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Summer Fun Without Breaking the Bank

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Summer post

Photo Credit: Travel Noire

By In Her Shoes Guest Blogger, Jennifer Streaks

This is my absolute favorite time of the year. A time filled with beaches, music festivals and of course, traveling! With so much to do, it can really put a hit on your wallet. So how do you enjoy the summer without overspending? How do you stick to a budget and continue to save? Let’s see…

Set an activity budget: It is easy to get swept up in all the events that will be taking place over the next few months, but make sure that you are clear about how much you want to spend and your financial goals. These don’t change just because it’s summertime, so set a limit on how much you will spend every week or month on these activities and stick to it!

Look for sales: Right before the holidays, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, the grocery store will have sales on commonly needed items for that barbeque, make a list and stock up. Hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks etc. will be marked down so reap the savings. Go to places like Costco or Sams’ club and save even more!

Need an outfit for all of those outings? Once we get to the end of June and early July, you will start to see sales on the spring clothes as the stores want to make way for fall. Be on the look-out and pick up 4 to 5 dresses or outfits all on sale! That way you are set for the summer outings. Also, don’t forget that you can always rent a dress! I love this option and have used it myself. I have enough cocktail dresses hanging in my closet never to be worn again and if you know this will be a one and done event, definitely rent a dress!

Traveling? Plan ahead and leave early! The two most important tips bear repeating: take the time to plan ahead to take advantage of lower prices and if you can travel earlier in the morning (which is usually an unpopular time) then do it. You will see the savings!

Take these tips for a financially stress-free summer!

 Jennifer Streaks is a smart and savvy journalist that covers finance issues and lifestyle topics. Her byline has appeared in Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, the Motley Fool, Women & Co. & Yahoo! Finance to name a few.

She tweets @jstreaks and can be found at JenniferStreaks.com.

As a New York City storyteller, filmmaker, digital content creator, and PR strategist, Renae Bluitt created "In Her Shoes" to empower and enlighten women committed to realizing their dreams.

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