The school year for the children has come to an end and everyone is looking forward to summer. Summer is a time when things slow down, allowing families to take vacations, explore their world with fun activities, and see sights they’ve never seen before. But with inflation rising in everything from food to clothing and gas prices soaring, not everyone may be able to afford a weeklong vacation this year.
But just because you can’t take a vacation doesn’t mean you have to waste your summer. There are many ways to put just a few extra dollars to work. Here are four small ways to make more money this summer.
Nostalgically
Summer vacation is the perfect time for children to learn a little more about their parents. If you’re a homeschool parent, this is also a great way to earn extra credits in history or other school subjects. Plan a trip to share your story with your kids. Return to your hometown (if you no longer live there) and show me where you used to live. Go to your old restaurants or places you used to enjoy. Show us your old elementary school or high school. Share fun memories from elementary school or high school. Let your kids relive their childhood together.
On your way home, brainstorm ideas for fun activities and places to incorporate into your summer. Plan a trip back to your hometown once a month to do these activities. Head to the thrift store, buy some fancy clothes, and pretend you’re reliving prom. What song was playing while you danced all night? What kind of food did you eat? What did your friends look like and what did they say? Relive all the happy memories and let your kids share them in a tangible way.
have a theme night
Get creative and make your weekends and nights fun again. For example, have a movie night. You can watch new releases or think about your favorite movies from your childhood. Have your kids seen those movies? If not, remind yourself with your child. Your child will benefit from learning what each decade was like in terms of culture, trends, and movies. Discuss different words and their meanings. Do some of the slang you used to say when you were a kid overlap with what kids say today? Do you feel like you can barely understand the slang your kids use? Let’s learn from each other by comparing the slang of your decade to theirs. In what ways are they the same? In what ways are they different?
have a spa day
Most mothers and daughters love to relax. There’s no better way to relax than spending a day at the spa. But as a mother or mother and daughter, spending an expensive day at the spa may not be financially practical. Buy face masks, special creams and lotions, cute nail polish and create a spa night at home. Trim each other’s nails and hair.
Wash each other’s hair and give each other a scalp massage. Go crazy and buy some hair dye and try coloring each other’s hair. Not only will your daughter love spending time with you, but she will also love creating special memories with you through her hair, nails, and skin. It’s also great to relax and spend time together without having to do any housework or other tasks.
Go to YouTube and watch videos of mutual foot massages and other types of massages. Having someone massage your shoulders and neck can help your entire body relax and relieve tension. Be sure to take turns. You might be surprised to find out how much tension you carry throughout your body, and how much tension and pain you suffer throughout the week. Spa days can be done from home, so the sky’s the limit. Try to do it once a week or once a month. If your schedule allows, incorporate more of these fun days into your life.
Your son or spouse might also enjoy a pedicure or foot massage. Don’t limit spa days to just women. If you like the men around you, be sure to treat them too. If you don’t like having your feet touched or having nail polish applied to your toes, you can soak your feet in a footbath. Footbaths are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at local pharmacies. By investing a little money today, you can all have fun together tomorrow.
game night
Everyone loves a fun game night. But for game night, you don’t have to go overboard with those board games that are gathering dust in your closet. There are so many great ways to enjoy game night. Participate in a game of charades or a general game of Twister. Head to the game store as a family and pick out new and fun games you want to play together. Decide together whether you like strategic games or time-killing games. There’s also a picture card game where you add captions to funny pictures. Laugh together as your family finds out what captions they can come up with for the most ridiculous photos on the internet.
Game nights are easy to fit into even the busiest of schedules. Many games last only 30 minutes to an hour. Specify 1 hour per month. By doing so, you can create memories that will last a lifetime. You can also prepare a simple deck of cards and play games like rummy or poker. You can also challenge each other to create the biggest house of cards. There are many different types of games, and the type of game you choose to play will determine how much fun your family will have.
create the seasons
For many people, summer can mean being stuck at home with the air conditioner on, with sweltering temperatures and thunderstorms dampening the mood for the week. But just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the fun of fall and winter. Crumple up white paper to make two forts and have a snowball fight. Buy a cheap shaved ice machine and make shaved ice for your family. Buy a large bag with a bucket of sand and play with it like you would play in the snow. Can you make a sand angel with your hands? What can you make by just mixing sand and a little water?
Autumn is the season of changing seasons and autumn leaves. Even if the trees are green, autumn products may already be on the shelves in July or August. Purchase a bag of leaves at a 100-yen shop or other home decor store. See what you can make with simple plastic leaves. The possibilities are endless.
Summer can feel like it drags on when you’re on a tight budget. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With some creativity and a little money, you can have the best summer ever with some inexpensive ideas to pass the time and make great memories with your family.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/adamkaz
Michelle S. Lazurek is an award-winning multi-genre author, speaker, pastor’s wife, and mother. She is a literary agent with Wordwise Media Services and host of The Spiritual Reset podcast. Her new children’s book, Hall of Faith, encourages children to understand that God can be trusted. When I’m not working, I enjoy drinking Starbucks lattes, collecting 80’s memorabilia, and spending time with my family and dog. For more information, please visit her website www.michellelazurek.com.
