Summer Discount Guide ’12 – Managing spending when you have young children can be a major struggle. When summer arrives and the kids are bored, finding something affordable for them to do is essential to a parent’s sanity. The great thing is that businesses are prepared. They prime the pump with sales for summer. Some of these are offers that must be purchased ahead of time, for which a low interest rate credit card comes in handy. Others are ideas for things to do at home. Here are the three best summer savings offers or ideas we can find:
Season passes and discount tickets
Entertainment venues know how to bring out the crowds. The secret behind their passes plan is that, by lowering the cost at the door, the customer is likely to spend more money inside the park. The important thing to remember is managing spending is very important when you’re going to the park more than once with season passes. Frozen oranges and frozen bottled water can be thawing for later use where they’re hidden in your handbag. They’re healthier and cheaper than fast food. It’s also a good idea, well before your park visit, to stock up on plushies at thrift stores for when the kids start begging. Stow the toys with your frozen oranges and bring them out at strategic times.
Bring the neighborhood
Okay, maybe not the whole neighborhood. Maybe you can bring just your nieces and nephews, or the neighbor’s kids. Summer oriented venues, such as water parks, often have spectacular multi-person deals. When you bring in enough people, you can often barter with the venue for extra goodies, like discounts on lunch or bonus tickets. Keep in mind, especially if you live in a place with more than one such venue, you can pit them against each other in a competition for your money. Once you seal the deal, tamp it down with your low interest rate credit card. Get them to fax or email you the deal in writing too.
Outdoor movies
Many of us older people remember our summer nights at the drive-in. A similar experience can be created for young ones with outside blow-up movie screens. The screens are now affordable. Some can even be rented. You already have a ton of movies to play. More are available from friends. Pop some popcorn and breakout the cold store-brand soda on ice. Summer still means fun.
Summer doesn’t have to put your bank account in the red. In addition to the aforementioned, there are plenty of ways to have fun on a budget. It simply takes a bit of creativity on your part.
What are your best summertime savings tips?
{Disclaimer: Article contribution made by Alex Summers, photo credit for image.}
that we got last week on Amazon, or the other playsets and books featuring the movie characters. And – check out this great recipe inspired by the movie…
Champagne
