When it comes to making fun summer memories with your family, there is no shortage of ideas or ways to spend money. And while we are HUGE proponents of making great memories with your family, we also believe that there are some things worth spending good money on and some that are just as fun, but free or close to it.
Before we hit you with our list of specific family fun ideas (or before you start brainstorming), it’s important that you establish (or remember) a few value-based decisions first, so you can enjoy a budget friendly summer.
1. What’s the Goal of This Activity?
- Is it to make some EPIC memories that everyone will talk about for years to come?
- Is it to have some high-quality, deep conversations?
- Is the goal of the summer family vacation to relax? OR to have a grand adventure?
It’s not that you can’t accomplish most of these ideas or even all with a single vacation, but if you can establish the goal ahead of time, it makes planning and budgeting so much easier.
2. Genuinely Ask- Are We Doing This to Please Other People, to “Look Good,” or Is This Genuinely Going to Be a Blessing to Our Family?
Sometimes even the best intentions can be marred by trying to keep up with the Joneses or to look good for social media.
But the truth of the matter is, your kids won’t care how “perfect” the photo was, they will remember if you were a present, loving parent or not.
3. Is This Summer Fun Activity Going to Put a Strain on Our Family Financially?
We’ve all heard the phrase “we only get 18 summers with our kids,” which can be true to an extent, but if you are stressed out because the vacation went on a high-interest credit card, do you really think that you’ll enjoy the vacation?
Trust us when we tell you that there are LOTS of inexpensive or even free ways to have a budget friendly summer, and make wonderful sweet summertime memories with your family.
4. Will You Really Use the “Summer Pass” or “Season Pass” to the Big Theme Parks, Water Parks, Pools, Etc., to Make Them Worth the Extra Spend?
We all would like to think that we’re going to make it to the pool or the park every day. However, when the rubber hits the road, you still have to do life every day. With the kids home from school, will you REALLY be able to make use of that expensive season pass to the local water park?
Chances are good that if you plan out your time and your summer fun budget, you’ll be able to purchase a realistic number of trips at a much more affordable number.
5. Will Everyone in the Family (Or at Least Those Invited) Actually Enjoy It?
Now, we know that the more people you add, the more variables and opinions you have to consider. However, before you invite your entire extended family, Aunt Bertha and Uncle James included, make sure they can actually do the planned activities and will realistically enjoy them. If they won’t, maybe just plan a low-key family barbecue with them instead.
Tips for a Budget Friendly Summer With Your Family
Regardless of your summer fun budget, these are 5 questions worth asking.
Because at the end of the day, this is not really about the trip, the tickets, or the “perfect” plan. It is about being intentional with your time, your money, and your family.
It is really easy to default to what everyone else is doing, to spend more than you meant to, or to say yes to things you never actually thought through. But a little bit of planning on the front end can save you a lot of stress (and money) on the back end.
And more importantly, it helps you create a summer that actually feels the way you want it to feel… not one that looks good on paper but leaves you exhausted or stretched too thin.
So before you book the trip, buy the passes, or start filling up the calendar, take a few minutes and walk through these questions. Get clear on what matters most to your family.
Because the goal is not to do the most… it is to make the most of what you choose to do.
And if you want help making sure your plans align with your finances (so you can enjoy it without the stress later), that is exactly where having the right CPA and financial guidance can make all the difference.
