Appreciating things that are cheap or free in summer lately!

Exercise- Hiking, walking, swimming at state parks, gardening, yard work- if it wasn’t just $10/month already at Planet Fitness, I would cancel my gym subscription for the summer and still have tons of free options that are better than being cooped up in a windowless building while it’s nice out.

Entertainment- It’s easy to meet friends for a hike or a picnic at the park with their kids to hang out instead of always meeting for a restaurant meal. A lot of communities also have free outdoor concerts or events in the summer. Drivable day or weekend trips with a lot of outdoor activities in new places make me feel like I’m getting away without paying a ton of money for flights and fees to pricey indoor tourist attractions

Produce- not free unless it’s from the garden, but definitely cheaper and higher quality in-season, and I live in a very agricultural region with a lot of farmers markets/roadside stands.

Utilities- I use fans and save air conditioning for the super hot days, so electricity bills are much lower in summer compared with months I use the heating. When I wasn’t home much during the day and lived in a hotter city, I also used a window air conditioning unit to cool just my bedroom overnight, which used MUCH less electricity but still let me sleep comfortably

Household stuff- it’s yard sale season and more people are moving or doing spring cleaning, so it’s a good time to buy or sell household things like lamps, kitchen gear, furniture, etc. Many libraries also have summer book sales where you can buy cheap books by the bag and stock up for the year.

Cleaning- it’s a great time of year to be able to wash and line dry bigger blankets/comforters/bedding. Spending a couple bucks in quarters at the car wash to really empty out and vacuum the car while it’s nice out also makes it feel so upgraded for almost no money!

I’m sure I’m missing things.