Summer Greens: Budgeting for the Warmer Months

You can sense the change. The days are getting longer, spring flowers are blooming and you’ve shed your heavy coat and boots for a windbreaker and sneakers. Winder is over, spring is here and summer is right around the corner. Sure, you may have started priming you body for a bathing suit, but soon enough the pools will be open and the grill will be hot on a regular basis. Summer means fun and relaxation for many. For others, it means struggling to find the money to pay for it all.

Those who don’t budget ahead of time can be in for a dreary summer come the last day of school or the first day of a work vacation. Without preparation the enjoyment can be sucked out of clothes shopping, vacations or other special events. Don’t let this happen to you. Here are a few things to consider before the first day of summer knocks on your door.

Clothes Shopping

You have to factor in a couple of things. One is the early-bird sales for shorts and t-shirts while it’s still snowing outside. Shopping for clothes at this time of the year can save a good deal of money in the budget. Same things goes for purchasing items on clearance during the end of season sales of the previous year. Another factor has to deal with those of you who have children. They’ll grow, which means the clothes you purchase in March may not fit them come June. Unfortunately, parents may have to wait until April or May to make their purchases. The good news is places like Plato’s Closet offer fashionable clothes for lower prices.

Vacations

This depends on how big the trips are. Small visits to places within the state that may be a day or two long can be budgeted out at the beginning of the year. You need to ensure there are no changes to rates or a new attraction that costs additional money. Larger trips out of the state or country should be budgeted starting in the previous summer, especially if it’s to a place that may cost several thousand dollars to visit. Anyway, booking earlier may provide additional discounts or incentives.

Special Events or Children’s Activities

We’ve discussed the booking of summer camp visits in a previous post. Still, it’s best to remind you that reserving space at a camp, particularly one that deals in a specialty like acting or space travel, needs to be done as early as possible. Like vacations, booking ahead of time can lead to discounts. In order to budget for festivals and other events in your area, we recommend reviewing the event calendars of the towns or attractions you’re interested in so you can begin budgeting ahead of time.