Your Complete Guide to a Spend-Free Summer Weekend

Between flip-flops and baseball, beach days and the Fourth of July, there’s much to love about summer! Unfortunately, though, the warmest season can be expensive. A great way to combat a swollen summer budget is to take a financial fast on a summer weekend – or several of them. Here’s how. 

Plan ahead

Your spend-free weekend won’t happen without planning. Make sure the house is well-stocked, your car’s tank is full and that there aren’t any bills due over your chosen weekend. Also, check the calendar to make sure you don’t have any planned social events mandating the purchase of a gift. 

Get creative 

This is the time for creative thinking! First, when it comes to meals, you’re going to need to throw them together out of whatever you have on hand. You may also need to get those creative juices flowing if you suddenly run out of a household staple, like napkins … or chocolate! Just keep at it and find solutions if needs arise. You can do it!

Go take a hike

The great outdoors is free! Look up a local trail you haven’t tried, walk your favorite path again, or take a drive somewhere new. Load your backpack with energy food, water and sunscreen and get ready to hit the trails! You can also make it a full-day affair and pack an easy picnic dinner to enjoy at the end of the trail.

Make lazy days great again

Designate one day of your weekend for a lazy day. Sleep as late as the kids or the dog allows, have breakfast in bed whenever you feel like it, and spend the rest of the day watching old movies and playing board games.  

Avoid temptation

Don’t tempt your willpower this weekend! First, browse incognito. This will force you to manually input your payment information for any purchases you’re tempted to make. Of course, you can also completely avoid any shopping sites. Similarly, you may be better off skipping the window shopping this weekend.

Host a game night

Instead of spending money on the fun, why not bring the fun to you? Invite friends over for an epic, cost-free game night. Make sure you’ve stocked up on snacks beforehand, and let your friends bring any extras you may have forgotten. 

Attend free events

When you gotta get out of the house but can’t spend a penny, free summer events are the way to go. Look up free concerts, festivals, fairs, art shows and more in local newspapers and online forums. 

Don’t give up

If something happens and you’re forced to break your fast, don’t throw in the towel. You can continue your spend-free weekend as if it never happened.

Your spend-free summer weekend is within reach! Follow these tips to make it happen.