For many people, Mariah Carey has it wrong. The most wonderful time of the year isn’t Christmas — it’s summertime. There are just so many kinds of fun to be had, and you don’t need a winter coat. After all, it’s a prime time for both exotic vacations and gatherings on the patio alike.
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However, if there’s one thing that both occasions can have in common, it’s a propensity to overspend. You may think that just because you’re not blowing hundreds of dollars on decor or gifts galore, you spend less money in the summer. Ah, but what about that pool membership you never use? Or those theme park passes gathering dust?
There are a lot of ways you can overspend this summer without even knowing it.
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1. Gym Memberships
Listen, every body is a beach body. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a gym membership that you’re not using just so you can persuade yourself that someday soon, you’ll be able to wear a bathing suit in public. Life is short — wear the bikini or the Speedo.
If you’re spending on a gym membership and using it to improve your health and well-being, then that’s money well spent. But if you’re only holding onto it because of what you want to do in the future, and not taking advantage of it right now, you’re wasting money. Cut it loose and tighten up your savings.
2. Summer Camps and Activities
You want to give your kids the best of everything, and with the number of summer camps and activities you’ve signed them up for, you really do mean everything. From sports camps to swimming lessons, theater classes to hours with the piano teacher, you’re giving your kids every opportunity to grow their skills — and paying a lot for all of it.
Your wallet and your children might agree on one simple question: Are all of these activities necessary? You could save yourself hundreds of dollars — not to mention spare yourself the stress of overscheduled kids — by asking your children what they’d actually like to do this summer, and budgeting for one or two select opportunities. Contrary to popular belief, a few extra hours resting or watching TV won’t be the end of your kids.
3. Gardening Supplies
This is going to be the year you finally grow that backyard garden you’ve been talking about for years. You just know it. You’ve spent a lot of green on those seeds or plant starts, pricey soil, plant food and pest repellent. You’re ready!
But then, well, work gets busy. And there are all those summer weddings you’re attending. Oh, and you don’t want to plant anything before you go on vacation. And you have a lot of vacations back to back this year. Lucky you!
Not so lucky for those plants you swore you’d tend to — or for your bank account, which has withered on the vine after you bought everything for that garden you never got around to planting. If you know this just isn’t going to be the year you win the neighborhood prize for prettiest flower garden, it’s better to put that green back in your wallet. Or focus on a few plants that will be easier and less expensive to care for.
4. Dining Out
Now that it’s patio season, you and your friends might become connoisseurs of happy hours around town. And the good times are rolling — until you check your bank statement. Ask yourself if it’s really about the food and drink, or the thrill of being outdoors with friends.
If one of you has a patio or deck, why not gather there after work with some discounted snacks from a spot like Aldi or Lidl? Now, if it really is about not cooking for yourself, you might do better splitting appetizers with your friends and going easy on the drinks.
5. Iced Coffee
You’re on the go, and you need a little something to keep you going. You figure you’ll get yourself a sweet or stimulating treat like an iced coffee. After all, how expensive can one be? Well, if you’re stopping at Starbucks, you’ll be spending around $4 for an iced coffee — and that’s not even one of the fancy lattes.
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Depending on where you go, the size of the coffee, and any add-ons you ask for, you might spend upwards of $5 to $7 or more per drink. Multiply that by several drinks a week, and it adds up fast.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Summer Expenses That Secretly Waste Your Money
