Stretch Your Summer Dollars
Podcast Transcription
Money Talk is a podcast brought to you by PFCU, where we will share tips and tricks and talk to the experts on all things finance related. Join us as we cover everything from credit and loans to cybersecurity and careers. No matter where you are in life, PFCU is here for you.
Welcome to another episode of PFCU's Money Talk Podcast. I'm your host, Maddy. The kids are out of school; the sun is blazing; pools are open; vacations are approaching- summer is here. So, I wanted to do a special summer kickoff episode that covers a little variety of things related to summertime and money.
If you have young kids, it can be hard to find things to do throughout the summer, especially things that don't cost a lot of money.
I found that if you plan a trip that requires, you know, like, the zoo that requires admission, it can get expensive, like at least $100 just to walk through the gates. So, I wanted to give a list of some free or low-cost summer activities to keep your kids busy and to keep you sane.
- Visit the splash pad if you have one in your town or close by. These can provide hours of fun and be a good way to cool off.
- Visit the local park or playground. Hit up your local park or check out one you've never been to in a surrounding community.
- Check out free festivals. I think until I had kids, I didn't realize how many free activities towns put on for their communities. So, it's really neat to see, like we recently went to a touch a truck where we just got to walk around and the kids got to explore fire trucks and tow trucks and all sorts of things. They got lots of freebies and we just showed up. There's music festivals, art festivals, craft shows. These are often free to enter or require just a small fee to park.
- Some other things that you can do right at home is get the sprinkler out, the water balloons. We got reusable water balloons and they are amazing. So much easier than regular ones. Or get a slip inside or a small splash pad to put in your backyard. Decorate your driveway or sidewalk with chalk, go on a bike ride, have a picnic or camp in your backyard.
- Go to your local library. They often have fun events for kids, crafting classes or reading contests.
- And this one I also didn't know was a thing until fairly recently and that's that Home Depot and Lowe's actually do free kids workshops where they can build something to take home. All you have to do is go to their website and register.
- Also keep an out for deals for kids or families this summer that come with reduced prices. So, like, check out your local ice cream shops, restaurants, bowling alleys, miniature golf, indoor skating, movie theaters.
- Lastly, a lot of museums are free to enter or have a low entry fee.
Okay, moving on to keeping the brains of your young ones sharp and ready for the next school year throughout the summer. They worked hard all school year, and you don't want any of that progress to be lost. Make sure to also include education about finances. These things don't have to cost money or be pricey. And just kind of looking around online, there are a lot of free resources for learning out there and lots of things that you can do at home. You can download and print free worksheets or try out learning apps or websites. There's Khan Academy, ABC Mouse, PBS Kids, DuolingoABC, and SplashLearn. I honestly can't really speak from experience on these and saw that some are free but others you have to pay for. However, I do think they're worth checking out and finding what might work best for you and your kids.
Also, learning about money can be as easy as letting your child grocery shop with a budget. Or if your teens have a summer job, help them create their first budget with that income. Encourage your child to start a mini business, such as the tried and true lemonade stand, pet sitting, or lawn mowing.
And I also encourage you to check out PFCU's free resource, Banzai, on our website. There are games, modules, and calculators made to be interactive and thought-provoking all while learning about finances.
Okay, moving on from talking about kids, summer is a great time for a mid-year review of your finances. I know it's not so fun, but I do have a MoneyTalk episode called Five Things to Consider for Your Mid-Year Financial Checkup. So, I encourage you to check that out. It includes creating a budget, planning for the holidays, reviewing accounts, and checking in on your debt. So, take a listen, see what you can do to make sure your finances are in tip-top shape and you're on track towards your financial goals.
And I made a big list of ideas of what you can do with kids this summer, but what about you? It might help to set a summer budget. So, keeping in mind that budget and not wanting to break the bank, of course, here's just a quick list of ideas.
- Check off an item on your bucket list or try something new. This could be big or this could be small. Maybe there's something happening in your area that you've never thought of trying before. Things like dance classes, cooking classes, learning a new craft like sewing, knitting, or stained glass. Maybe you want to try horseback riding, kayaking, Zumba, or yoga.
- Once again, check out your local library or local businesses that might offer classes. There are so many things out there to try.
- Make a reading list and try to reach that reading goal. If you don't like sitting down to read, listen to audiobooks or podcasts or read short blogs.
- Some other low-cost activities could be heading to the beach, having a pool day, hosting a game night with your friends, going to a U-pick farm, find an area in your home that you've been wanting to clean and organize, like your closet or garage, check out a local sporting event, go fishing, kayaking or hiking, start a puzzle or a Lego set.
Get creative this summer to keep costs low and save some cash while still having fun. Don't forget your budget and your sunscreen. Thanks for listening.
Money Talk is a podcast brought to you by PFCU. PFCU offers many products and services to fit your needs from our various loan and account options to our team of financial coaches to help you reach your goals. Make sure to take advantage of the many conveniences PFCU offers, such as the mobile app, mobile wallets, bill pay, and more. Visit our website at pfcu4me.com to learn more. PFCU is an equal housing lender and is federally insured by the NCUA.