It’s Memorial Weekend. The unofficial start of summer fun. The temperature soars. The pools open up. You can start wearing shorts and flip-flops again. I admit that I’m a summer person. I like the warm weather and everything that goes with it. Life just seems easier during the summer.

And this summer is even better as I’m not bogged down with a corporate day job keeping me locked in an office all day. I’ll be spending more time with the family. But without that steady source of corporate income, I need to be careful about spending. It’s easy for spending to get out of hand over the summer.

Here are a few activities for having summer fun that still make smart financial sense.

 

Top Ideas for Summer Fun

Vacations/Travel – Many of us will be traveling or taking a vacation over the summer. If you own a business, the summer is a good time to combine a business and personal trip. I have a physician friend who schedules vacation travel on the front-end or back-end of a continuing education session. Most of his expenses are deductible which lowers his taxable income.

Activities for the family – The summer is a great time to visit places like the zoo, public gardens, museums, the library, and local sporting events. Also, check out any summer music festivals in your area. Sitting in the grass on a cool summer evening doesn’t typically cost much and is a great way to get outside.

Start an exercise program – Use the nice weather of summer to launch an outdoor exercise program whether it’s running, swimming, biking, or maybe just walking. Also consider using the longer days to pick up a new sport – golf and tennis are two great options.

Education – Local schools, universities, and community colleges typically offer summer sessions in a more condensed format. Take advantage to quickly get college credit needed to sit for the CPA or other certification, or just take a class in an area that interests you. Whether young or old, it’s never too late to expand your knowledge.

Outdoor activities – Whether you’re into camping, fishing, hiking, or something else, the summer months are the most popular time for outdoor recreational activities.

 

The Financial Slackers will be traveling quite a bit over the summer. Swim meets in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah will take up the majority of our summer. But we are also hoping to spend some time in the mountains of Colorado and at the beach in Florida.

And of course, there’s always plenty of projects around the house that need attention.

 

Readers, any big plans for the summer? Please share.

 

[do_widget id=text-8]