With COVID-19 restrictions no longer impeding our travels and outings like they once were, TopCashback’s Consumer Expert Rebecca Gramuglia is urging caution on how we spend our money this summer. (And, truthfully, she might be on to something.)
For many of us, it’s been very tempting to go everywhere and eat everything – without paying much attention to our shrinking wallets. Of course, it’s only natural to react this way after a lengthy lockdown. Plus, it’s summer!
But Rebecca claims there are five easy ways we can spend within our means and keep our financial goals from falling off the track completely. She shares them with us below:
1. Create a summer budget.
A basic budgeting rule that can be used to outline your summer budget is the 50/20/30 rule. Spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on necessities (i.e., food and utilities); 20% on finances (i.e., debt repayments and savings; and 30% on personal expenses (i.e., shopping and vacations).
By using this rule, you can address all aspects of your finances and be mindful of your spending all while enjoying summer.
2. Say yes (and no).
After a year of not being able to do much, saying “yes” to everything may seem like the perfect solution. However, it’s important to know that it’s okay to say “no” to some plans and/or suggest less pricey options.
For example, if you have gone out to eat three nights during the week, see if your friends want to do something that isn’t as costly next time. Going to a park and bringing your own snacks will be different, but just as entertaining.
3. Always look for savings opportunities.
The summer is not only the season of fun, but also the season of sales. From summer holidays to back-to-school to end-of-summer, the opportunities to score a discount or two are endless! And you can make the savings even sweeter by stacking coupons and credit card rewards on your purchases.
Plus, be sure to shop through a cash back site like TopCashback.com to earn a percentage of your money back on all qualifying purchases from a variety of retailers.
4. Be loyal.
Whether you’re a fan of a store, restaurant or anything in between, see if they have a newsletter or loyalty program you can sign up for. You may find that by signing up for the (typically) free loyalty program, you’ll score benefits such as coupons, free products, exclusive access to sales and more.
5. Earn and enjoy credit card rewards.
Save all summer by using a credit card that offers rewards and cash back bonuses on purchases. Depending on the card, consumers can enjoy statement credits or rewards miles for an end-of-summer trip. And if you’re signing up for a new card, you may already get a cash bonus, too.
Let us know in the comments section whether these tips align with your goals for summer spending. We'd love to hear from you.
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by Diana Oliveira
Diana Oliveira is the senior copywriter at TopCashback.com. After beginning her copywriting career at a paper company, where she harnessed her creative chops writing about…paper, this self-described “bargain shopper” has felt at home talking about our many stores, deals and money-saving tips the last few years.
