Scrolling through Instagram, you might feel like flying to St. Tropez is the only way to enjoy the summer.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
As long as you have a little imagination and a couple of water bottles at the ready, there are plenty of budget-friendly ways to enjoy the hottest season of the year. Whether you’re hoping to stay local or you want to venture out for a low-cost getaway, we have recommendations for enjoying the waning days of summer.
Below are our top 7 tips to make this summer one for the books!
#1 Soak Up The Sun
Fall and winter are around the corner, and the days are getting shorter right before your eyes. Soak up some Vitamin D while you can!
Even if you live in an apartment complex, there are ways to get outside. You could:
- Go to the local park
- Visit a botanical garden
- Bike to a nearby locale (use a service like Citibike if you don’t have wheels)
- Take a ferry to the beach
As long as you have a patch of green and a good book (or a set of speakers), it’s easy to have a beautiful day in the sun. Just remember to take care of your hair and skin so that you can enjoy the next day, too!
#2 Eat Seasonal Delicacies
Summer brings a bounty of fruit and vegetables that are best enjoyed fresh.
Exotic fruits like papaya may be available in your supermarket year round, but they’re usually shipped from distant shores. That means they ripen in shipping containers rather than on trees! Summer makes it easier to find more local, sustainable fruit options.
#3 Go Fishing
Looking to make a whole meal? There’s also an abundance of seasonal seafood in summer. While you may think of seafood as a costly meal, expensive swordfish and tuna are usually caught alongside fish like scup and skate. In fact, some of these more common fish can be easy to find in local waters. If you’re fishing in freshwater, you might find catfish or panfish.
Whether or not you catch anything, spending a day at the dock or in a skip can be immensely relaxing. Just be sure to bring:
- Plenty of water
- A hat
- Your fishing cooler
- Sunscreen
- A fishing rod
- Plenty of bait
Then, get ready to spend a meditative day waiting for the fish to bite.
#4 Have A Potluck Cookout
Want to have an elaborate, multicourse meal without the price tag? Set up your grill and invite over a few friends, asking each one to bring a contribution for the meal.
Make sure to assign:
- A protein
- Veggies
- Herbs and spices
- Chips and dip
- Potato salad or coleslaw
- Dessert
- Beverages
As for your contribution? You’re buying the charcoal! Of course, if you have a signature dish, now’s the perfect time to break it out.
#5 Look For Festivals And Film Screenings
Don’t want to spring for pricey movie tickets? Many bars and restaurants expand their summer offerings by projecting classics in their outdoor patio spaces. Take a look at local event calendars to see if anything of this sort is going on.
Long summer nights are perfect for attending drive-in festivals and movies, too.
#6 Take A Road Trip
Want to get out of town without booking an expensive flight? If you have wheels, there’s likely somewhere magical within half a day’s drive.
Of course, it’s not all about the destination. The journey can be amazing, too. For instance, you can stop at:
- Farm stands
- “Tourist trap” attractions
- Historic sights
- Museums
- Unique small towns
To save money, consider staying with friends, at a motel, or even in the open air.
#7 Go Camping
One of the best ways to save on accommodations? Go camping! You can rent a tent as well as other essential camping supplies. Depending on the length of your stay, these could include:
- Sleeping bag
- Camping oven and lighter
- Water purification system
- Cooler
- Canned and fresh foods
- Flashlights and lanterns
- Bug spray
Want to make it an even cheaper trip? You could always learn to forage. Just be sure to pack a few essentials the first time so you’re not starving!
Those Summer Nights
As kids, we remember summers as an infinite expanse of freedom. The days are long, and somehow, the starry nights are even longer. As adults, it can be difficult to capture that same magic, especially when we’re worried about our finances.
However, summer is the perfect time to reconnect with nature and yourself. With a little less stress in your life, it’s easier to set and stick to a budget. Take advantage of these low-cost summer ideas so that you enter autumn relaxed and ready for whatever comes your way.
Read more: How Many Weeks In A Summer?
