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Health & Fitness

How to use your Summer to be Debt Free in the Winter:

Summertime is a great way to save some money and allocate those saved funds to either pay down bills or save for the holidays this year.  Here are my top tips on how to save money this summer!

Take advantage of the daylight:  There is no need to keep your lights on during the day!  Open your shades and use the sunlight as an excuse to save some electricity.  Consider a reminder in your phone to lower the temperature in your home to save money if you can’t remember to lower the temperature on your own.  

Turn the A/C off on cool days: It’s nice to get a breath of fresh air every once and a while.  On a day or night that it’s cooling down, open the windows and give the A/C a rest.  You may be shocked the effect this has on your bill.  Consider replacing old units if you can afford to since in the long run you’ll save money on your electric bills with a more efficient unit.

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Go on a spending hiatus: Allocate any savings in utilities towards paying off debt. Even if that’s only $25 a week you save, every amount you put aside helps. Give yourself the summer to not spend on anything but a necessity.

Take more staycations: Save the money you would have spent on vacation and put it allocate it towards your debt.  Instead of going away try visiting some local and cheap attractions. State parks, beaches and free concerts are a great way to have cheap summer fun. Consider being creative at home too, like camping with the kids in the backyard. 

Eat at home more:  It’s much easier to make dinner in the Summer when you can just throw together a quick BBQ.  Try to stick to cheaper dishes, such as chicken or making your own burgers from chop meat. If you can grow your own vegetables, even better and of course it’s cheaper than buying.

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Bring lunch to work:  In the summer people tend to eat lighter because of the heat.   A salad from a deli can cost upwards of $7, make your own at home and you can probably make a week’s worth for the cost of buying lunch!

Find cheap help to watch the kids:  Try and reduce the cost of a camp by enrolling your child in a local day camp at your town park or library!  Try and reduce the cost of babysitters by setting up a play date for the child a few times a week.  Also consider pooling in with other working parents for the price of a babysitter to watch all of your kids. Summer is an easier time to get help with a lot of high school and college kids looking for extra money. If your kids are old enough, put them to work. Babysitting, dog walking or even helping with someone yard work can keep them busy and give them money for their summer activities without you having to put your hand in your pocket for everything.

 

By following these tips, you may be surprised how much money you can save! 





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