Brrrrrriiiinnnngggg! The end of the school year is coming whether you want it to or not. I’m actually looking forward to a change in schedule with the princesses and Lordwilling, I think we might get more accomplished during the summer months. At least that’s the tune I’m humming the day before school dismisses. I might feel differently mid July.
It’s very tempting to bust the budget to yuk it up with the kiddos in celebrating a year’s end to school. However, here are 6 Ways You Can Celebrate the End of the School Year without busting your budget.
- Use the Coupons. At the end of the year, almost every kid receives coupons good for freebies at local restaurants. It can be tricky since many require a purchase and you don’t want to spend more on eating out than you’ve budgeted this month {you have budgeted, right?}. So choose your coupon wisely, bring cash in so you’re not tempted to overspend, and if it means you settle for a beverage or the cheapest item on the menu to let the kids have the freebie, then so be it.
- Pick a Park! Let your kids pick their favorite park and play for an hour.
- Change Night. Gather all the coins in your house and use them as a budget for a fun night out. You could go to the batting cages, play skeeball, or even make a trip to the dollar store.
- Fix Their Favorites. Head to the grocery store to select items to prepare your child’s favorite meal. Bonus points if you use coupons AND let them help fix dinner.
- Sundae Bar. Swap a pricey trip the fancy froyo join for your own personalized sundae bar. You’ll spend about the same amount and best of all be able to repeat the experience 2-3 times.
- Buy a Board Game. While a board game may not get the oohs and ahhs of heading to the latest Summer Blockbuster, you’ll still have a great time. And you’ll get to play the game over and over again rather than have a mere one time fun experience.
How do you celebrate a year’s worth of academic success without overspending?
