Summer is halfway over and the warm weather, barbecues, and vacations have probably already put a dent in your budget. It’s the perfect time to reevaluate your money goals by following your progress so far. It’s important to stay proactive about overspending by executing smart approaches that will keep you financially fit over the summer.

Review your current summer budget

After a month of the summer season, is your budget stable? It’s always wise to review your current expenses in an effort to determine where you can cut back. It’s clear that people spend more in the summer, so it’s important to build those expanded spending areas into your budget. Evaluate your recurring expenses by analyzing your debit and credit card activity. If you’re paying for items or services you never use, get rid of them. This will leave you more for your end of summer fun!

Evaluate your debt

Be honest, was one of your New Year’s resolutions to pay off your debt? Like most of us, that thought quickly faded? If this is the case for you, then it’s time for you to take an honest assessment of your debt. Are you feeling a little debt-weary or on your way to reaching your debt-free goal? If you’ve swept the goal of paying off your debt under the rug, then maybe it’s time to remind yourself why getting out of debt is important to you personally. What are your visions for the future? How is your life after debt? If that’s the life you want, start raising your payments by as little as $5, which can have a big effect across the board without affecting your summer plans.

Reduce energy costs

Try to cut energy costs whenever you can in the summer. First of all, cook outside more often. This will reduce the number of dishes used as well as the number of dishwasher cycles. Turn off interior lights and rely on natural sunlight. If it’s too hot outside, close the blinds to keep it cool inside the house. Water plants with a watering can instead of letting the hose run, and try air-drying clothes on an old-fashioned clothesline to avoid using the dryer.

Take advantage of the summer sales

There are plenty of deals during the summer months that can help you save. Grocery shopping can be especially hard on your budget. Get the most for your money by using store coupons and checking your local store’s circulars. We recommend using Flipp, a free app that can help you collect all the circulars from stores in your local area. This app can help you save between 20% and 70% every week on your grocery bill.

Leverage the power of legacy and discount gift cards

When was the last time you cleaned out your wallet and found old gift cards? These can help you complement your summer dining or shopping while you’re on vacation. You may not know it, but you can buy discount gift cards. Raise.com can help you save money in two different ways:
– You can sell your old or unwanted gift cards for cash, which can then be used for your summer activities.
– You can buy discounted gift cards at over 4,000 retailers

If you’re short on cash, find some extra money

If your summer plans have blown your budget, how about getting some extra cash? What happens if you rent a room in your house on Airbnb? You can babysit dogs by advertising on dogvacay.com, or drive for a ride-sharing service. So, stop complaining that you don’t have any cash. Be creative and use the options that await you.

use cash

It is very convenient to swipe your card wherever you go. Research shows that using cash as your preferred form of payment ultimately drives the amount you’ll spend by 12-18%. Elizabeth Jenkins, a hard currency lending expert, suggests putting your cash budgets into weekly envelopes. “Have an envelope for weekly food, entertainment, gas, rent/mortgage. You’ll feel guilty taking money out of the envelopes for unrelated expenses.”

See spending differently

Spending money can become addictive. How about spending ‘time’ on things instead of spending money on things? Focus on activities that enhance your well-being instead of buying and collecting material items. For example, start an exercise program; find a hobby or work on improving your home. In other words, put your energy into projects that may cost you some money but will be more beneficial to your home or family.

You can’t be too rigid with your money. It definitely needs to fit into your life. Summer is halfway over, so start planning for the rest of the summer so you can avoid overspending and taking on more debt.