Simple/Frugal Summer

[Stella]

Money is likely going to be a little tight this summer, so I have been brainstorming my thoughts on having a simple, frugal summer. Luckily, I find summer to be a pretty easy time to be frugal, but I thought a discussion of this might be fun as it is finally starting to feel like spring might eventually happen. :)

I broke down my thoughts by category.

Food: I don't like to heat up the house in summer and I like to plan meals around fresh produce, first looking at things I can grow at home, then at farmer's market and u-pick produce.

Breakfasts: Meusli, granola, homemade yogurt with fruit, fruit, smoothies, smoothie and yogurt popsicles, toast

Lunches: Pasta salads, veggie sandwiches, summer rolls, bruschetta, cheese and crackers and fruit, quesadillas, salads

Dinner: Salads, stir fries, grilled foods, pasta salads, pastas, heartier sandwiches

Snacks: Watermelon pops (huge hit last year), ice cream cones (made at home), the occasional root beer float, popcorn, trail mix, corn chips and homemade salsa or "cowboy caviar", smoothies, homemade popsicles, edamame, granola

I was thinking of doing a once-a-week potluck by the pool for my friends and neighbors. It takes care of dinner once a week with minimal effort.

Fun and entertainment:
Swimming
Canoeing
Walking
Picnics
Fishing
Craft nights
Neighborhood movie night outdoors
Neighborhood carnival
Weekly meet-up with neighbor kids at swings
Monthly happy hour/bocce ball at pub on Farmer's market night (pub is next to farmer's market and has related specials)
Concerts in the park (maybe combined with picnic)
Wood fired pizza night (if my boss at the park has gotten that together yet)
Children's Museum (membership, so it's free)
Puppet wagon
Walking group
Monthly book club and margarita night by the pool
Vital living group (neighborhood group I'm part of)
Service projects
Monthly neighborhood coffee hour (already exists)
Block party
National Night Out
Great American Backyard Campout
Bike rides
Disk golf
Berry picking
Gardening
Trip to big regional parks
Camping
Free zoo

Household:
Make cleaning supplies
Hang laundry
Gardening
Homemade baby wipes

Transportation:
Combine more errands
Walk to work
Do as many errands on bike or foot as possible

Clothing:
Mostly set on this for the kids. I have a few skirts to make. I will need new pants.

So what are your plans for a simple and/or frugal summer?

[Kat]

I plan on nesting all summer--cleaning, organzing, that sort of thing. DH and I were hoping to get away for a day or two before the baby comes, and I found that a state park 2 hours away has lovely cabins for only $30/night. I don't think I'll be down with sleeping on the ground 7-8 mos pregnant! ;-)

We usually BBQ a lot, too, and try to squeeze in a picnic or two.

[rosarugosa]

Looking forward to the simple pleasures of gardening, hanging out in the hammock, and some gazebo-sitting :)

[Jinger]

I am in extreme frugal mode, trying to pay down debt without having to work full time. My most frugal summer activity is swimming outdoors...either in a neighborhood pool, my apartment complex pool, or one of our city's amazing spring fed natural pools. Texas summers are HOT and swimming relaxes me as well as energizing me. I try to swim every day all summer long.

http://iliketomakethings.blogspot.com

[Tradd]

I'm trying to pay down my remaining debt, so I'm lucky I have simple tastes. I don't do well in heat, but there is a nature preserve near me I want to do some walking in after work when it's cooler. I like listening to the Cubs on the radio, reading in the a/c. I've got two more classes left in my program, the second to last will be over the summer, aside from a three week break. I'll be driving to Cleveland to visit friends. My only vacation. They live close to Lake Erie, and have access to a private beach. That will be a nice weekend.

[Wildflower]

Gardening, grilling outside, walking the dogs, playing with the grandkids, and lots and lots of pooltime. I will have to say though that our backyard pool is anything but frugal, but we have enjoyed it so much the past 18 years that it seems to be worth the extra expense. I LOVE summertime!!

[Rosemary]

Add to your list, other free museums with the library passes. Also, many of the libraries have great summer enrichment programs scheduled.

If you go the simple route with homemade cleaners, it will save you a lot of time. I use mostly straight vinegar, a dish detergent solution, and baking soda. No recipes to remember. One spray bottle of vinegar in the kitchen is used for cleaning up surfaces and produce as well.
http://rosemaryevergreen.blogspot.com/2009/07/do-it-yourself-cleaners.html

We will have a mostly frugal summer as well, aside from one planned trip to visit my family. However, with gas likely to hit $4/gallon, we will be focusing on frugal activities very close to home.

[Merski]

Tent camping with the little dog, gardening and squirreling away more food into the freezer or canning. Informal get-togethers with friends...

[earthshepherd]

Great ideas! I have great plans for canning this year, to make it a more frugal winter too.

[Selah]

Exercising inside, outside, and at the beach.
Going to the library.
Studying at home (Rosetta Stone).
Visiting local nature preserves (we have a season pass).
Crafts at home.
Salads for lunches and/or dinner.
Buying little or no crap! :)

[razz]

Good thread. We are going to a family reunion in May and then staying home, walking the dog, gardening, painting and attending my theatre activites. I get the senior rate or discount seats and just love what is possible for a modest total cost.
My Art Gallery membership has some days where other facilities offer free entrance with my membership card so will try to visit some new-to-me galleries.

There is a North American lily festival planned in July about an hour away which I hope to attend. Hmmmm, wonder if our IrisLily is coming?

[Kat]

Oh, yeah! We love camping!

Those of you living near large cities might like this site:

http://freemuseumday.org/

It helps you find free days for local museums.

[Mighty Frugal]

Great ideas folks!!!
We already booked and paid our week long holiday but it's quite frugal. Cottage on the beach. My parents, sister and nephews are renting the one beside us. Cost is 700 for the week but we bring our own food, bbq, make salads and spend every day on the sandy beach....night time is sitting around the campfire, eating s'mores...inside the cottage playing board games.

And through out the year I troll 2nd hand shops for old magazines (1980s or older) I save these to read throughout the week-get a kick out of the ads!

We are planning to spend a great deal of time at our local park. We live on a quiet street with about 8 other families with young kids. We always meet up with some (or all) of them at the park. Both kids and parents have a good time

We will also keep our eyes peeled for weekend deals to Niagara Falls. Can get a package that includes accom, food, and tons of activities for under 200 for all 4 of us

I am also spending a week at my parents with my boys. I have enrolled my son in a day camp that is only available in their town. So we'll have a fun frugal week puttering around my mom's big house and helping her with her huge veggie garden!

My boys are still young enough to get pleasure from little thins. Homemade popsicles..trying out a new park....cheap movie at our local theatre....oh to be 5 again!:)

hmmmm...hey this is a funny icon :moon: not really fitting but funny;)

[madgeylou]

it's so much fun reading about everyone's ideas and plans for the summer. the last two summers, i've taken a big trip: a month-long road trip with my man 2 years ago, and a long meditation retreat and a train journey last summer. both were fabulous, but i think this summer is going to be a hardworking one spent closer to home! we may get to sneak in a long weekend of camping here and there, and i will probably spend some time in new york for business.

my fiancee and i planted some fruit trees over the weekend and had a nice chat about what we want to do with the garden. there is a sad old shed at the top of our yard that someone drove into summer before last (while we were on our road trip!) and it has to come down. we also park next to the shed, but are going to start parking on the street so that we can use that space, and where the shed is for raised beds and a little seating area. right now we have a lot of food growing in our garden, but nowhere to hang out. i want to change that for sure.

so ... lots to do this summer just in everyday life. but i don't feel as though i need a vacation, or that i have anything to get a break from, so that's just fine by me. :)

[Fawn]

I'm taking a staycation in June. I plan to do some landscaping, painting of back and front doors and a hallway. Watch some library movies on the laptop.....
In August, younger kids and I are going to visit DS#1 and DIL in TN.
When is starts getting light a little sooner, I am going for walks in the park in the morning before work.

[Gina]

...so I'm lucky I have simple tastes.

Same here. My plan is to stay home and really enjoy the veg garden. And lots of cold fizzy beverages. Gardening is about the most peaceful, self-renewing thing I do. It's not only a meditation of sorts, and easy exercise in the fresh air, but it produces excellent food.

No plans to go anywhere, and loving it.

http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=161&d=1294388580

[Azure]

Any suggestions for things to do with 17 & 19 yr. old boys. Ian will be home from college but hopefully he will have some kind of job. Tyler has 2 cross country camps & marching band "camp". But that's only 3 weeks out of the whole summer.

[Fawn]

Any suggestions for things to do with 17 & 19 yr. old boys. Ian will be home from college but hopefully he will have some kind of job. Tyler has 2 cross country camps & marching band "camp". But that's only 3 weeks out of the whole summer.


Gosh, at that age I would expect them to entertain themselves. But maybe that's what you are hoping to avoid.:~)

[rosarugosa]

Fawn, You cracked me up with that one :)

[Azure]

LOL I know it sounds crazy. Ian will spend all of his time playing on the computer. Tyler will alternate between being bored and out running around with friends.
The thing is that my disabled daughter lived at home until the age of 30 & it was so hard to get out and do things. She has been in her group home for almost 2 years now. The first year we went on a great vacation. Last year we did go to Mackinac Island but were pretty bored the rest of the time. (see above lol) But this year I am finally, finally starting to really feel good and more like myself after all those years of care giving & sleep deprivation. So now I want to make up for some of the lost time, kwim? But with what we're paying towards Ian's college & Tyler going into his senior year & all those upcoming expenses, well we are BROKE. But I want to have some fun & make some memories before the guys fly the coop too.

[kally]

We will go camping for a week on Texada Island, swim in the limestone quarry and camp on the beach. Then basically we will garden, hang around and i will go swimming every warm day at the beach or the lake. We will can all the fruit we get and make tons of jam and chutney.

i will have my 2 nieces to visit for a week, and that is about it.

[mtnlaurel]

Some of my best summer memories from teen years were summer jobs.

I'd usually try to work someplace with my friends and we'd just cut up all summer long. We weren't really 'bad', just chatty teenage girls.

Azure - if your guys like hiking, I would recommend Glacier Nat'l Park in Montana. If you have the time for a road trip. It's just stunning there. I got to spend the summer there one year and it's amazing

[Azure]

I have always wanted to go to Glacier. Next chance we get to do a big vacation I want to head west. Glacier, Grand Canyon, etc. DH has never been west of Chicago. Except when he flew to Korea to pick up DS LOL DH has bad knees (both replaced) but we're going soon as we can.

[mara61]

Azure, how about a kayak trip? I want to try this place out:
http://www.woodswaterecotours.com/


You could do a weekend or day trip to Grand Rapids. Go see a Whitecaps game. Prices are great, good seats for $11-$15.

Would they like this?
http://www.sanddragways.com/


Family card night
old movie night (maybe Chapman, Laurel and Hardy, 3 Stooges, etc..)

Do they like the theatre? Perhaps an inexpensive concert.

[debi]

Going to the beach with the dog so she can swim (can't get her out of the water - she's a French Brittany), walking through the acreage, gardening, fishing. Doing a yard sale or sales if I don't sell all the first time around. Canning any produce I grow. Very little travel since everyone I know lives at least 4 hours away - possibly 2 trips.