There are so many things to look forward to now that summer is on the horizon. As people are still working to recover from the past months economic meltdown, there may be some concerns that summer fun will be limited for families living on a budget but that’s just not true. There is much frugal fun to find, you just have to know where to look.

Go Local
There is a rise in the belief that a “stay-cation” can be just as much fun as the more traditional vacation away from home. Stay-cations involve hanging out around the home. Start by camping out in the backyard. Use local resources to discover all of the free activities in our community. Many of these activities will be sponsored by local government, local recreation boards, churches and local civic groups. You can also check out local attractions you may have overlooked all of your life, such as local libraries, museums, gardens, and performances in the park.

Volunteer Your Family’s Time
Nothing can be more important than helping others. If you do volunteer work together as a family, not only will you be doing a wonderful thing but you’ll be able to get closer to your family.  Your children will also learn an incredibly valuable lesson. Start with local places that could use help. Cheer up the elderly at the nursing home. Visit with children at the local hospital. Feed the hungry and homeless at a shelter or a soup kitchen. There are many different places in your own backyard that could use a helping hand or you can visit sites like Volunteer Match to find appropriate opportunities for your family.

State Park Adventures
If your family is looking for a relatively inexpensive getaway, reserve a few nights at a camp site at a nearby state park. Besides food, you really don’t need too much to have a great time. There are likely rivers and lakes to swim in, wood trails to hike, and plenty of space to just take walks as a family. Many will also have great scenery, national landmarks, or brief lessons to learn about the area.

DIY Water Parks
If you have ever been to a water park, you likely know how costly they are for a family. Skip the public park and create your own cool water land at home with a hose, inflatable pool, squirt guns, and water balloons. Kids really don’t care where they are having fun as long as they are having fun with you. It also allows the family to get inventive about how they chase away the summertime heat. Remember to not go overboard with water usage and run up your utilities. Be sure that the sprinkler fun is also watering the grass and the garden.

Backyard Adventures
There are so many things you can turn your backyard into beyond a water park. There could be a nature center, a gardening club, a bird watching club, and so much more where your family can learn new things. Check out some books at the library for free that can help you to identify trees, bugs, flowers, birds, and other parts of backyard nature.

Rainy Day Fun
Instead of heading to the mall during a summer thunderstorm, get creative at home and save a ton of money. You can host a picnic on the carpet or bring out the old board games for some old fashioned family fun. If the power gets knocked out, play a rousing game of flashlight hide and seek in the dark.