fruit to eliminate the need for adding ice. Also, making your own smoothies is a great way to utilize overripe fruit that you may otherwise toss in the trash. I’ve calculated that smoothies I make at home cost less than $2 each.
4) Free outdoor activities.
Take advantage of the warm weather to do activities that cold weather prohibits or makes very uncomfortable to do outside. Take a bike tour around town or the park, have a picnic with friends and family, or do a walking tour of a pretty neighborhood or park and end with a picnic. Get creative and you can think of a lot of outdoor activities that are free and entertaining.
What are some ways you save money during the summer? Leave a comment and let me know.
Photo credit: Jorge Gobbi
