SALT LAKE CITY — As summer winds down and the new school year approaches, many Americans are feeling cautious about their spending while still wanting to enjoy one last vacation.
"Many Americans are feeling a bit cautious about their spending this summer," Courtney Alev, Consumer Financial Advocate at Intuit Credit Karma, said.
With Pioneer Day celebrations this week and less than a month until school starts, the desire for a final summer getaway is strong. But how can you make it happen without straining your finances?
"Embracing a budget friendly summer doesn't mean saying no to everything and not having plans and not having fun, rather it means making sure that the plans you are making and the spending you are doing works well with your budget.," Alev said. "For example maybe you already have a trip planned this summer perhaps it's friend’s wedding or a music festival consider making that your one main splurge for the summer and see where you can cut back in other non-essential areas maybe it's less dining out or less ride share, whatever that might be for you and that can help keep your budget in check."
Creating a specific list of areas where you can save money over the next few weeks provides a clear roadmap for generating extra funds. These savings could finance a night's stay in Park City or a quick trip to Bear Lake.
One of the simplest ways to save is by cutting back on food and beverage expenses. Skipping your morning drive-thru coffee and packing lunch instead of dining out with coworkers could add up to several hundred dollars in savings in just a few weeks.
