As finals week and spring semester are wrapping up, college kids have one thing on their minds: summer vacation! A beautiful three month vacation where they don’t have to worry about tests, papers, homework, or anything else. We’re looking forward to hot days by the pool, cold drinks in our hands, and no worries or cares. We daydream of all the things we can’t wait to do with the friends we haven’t seen in months and then….. we look in our wallets. We’ve got nothing. That summer job may help out a little, but minimum wage isn’t going to get us to Disney World.
Don’t lose hope yet. There are plenty of things to do when money is tight. Summer can still be just as relaxing and fun as long as you make it that way. Here are a few ways to do summer on a budget!
If you love being active and being outdoors, a low budget summer is definitely in reach. There are so many things to do that cost little-to-no money. Nature is free, so go out and enjoy it! You can go for a hike in the woods, find a biking trail nearby, or go for a walk in the park. If you’re looking for a fun summer day with friends, load them up in your car and go to your community park! Bring a Frisbee, guitar, soccer ball, or even have everyone bring their dogs. Pack a picnic lunch and just enjoy the day outside with friends.
If you love history and culture, a low budget summer is not hard to have, especially in a city. Head to a museum or a historical landmark. Many museums are free or cost very little to go to, and few landmarks charge admission, especially if they’re in public areas. Art galleries are also an option. Just show up, enjoy some art, and relax.
If being poolside is where you like to spend your summers, alternatives are easy to find. You might find a public pool that is reasonable, but a lot of places charge around $5 per day, and that adds up if you go there even twice a week. If you don’t have your own pool, ask some of your friends if they have one. They might be more than happy to share their pool with you. Depending on where you live, you might find some beaches or lakes you can spend the day at. If all else fails, there is no shame in buying a kitty pool.
Stuck inside the house? There are so many things to do inside that you just don’t think about, and that’s where Pinterest comes in handy. You can find everything from building a fort for movie night, to making popsicles to crafts, to nerf gun fights. There are so many endless ideas of what kind of fun can be had indoors. When in doubt, Pinterest it out.
There are so many fun little things that you can do with friends. You can have water balloon fights, silly string fights, slip n’ slides, and so much more. Have an old twister board? Find some washable paint and play messy twister. One of my favorite things is to rally up some friends, lay out some blankets in the back of a vehicle (truck beds work great), and look up at the stars. There are so many things to do that cost little-to-no money; we just don’t think about them regularly. No matter what you decide to do with your summer, whether you’re committed to a low budget or spending all your cash, just enjoy it and have fun with friends! In a few short years you’ll be graduating college and you won’t have these summers off like you do now, so whatever you do don’t take this time for granted!