Ways to Live Big on Small Earnings During the Summer Months

Guest Post by Jena Ellis

It's summer time and having fun should be easy and inexpensive. This statement can even be true for those who are looking to live big on small earnings. After all, summer fun shouldn't be all about spending piles of money, doggedly monitoring your bank account, or breaking a sweat over whether or not you can afford a jaunt to the beach. This season, you and your wallet can relax if you adhere to a few simple tips for maximizing every last cent of your allotted spending money.

Use Coupons. Do not underestimate the savings that coupons can offer. Clipping coupons from the Sunday paper and weekly circular can seem like a waste of time – after all, most coupons only offer savings of several cents to a dollar – but if you find coupons for all of your basic purchases, you can easily add those cents and dollars up to save a total of $10 to $20 on your groceries and department store purchases. This can make shopping for a backyard barbeque much more affordable. The savings doesn't have to stop with just brick-and-mortar stores. Online retailers often offer promotional codes that can range in deals from additional percentages off the total cost to free shipping. You can find numerous online promotional codes for your favorite online retailers at sites like FatWallet.com and RetailMeNot.com.

Explore Your Community. When you're itching to break away from the norm and try something new, check your local newspaper or community lifestyle website to find out what free or low cost festivals, shows, and other events are going on in and around your city. You can even make a fun "staycation" activity out of it! You may find yourself pleasantly surprised at all of the interesting events that occur nearly every weekend in bustling towns, especially during the summer. Visit your city's museums on designated free admissions days. Take a trip to the farmer's market to browse and try free samples of local fare. Stop by cultural festivals for free shows and good eats. You can live big while spending less by exploring all that your city has to offer, making staying in town for the summer much more exciting.

Entertain at Home. If you're looking for an affordable way to host a big summer bash, consider hosting a potluck party either in your own backyard or in a public place like the community pool or park. If you are hosting your party in a public area, you can easily have more fun and gain even more potluck dishes by inviting the entire community to come out and soak up the sun with you. A potluck party is great for stretching your dollar because your guests will each bring a dish to share so that you won't have to cook for the entire group. The best part is, you'll still end up with plenty of food, laughs, and memories to go around. And isn't that what living big in the summer time is all about?

This guest post was contributed by Jena Ellis, who writes on the topics of Online Certificate Programs. She welcomes your questions and comments at: jena.ellis20@gmail.com.