7 Easy Ways To Save Money This Summer
Summertime, and the livin’ is easy … or so you think, until you remember how pricey summer can be with the high power bills and expensive trips. But you don’t have to let your summer expenses burn a hole in your pocket.
Let us show you ways to cut down on your summer spending that are so easy you’ll kick yourself for not doing them already. Read on to find out the seven ways to save money this summer:
1. Avoid the tourist spots
Thinking of going to Boracay this summer? You might reconsider when you check the price of a round-trip ticket! That’s not including the room and board you’d pay even to stay at a bargain hotel there, or any of the other expenses like food and drinks (drinks especially!).
Instead, make your summer vacation money go further by choosing less touristy beaches like Anawangin Cove or Nagsasa Cove in Zambales. Or check out the beaches in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, which are less well known to foreign tourists.
Generally speaking, avoiding tourist spots will save you a lot of money and hassle, and lets you explore more of the Philippines. Plus, think of all the great Instagram beach posts you can make for less than half the price of Boracay.
2. Close your curtains
Summer in the Philippines can be really hot. So when the season hits, you might be tempted to turn your AC way up to keep cool, meaning that your power bill skyrockets. And it might be even worse this year, because of power plant shutdowns driving up generation charges.
But there’s one easy thing you can do to keep your costs down — just close your curtains! Before the sun shines in through your windows, draw your curtains. This way, you block the heat before it makes its way into your house, and you’ll have less need for air conditioning.
For even more savings, get light-colored curtains which will reflect rather than absorb heat. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, white-plastic curtain backing could reduce home heat intake by 33 percent, which lessens your aircon usage even further. That’s a lot of savings.
3. Replace your aircon filters
While we’re talking about air conditioning, when was the last time you changed your aircon filter? Probably too long. If you don’t clean your filters, you might be breathing in dust!
Replace your dirty filters with clean ones and you could cut down your energy consumption. Even if it reduces your electricity bill by just 10%, that could amount to over ₱150 if you are paying over ₱1500 a month just on air conditioning.
For your aircon to function well and be more efficient, you just have to maintain it. Cleaning the filter is one of the easiest things you can do, and you’ll save yourself a nice chunk of change while you’re at it.
4. Don’t forget your credit card promos
Treating a fresh grad to a fancy dinner? Want to get a free night with your hotel stays? Thinking about sprucing up your wardrobe for the summer?
It always pays to check whether your credit card has good deals, whether it’s for travel, shopping, dining, or even gas, since gas prices shoot up along with the temperature.
So before you splash out the cash, make sure your card can get you a better deal first. You could save thousands when you do this, and you can make your summer budget go further.
5. Fly out of a smaller airport
If you’re set on travelling somewhere this summer, you can save significantly if you can avoid NAIA and fly out of a smaller airport.
Flying out of smaller airports also has other advantages: less flight congestions and delays, lighter traffic getting to and from the airport.
So before you book your flights, check if you can get a better deal at nearby smaller airports. The money you save could be enough for a whole ‘nother plane ticket!
6. Park in the shade and tighten your gas cap
There are a lot of ways to save money on gas this summer, like using regular instead of premium gas if your car recommends it and practicing good driving habits, but one simple thing that you can do: park your car in the shade.
How does this save you gas? Well, when your car is hot, there’s the possibility of gas evaporating right from your tank. Almost like watching your money go up in smoke.
Plus, the cooler your car is, the less you’ll have to use aircon, which eats up gas. So whenever you can, park in the shade.
And while you’re at it, tighten your gas cap. Loose, missing, or damaged gas caps cause 147 million gallons of gas to evaporate each year in the US, according to the Car Care Council.
7. Take advantage of back-to-school and end-of-season sales
This comes right at the tail-end of summer, and the best part is, you (usually) don’t have to be a student to enjoy these sales. (If you do, just get a student you know to buy for you.) You can score great deals on books and office supplies at National Bookstore, and save money on your gadget purchases at Power Mac Center. Lots of clothes outlets will also be having end-of-season sales, so refresh your wardrobe for lower prices.
So keep an eye out for deals as the temperatures come down and you get ready for the rainy season to hit. Enjoying these bargains can be a great note to end the summer season on. You can get great savings if you know where to look!
With these tips, you can enjoy the summer season to the fullest without stretching your budget to a breaking point. Just remember to put on sunscreen.
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