Summer is meant to be a time where we can kick back, relax and enjoy the sun. However, this is easier said than done, if you’re tight for money it can make relaxing hard work.
Money problems can ruin the summer, while everyone else is off enjoying their vacation; you’re stuck in the office having to work. However, there are things you can do to save a bit of capital to make sure you have a fantastic summer too.
Of course, saving isn’t just important because it allows you to enjoy yourself, having a bit of back up finances can also get you out of some tricky situations. For instance, saving money can help you if you have any sudden, unexpected payments you need to meet, such as a household appliance breaking down.
There are lots of ways you can save for a fantastic summer. One really important thing you need to do is to make sure you’re not unnecessarily adding to your financial burden. There can be a risk of this happening if you use credit cards.
Credit cards can be useful, but they can also cause you world of trouble. You need to make sure that you keep up with any repayments you have on them because failure to do so can lead to heavy interest rates and fines.
If you find that you’re struggling to meet your monthly credit card repayments, you could think about getting rid of them and changing them for debit cards and prepaid credit cards, these cards won’t let you spend beyond your means.
Another way to save for summer is to reassess the mortgage you have. When the contract runs out on your current mortgage package, check out the best rates on comparison websites like rate supermarket. Sites like these will be able to give you reliable, unbiased information about the mortgage market; you may even find that your current lender is able to give you a better deal.
As self-defeating as it might sound, you should think hard about whether you actually need your summer vacation. Sure it would be nice, but can you really afford it?
You can avoid a lot of costs if you decide against going on vacation. At least don’t venture too far from home if you do take a vacation. Checking magazines and deal websites, like Groupon, will yield some great weekend getaway offers. The rest of your vacation can be spent relaxing in the yard.
If you do decide to go on a full vacation, then you can still save with the proper preparation. Any holiday gear you need should be bought off season. Peak vacation season means that all the prices will be jacked up. Shopping off season also means that shops will be trying to get rid of last year’s stuff, so you might even find a deal.
It’s important book your flight early too, the best time to do this 11 months before you go away, this is when flight details are released so the cheap seats are still available. Another tip is to book your flights on in the middle of the week, like Tuesday or Wednesday evening.
How do you enjoy summer without overspending? Do you think it’s better to save money or spend time on a nice vacation?
