Summer Saving Tips

The sweet relief of being able to finally turn off your heat can not be expressed.  Not only does the sun shining feel great after a long dreary winter, but the fact that you don't have to blow a small fortune on heating your home any longer is fantastic.  Now it is either time to play catch up financially with those bills from the winter, or an opportune moment to get ahead. Either way, here are some additional ways to save this summer if you are looking to be the industrious ant.  don't be the lazy grasshopper this summer.

Grill Baby Grill! If you own a grill, fill up that propane tank and grill as much as you can.  Not only will it keep you from working the oven or stove which will run your electric/gas bill, but it'll add additonal heat to your home during a time when no added heat is wanted.  So don't fight against your AC.  On those nights when it's still warm and you don't feel like cooking, grilling can be easy.  Grill meat, grill veggies, grill potatoes!

Befriend A Gardener/Local Farmer: Shouldn't be too difficult.  If you aren't growing your own fruits and veggies, take advantage when a neighbor or friend offers you produce from their own garden. Grocery costs are on the rise and eating healthy can be costly.  So this season, eat fresh. If you can, find farmer's markets and deals on frsh fruit and veggies to give that wallet a break.

Stay-Cations: Now that you don't have a looming oil bill, here's a tip: pretend you do.  Take that extra money that you would cough up to pay the heating bill and throw it into your savings account. (If you don't have a savings account, open one.) Don't treat it like extra money and go on an expensive vacay. Do something local and fun with your family in New England, rather than take a flyaway trip which can be more costly.  The important thing is to spend time together.  So go camping or find something that is in driving range!

Turn off the AC on cooler days: I know this will be nearly impossible to do come July or August, but let those be your only splurge months.  June still affords us some 70 degree weather, minus humidity.  If you have a ceiling fan and can create a nice cross breeze through the home, go for it.

U-Promise.  If you haven't discovered U-Promise yet, take advantage. This is a great program that let's you register your grocery cards, shop on-line and download coupons for not only savings, but also to earn rewards and cash back towards a 529 account (college savings plan) or pay off your own student debt.