SUMMER SPENDING-HAD ME A BLAST

GUEST BLOGGER: TASHA KILLIAN

Grease is my favorite movie. I love the 1950’s feeling, the music, and the way the songs just make you want to get up and dance. My favorite song is “Summer Nights.” There is one line in the song that says “summer lovin’ had me a blast.” Every time I’ve heard that song in the past few weeks, I’ve thought to myself, “you mean, summer spending, had me a blast.”
As a single person, I get told all the time, that I am so lucky because no one else tells me how to spend my money. In fact, I get told ALL the time to travel now because one day I won’t be able to. I don’t know if that’s the truth, but I do know that they are right about one thing, I am the one in charge of my finances.
I am especially aware of that fact as summertime begins. Summertime is the best. It is warm, sunny, and a wonderful time for traveling and having fun. I want to go on all the road trips! The only downside, summertime can get expensive. So, what do you do? How do you keep yourself in check when there isn’t anyone else to check on your spending? Here’s some quick things I’ve learned to do, along with a few tips from the experts to keep your spending on track, even when the sun is calling. 

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1. Set a number and stick to it – Stubbornness is often seen as a bad quality, but it doesn’t always have to be. It can be a good thing, if used in the right way. When you set your summer spending number, based on what your available funding is, make sure you stick to it. This is the time to be stubborn!
2. It is okay to say no! Saying no seems to be a taboo topic in the world today, especially for women. We often want to take on everything we can and do it all. But, when it comes to keeping to your summertime budget, remember that saying no can be very powerful. One trick to learning to say no is pause, check-in with yourself, ask if you really want this, and then take time before answering. (Ramsey, November 2018) 
3. Make a Plan – I have often fallen into the trap of meeting up with friends, wondering what to do and ending up going to a movie or eating out or wandering the mall ending up buying something. All these activities end with me spending money. Planning out your hangouts, helps you save your money for bigger summer plans (Ramsey, December 2018).
4. Find less expensive alternatives – Summertime fun doesn’t always have to be a cross-country, six-day trip to a beach or fancy amusement park. It can be a half-day trip to somewhere remote or new. It can be a two-day trip to a new city. Even if you decide to go on a cross-country trip, there are so many different ways to cut costs. My favorite cost-cutting tip is to use GasBuddy, which is an app that tells you where the cheapest fuel closest to you is, so you’re not paying extra.

Summertime is a great time for having fun. You are the one responsible for swiping the card, but you are also the one responsible if the card gets declined. Using these tips will make sure that by the end of this summer, you’ll be singing “summer spending, had me a blast,” and meaning it.

REFERENCES
Jacobs, J.  & Casey, W.  (1978). Summer Nights. Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture.
Ramsey Solutions. (2018, November 25). The Cure for Excessive Spending.
Ramsey Solutions. (2018, December 01). Why You Need Some Fun Money in Your Budget.