12 Savings Tips For Summer
Summer can be EXPENSIVE! From family vacations to summer camps, shopping, and eating out, chances are your bank account has felt the effects of summer spending. At Launch CU we care about your financial well-being. That’s why we have created this list of 12 savings tips for the summer.
Summer Savings Tips
1. Savings Tip 1: Check Online Booking Sites To Book Travel
Before you book travel accommodations directly from a hotel, car rental, or airline website, make sure to check popular travel sites such as Priceline, Hotwire, Kayak, and Airbnb. This is especially true if you are booking last minute. Often times, travel sites will provide better discounts and even coupons during the summer months that you cannot get by booking direct.
2. Consider A Car Refinance
The slow summer months could be a great time to re-evaluate your auto loan financing to see if you could get a better auto loan rate. A lower auto loan rate means money back in your pocket. If your credit score has improved since you first applied for your auto loan, chances are you could refinance your auto loan at a lower interest rate.
3. Sell Your Stuff
Summer is a great time to go through your home to find things you no longer use. Consider selling these items on an online auction site like eBay, or on a local online market place such as Poshmark. Not only will you be
free up space in your home, but you will also make a profit on items you have not touched in months.
4. Save On Cooling Costs
Number four on our list of summer savings tips is to save money on your cooling costs. There are numerous things you can do to reduce the cost of cooling your home this summer including:
~Clean or replace your air conditioning filter to help your air conditioning unit run more efficiently.
~Cool your home to 78 degrees Fahrenheit while you are home and 82 degrees Fahrenheit while you are away.
~Set your thermostat fan switch to “auto.”
~Make sure to close your blinds during the day to keep sunlight out.
~Make sure your vents and inside doors are open to help circulate air and maintain proper airflow.
~Consider purchasing a smart thermostat to regulate your home’s temperature. FPL advises a home thermostat could save you 3% of your total energy costs.
~Grill outside instead of cooking inside using your stove to reduce heat in your kitchen.
~Consider purchasing a high-efficiency AC unit if your current AC unit is more than 10 years old, or has had to have frequent repairs.
5. Drop Your High-Rate Credit Card
If you carry a balance on a high-rate credit card, consider applying for a low-interest credit card such as a Launch CU credit card. The low-rate of the Launch CU credit card will make paying off your balance fast and easy. Alternatively, if you have a lot of credit card debt spread out between numerous credit cards; consider applying for a personal loan or HELOC loan to consolidate your debt. HELOC interest rates and personal loan rates tend to be lower than most credit card interest rates, making it easier and cheaper to pay off your debt.
6. Cut The Cable
Summer is a great time to go out and enjoy the great outdoors, thus it could be the perfect time to cut your cable. This is especially true if you mainly utilize Netflix or Hulu when you do watch TV.
7. Plan A Staycation
Summer is the season of vacations, but that does not mean you have to travel far to enjoy some quality family time. There is so much to do right here in Central Florida, from our beaches to our theme parks, to our museums, to outdoor festivals, there is something for just about everyone. If the thought of traveling far for summer vacation is a source of financial anxiety, a staycation could be the perfect option for you and your family.
8. Use Groupon
Why pay full price for local excursions, restaurants, and entertainment when you can get these deals at a huge discount? Before you plan an activity, or choose a restaurant to go out to, check out a local couponing site like Groupon to find great prices on a variety of local deals. You could save a significant amount of money over the course of the summer.
9. Find Cheap Gas
If you are like many other Floridians, chances are you will be driving more than usual during the summer months, and this means pouring more of your hard-earned money into your gas tank. Before you fill up with gas, make sure to check for the lowest gas prices near you using an app such as GasBuddy. GasBuddy is the world’s largest community-based fuel app that has the potential to save you hundreds over the course of the summer.
10. Organize Your Money
Summer is a great time to re-evaluate your financial situation. This includes making any modifications to your 2019 budget. Consider utilizing a money management app such as Mint to help you organize your finances and keep track of your spending. With Mint, you can even set up savings goals to help you save more. Also, consider automating your savings. You would be surprised by how much you could save by the end of the summer simply by having your savings automated.
11. Start Paying Off Debt
Consider using the summer months as a time to start making payments on your debt. Once the holidays come around, you may find it more difficult to make additional payments. Making additional payments towards your debt will help you save money in interest charges in the end.
12. Make Summer 2021 The Summer of Savings
These simple tips could help you save hundreds during the summer of 2021. Implementing even the smallest changes could result in significant savings. Making even the small modifications to your behaviors this summer could help you feel less stressed about your finances during the final stretch of 2021.
