Budget-Friendly Summer Family Activities

Another hot summer approaches, but this summer is a little different than the past few summers. We are all paying more for things in our life, and that is taking away from our budget for fun with the family. Do not worry, though, I promise that there are plenty of things you can still do that will leave lasting memories for you and your family forever! Below are ways to have a budget-friendly Summer with the family.

I know I had a great time as a kid playing board games with my family. Parcheesi, Yahtzee, Life, Scrabble, you name it, the Stones were playing it! You can find many of your soon-to-be favorite board games at Goodwill, for a few bucks. You can order Monopoly off Amazon for less than the price of two movie theater tickets. After your family gets done with a Monopoly marathon, go sit down at the couch and pick a great movie on your favorite streaming service. This will provide the family with a whole evening of laughing, closeness, and comfort, for very low cost. The best part is you can repeat this every week, and only buy a game one time.

If your family is more of the outdoors type, there are thousands of local parks around the country. In addition to city parks full of trails and playgrounds, there are also National and State parks located in every state. Oftentimes, these parks are free, or cost under $15 for a whole vehicle to enter for the day. You can find detailed information on parks in your state here. Many of these parks offer beautiful trails, lakes, and camping sites (for a small additional fee). These are a great option if you are not in driving distance to a beach, as many park lakes have beach areas as well! Pack a cooler with your favorite drinks and sandwiches, grab your favorite snacks, and hit the road to a park near you. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and bug spray as well!

Everyone loves food, so this one should be a hit. If you add up the costs, eating at home is cheaper than going out to dine. Cooking together as a family is a great way to put phones down, and come together to genuinely enjoy each other’s company. You are going to come up with a meal together, and everyone is going to play a part in cooking. If you want, have a child pick an appetizer to make, dad can pick the main course, and then let mom pick a delicious dessert. You can always go with pre-rolled cookie dough..just remember to leave some dough to bake!! Try a different style or type of dish each week!

Look for local festivals and markets, sports with friends or pick-up games, video games, water balloon fights, pool day at the community pool, kids make dinner for their parents, and go to a minor league baseball game.

Additional Resources:

If you plan on traveling this Summer, check out How to Inflation-Proof Your Summer for budget-friendly summer vacation tips.