Summer Time Frugal Goal

**forHISglory** · 05-25-2010, 07:07 AM

Do you have a frugal goal that is directly related to summer time? Maybe it concerns using AC, going on vacation, snacks and treats for hot weather, yard sales, back yard fun, etc.

My first goal is to have a yard sale. When we moved out of state last fall, we just packed up everything in the interest of time. Now I need to unpack and sort and label and pick a date for a sale.

My second goal is to utilize farmer's markets and plan some thrifty menus around that and around my garden.

How about you?

**Lady_V** · 05-25-2010, 07:24 AM

~ Use the fan more and the a/c less
~ Go to the farmers market the next town over
~ Spend more time outside in general
~ More iced water and less iced coffee
~ Stick to my back to school shopping challenge

**Jenny WC** · 05-25-2010, 07:46 AM

*have a yard sale
*Drink more water and stop drinking pop(my ongoing problem lol)
*No AC, use fans
*No vacation do things instead that are free-going to the lake, parks and so on.
*Go to the farmers market
*Plan garden menus
*Start freezing and canning for the winter
*Simplify my home

**Maine Girl** · 05-25-2010, 08:47 AM

Let see
I want to work on replenishing my stockpile
work on getting the all the ingredients i need for xmas gifts
i also need to work on meal planning
decluttering the house

**bumplett** · 05-25-2010, 08:50 AM

I've made a list of free & cheap things to do with the kids this summer.

List includes free movies, library reading clubs, etc.

so my main goal is to do FUN things without spending much.

**Ssindi** · 05-25-2010, 10:50 AM

My plan is to use up things in my stockpile--in the pantry and freezer. That shouldn't be too hard as I will be 8wks without a paycheck. I was just looking at the stockpile downstairs and seeing that DH and I have at least 6 deos a piece and the same in bodywashes. There is also plenty of liquid soap and bar soap to last.Ditto on the toothpaste.
Freezer is stuffed also so I must get better at planning menus ahead.On our ToDo list is to defrost the freezer.Half empty will make the task much easier. I think except for meat and dairy,I may try to only get something if it is free or next to free.
DH wants to vacation at Niagara Falls this summer. I want to take a paper making class. We shall see.A lot to do in 8wks!

**Buc-O-Mama** · 05-25-2010, 10:59 AM

To get my clothesline back up and running!

Definitely to reduce our AC usage. It's already really hot, but becomes a serious issue in July and August.

To plan more carefully regarding taking snacks, drinks, etc. with us on outings. I really need to work on that one.

Find more unplugged, cheap and creative fun. That's getting harder around here.

**Telephus44** · 05-25-2010, 11:51 AM

Last year we made it all year without A/C, but it was a very cool summer. I'm hoping to make it until end of June with no A/C.

Mostly I want to take advantage of more free stuff - concerts on the common, the town beach.

I'd also like to find a yard sale to get rid of my excess HBA stockpile. It's getting quite large, and I'm good enough at sales/coupons that it's just about free. If I could sell some of it, that would clean out space and make a little $$. I'd like to find a large yard sale where I could just buy a table for $5 or $10.

Oh - and get rid of some stuff by putting it by the side of the road with a free sign. That's really only a summer activity.

**stormie11166** · 05-25-2010, 12:24 PM

My goals:
1. Use less AC
2. Hang clothes out to dry
3. Declutter house
4. Have larger garden than last summer
5. Can more fruit to use during witner

**IntlMom** · 05-25-2010, 12:29 PM

~I'm going to make freezer jam (I don't know how to can) from from the wild blackberries that grow EVERYWHERE where we live!

~little to no A/C (it's rare we need it at our altitude and in the trees)

**chevy_chick95** · 05-25-2010, 01:36 PM

Fan more a/c less
Quit drinking pop
Sign up for bountiful baskets
Freeze more jam
Have a massive garage sale

**ilovechocolate** · 05-25-2010, 04:48 PM

~~~have a yard sale
~~~empty out 2 storage units
~~~eat from the freezer as much as possible

**savvy_sniper** · 05-25-2010, 05:23 PM

Since we live on the Texas Gulf Coast, summertime means HIGH electricity bills from running the A/C due to heat and humidity. We have been in our house going on 4 years. We started out doing everything possible that was low cost or no cost to lower our electricity bills and gradually worked up to the higher priced things.

We just had a new high efficiency A/C and furnace installed last month. Our first electricity bill was $60 lower than the bill for the same period the previous year (which was lower than the previous year and so forth).

As soon as the A/C and furnace are paid for, we will have additional insulation installed. Hubby has a bad back and we both have bad knees so we will have to pay someone to do that.

So our goal this summer is to keep the electricity bill lower than last year's bill. THAT shouldn't be too hard since the A/C is new and we had record setting highs most of last summer.

**Debbie-cat** · 05-25-2010, 10:36 PM

Let's see.. Great thread by the way! I love reading everyone's posts.

-- have at least one yard sale ( doing it this weekend)
-- declutter as much as possible (selling at the yard sale)
-- make LOTS of jelly this year that will last at least a year and that I can give as gifts
-- dehydrate, dehydrate, dehydrate at least half of my garden
-- get everything needed for DS who is leaving for university this fall
-- lose some weight and not drink so much beer

(VERY hard in the summer!)

**mauimagic** · 05-26-2010, 02:42 AM

this is a very refreshing thread!! For this summer I want to:

1. Plant a garden
2. Declutter, declutter, declutter
3. Dehydrate all summer
4. Bake bread
5. Use less electricity
7. Do not get the ACs fixed in either car
8. Exercise on a regular basis
9. Drink 100 oz water daily
19. Meditate twice daily

That sounds like a solid plan to me!!!