We are heading into the busy summer season filled with travel, good food & time spent with family and friends. As much fun as can be had, it can also result in a lot of money being spent.
My advice is three easy steps: Plan, save and execute.
It is worth it to sit down and figure it out. You can save time and money.
Plan. Take time to plan ahead. Lay out travel plans, social engagements, and high-end dinners or cocktail parties. Planning ahead of time allows you to budget and not get surprised by an unexpected expense.
Save. If some of your plans are several weeks out, start saving and setting aside money to pay for it. If you need a more structured savings plan, set up a savings account. Some banks even have accounts called Travel Clubs that can be used for this specific purpose. If you can set aside the necessary funds, then you won’t have to use household funds to pay for your summer entertainment expenses.
Execute. When the time comes, try to save as much money as possible. The lowest airfare or car rental, buy tickets to events early to take advantage of early bird specials, check out places like Costco and take advantage of grocery store coupons when planning that 4th of July picnic.
Take advantage of these tips and you will be able to take control of your money this summer.
Black Enterprise Columnist Jennifer Streaks is a Financial Expert, Author & Pundit. Continue the conversation by following her on twitter @JStreaks or visiting her website www.JenniferStreaks.com.