Summers are meant for fun, freedom and frolicking. But we still can’t forget frugal living. This is the time to enjoy the sunshine, explore new places, meet up with friends, but with your frugal hat still on. After all, why spend more money than you have to?
So I’m still in Uncle Sam’s country and enjoying myself with my friends, checking out the shops and basically chilling. There are definitely benefits to having friends and family here. So like last week, I will share a few of the ways I carry on living frugally while on holiday, and Leisa will share what she has been doing while back home in the UK.
Free Food
The fact that I am staying with friends and family for most of my vacation means that I eat most meals at home with the family. Last weekend when we went to church, we also ate lunch at church. All for free.
It was all vegetarian but also very delicious and filling. I also enjoyed meeting new folk from different cultures and hearing about how they do things.
One day I was actually on the road for long (checking out the shops) and got really hungry. I wanted to check out Popeye’s for some chicken, which I did get. I was a bit disappointed though at the taste, for so much money.
I reckon I should have brought some snacks from home and that would have kept me until dinner time. The last time we were on the road for so long, I took a tub with some cool watermelon and cherries. Those were delicious and filling.
The cost of plastic: summer saving
Well, it’s been nice to see that the efforts to save our planet, has finally reached the supermarkets here. I have always been shocked at the amount of plastic bags given away at the supermarkets.
Now, each time we go to a supermarket, there are reminders everywhere that come August one, shoppers will have to pay $0.10 for each plastic carrier bag used.
I’ve since been encouraging my friends to purchase a few larger, more sturdy shopping bags and to always have them in the boot (trunk) of the car.
This will cut down on the need to buy plastic carrier bags; saving the planet in the process.
I really do think we need to do every little thing we can to take care of the planet.
Summer savings: save on the air conditioning
My hosts have kindly allowed me to use a bedroom with air conditioning in order to help me cope with the weather (heatwave) we are having now.
I know only too well, from my years living in Jamaica, that almost nothing burns electricity faster than turning the air conditioning on.
Well, even though it wouldn’t cost me, personally anything, I am determined not to turn it on. I wear light pjs to bed, and sleep without covers.
So far, it has done the job for me, except for one really hot night when I was really sweating so much that sleep would not come. To alleviate the situation, I resorted to turning the fan on.
I have this post which shows a really ingenious way to deal with the heat too!
Now over to Leisa for her summer savings and frugal happenings.
I am glad to see that Jo is having an amazingly frugal time whilst on her holiday in the US! My big wish is that the friends she stays with will eventually take on the frugal living ideas. That would be super awesome! I’m trying my best to live frugally and also to show others that it definitely is worth it.
So it is Summer which means the kids are home. Thankfully they are growing up in a household in which frugal living is an integral part. They do understand and appreciate why we try to live this way.
They are typical teenagers however and still want to be entertained. So nearing each Summer, I look out for ways to keep them entertained either free or as inexpensively as possible.
There is free entertainment available in most communities and it is up to us to find them and make use of them. One of the treats I found is a festival in a large park near to where we live. It offered free entertainment, lots of delicious food from various cuisines and also so bits of freebies.
The festival billed as ‘Simmer Down’ was really sold to us and soon everyone was talking about it so I was eager to get us some tickets. The tickets were free but had to be applied for to ensure that overcrowding was kept to a minimum. I was more than pleased to get the tickets from a friend who did the download for us on the Skiddle App.
Well, we did go to the festival and it was as good as was billed. The only cost to us that day was food. We took our own chilled drinks and soaked up the atmosphere which included craft, dance, music, poetry and more.
At the various stalls that were on display, there was the opportunity to get freebies. If you knew me, you’d know that I was excited by that prospect. There were whistles, flags, banners, pens, hats, sauces and food.
For the most part, the food was on sale but as each vendor tried to attract sales to their stall, they gave samples which we benefited from. It was all lovely! We did purchase some food as we could not resist the aroma. However, the purchase was made when it was almost time to go. We were able to store the food in the fridge and have it the next day for dinner. My favourite freebie from the festival is a set of sauces which we have used and can attest, they are very good.
So Summer has started off great. The kids are home, we get to share good times with friends and family and all the time with our frugal hats on. We are winning at this thing. Try it. It’s good for your pocket especially. Have a great Summer!
Do let us know how it’s going for you.
Again this week, we are I’m linking up with Cass, Emma and Becky in this week’s ‘Frugal Friday’ linky.
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