By Mai Nguyen-Tran

The summer days have sure been flying by, which means most families are taking advantage of barbecue season! Summer calls for countless activities including going to the beach, spending time with nieces and nephews, and a lot more. It’s easy to find your summer budget gone fast. But with proper planning, the essentials of summer can be possible on a budget whether you’re buying a surfboard or hamburger buns. As an honor to July’s National Grill Month, here are some tips on how you can remain cool while your summer itinerary heats up:
 
1.      Couponing – If you’re hosting a barbecue, search for coupons when purchasing your groceries. Most likely, your local grocery store has great bargains for what’s in season. Before purchasing your items, ask for the store’s  daily ads or you can go online and search for coupons. Here’s a great link that provides free and printable coupons for qualifying stores: http://www.coupons.com/

2.       Shopping online – In today’s world where you can find almost anything online, it would not make sense to buy the first thing you see. If you are investing in an expensive grill, search and compare online. If you do your research right, you can get a great value. 
 
3.       Make a list – Ever wonder why the essential foods like eggs, bread, etc. are stashed in the back of grocery stores? Because you have to walk through the aisles of junk food and other items you don’t need to get to them. Go in with a set plan of what you need to avoid unnecessary temptations.

4.      Shop with cash -- Not only does this strategy limit your spending, but it also helps you save. Going into a  store with a set amount of cash instead of a plastic credit card helps encourage you to stay focused with your shopping budget.

Summer and barbecuing with your friends can be a lot of fun but don’t let your budget bum you out. With proper planning, you can make your days and summer budget last longer too.

Mai is a Junior Analyst at Francis Financial, where her role is to support the team in client financial management, planning and portfolio investment. She is currently enrolled in the New York University School for Continuing and Professional Studies and is working to obtain her Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) designation.

Photo: seandreilinger via Flickr cc
Published: July 14, 2014