Summer is a time for fun and vacation, but bad habits can quickly put you into debt for temporary fun. If you’re trying to stay out of debt, there are plenty of ways to have summer fun while staying within your budget.
Have a Staycation
Becoming tourists in your hometown is one of the best ways to have the best of both worlds. You can have fun and save money. You don’t have to pay the high hotel costs or even need money to eat out. You have the comforts of your own home, yet can venture out and be ‘tourists’ in your area.
You can even keep it free by visiting national parks, hiking local trails, visiting museums on ‘free museum days,’ and using your library’s resources (many offer free passes to local attractions).
Stay with Friends
If you want to head out of town for a true vacation feel, travel to areas where you have friends and see if you can bunk at their place. If you don’t have friends who live out of town or at least where you want to visit, consider traveling with friends and splitting the cost of a rented house versus paying inflated hotel costs.
Look for Coupons before you Travel
You don’t have to be a resident to take advantage of local deals, and do your research before you go. Many tourist service centers have coupon books for travelers, but you can also look on Groupon or the area’s local chamber of commerce page.
Find out where the deals are, including Happy Hour, buy one get one free deals, or even free times to enter attractions (sometimes going to attractions a couple of hours before they close) are all great ways to save money.
Budget your Vacation
Before you even plan your vacation, create a budget. Know what you can spend and stick to it. Even if it’s a small amount, figure out what you can fit into it – think outside the box and get creative.
Like we discussed above, there are plenty of free options and ways to maximize your funds so you can feel like you’re having fun without breaking the bank.
Avoid Going into Debt
The key is to avoid going into debt this summer. When you plan your summer ahead of time, you’ll be less likely to reach for the credit card and put yourself into debt for temporary fun. Whether you’ve saved up for summer fun, cut back on expenses to cover your summer outings, or ft what you can in your budget, there’s plenty of fun to be had.
If you find that you’re in over your head in debt or that your summer fun got out of control, contact the experts at Creditaid to get non-judgmental and expert help to get you and your family out of debt.