(ThySistas.com) Now, everyone knows that there’s much to love about summer. The weather is fine, everyone’s up for an adventure and having fun, there’s just an easy-going atmosphere in the air. It’s a great time of year. However, it’s also true that the season can place havoc with our finances, nearly as much as the Christmas period. To ensure that you make it through the summer season with your finances in one piece, we’ve put together some tried and tested methods for ensuring it doesn’t cost you more than you expect.
Days Out and Adventures
Is there anything better than waking up, finding inspiration from the beautiful day, and heading out on a day of adventure? We don’t think so. Alas, these adventures aren’t always free, and can, indeed, add up to quite a pretty penny if you’re not careful, especially when multiplied over the whole summer. As such, you’ll want to take some steps to keep the costs of your adventuring down. For starters, avoid long, last-minute road trips (the gas costs will kill you), and also pack your own food and drinks. Days in nature are free, too, and just as enjoyable as
anything you’d find in a city.
On the Roads
Sometimes, our money is spent for us by other people. While we think of summer as a fun and happy time of year, it’s also one of the deadliest periods when it comes to driving. Teen and drink drivers are responsible for a lot of accidents during the summer, and could burden you with expensive costs if you’re not careful. If you’re involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault, get in touch with a personal injury attorney — they’ll help to get the financial compensation that can help with automobile repair and hospital charges. Of course, the best practice is to avoid being in an accident altogether, for example, not driving late at night in bar areas.
Vacation Times
Everyone deserves to go on vacation once a year, and the good thing to remember is that it’s nearly always possible, no matter how big your budget might be. However, it’s important that you don’t fall into the trap of spending more than you expect. When it comes to vacations, don’t just account for the travel and hotel costs. Think about your daily expenses, and how you can keep them to a minimum. If you don’t, you might find that you end up spending more than you expected because you didn’t know where to eat, how to get discounts, and so on.
Going With the Flow Spirit
It’s easy to fall into that easy-going, free-flowing spirit during the summer months. But when it comes to spending money, it’s worthwhile having a little bit of restraint. Learn the art of saying no, rather than just going with whatever idea is suggested. Most people spend more money than they’d like to purely because they’re letting someone else spend it for them, effectively. Set your budget, and stick to it — you’ll be grateful come fall.
Staff Writer; Debra Ford