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If you’ve decided you are going to be more budget-conscious this year and find that your spending plan doesn’t have quite the room you’d like for summer activities, remember that summer activities don’t have to cost money. In fact, if you think back to your childhood, you might recall that some of the most memorable experiences with your parents or friends didn’t cost anything! We’ve got five thrifty ways to spend time with your family, without spending money.

• Park right here - Remember that time your parents stopped at the park you always wanted to visit, with its twirling slide, or too tall swings? Give your kids or grandkids a chance to stretch their legs at a new park every week this summer. If you are lucky enough to live in an area with several schools, pack your lunch, and spend some time trying out all the different playground equipment with your family. You’d be surprised at how high-tech playgrounds have become – incorporating sensory experiences such as sound and texture, with the traditional swings and slides. One summer while building a house, our family of 5 shared a small apartment and in order to keep our kids busy, it became our mission to check out every playground in our small town. Over 5 years later, they still say, “Remember the time we went there!” as we drive past some of the playgrounds we were able to visit.

• Look toward the heavens – have you ever experienced a meteor shower? Or perhaps you are old enough to remember Halley’s Comet? We have recently experienced many cosmic events such as eclipses, and depending on your location, you might find a few once in a lifetime events. In our city, the local University opens up its Observatory for free viewing when an event is expected, and it makes for not only a great excuse to stay up late, but a chance for you to learn a little bit about the world around you. Perhaps you have a future astronomer, or maybe just a kid with their head in the clouds! Either way, exploring the night sky together doesn’t need anything more than a dark area and some time.  Pack your jacket and a blanket, and for extra points, download a free star chart on your device, and you are ready to go!

• Dog park and hiking trails – does your family include someone 4-legged? Consider a trip to a new dog park or off-leash area. Perhaps a new hiking trail would interest your furry pal. If you or your 4-legged prefer to stay indoors, consider teaching your canine a new trick, or spend some time perfecting the one they have conveniently ‘forgotten’. If your pet is of a different variety, consider making a new toy for them to enjoy, out of household recycling, or craft supplies. Be sure to choose something safe for your pet – our cat currently enjoys sleeping in his cardboard ‘igloo’ complete with fleece scraps for a pillow, hand-crafted by his youngest owners.

• Spend time – throughout the school year we are very busy with not only school but swimming, soccer, football, hockey, piano….and the list goes on! Often these busy activities take a break over summer, and so should we. Take those new-found hours to do all the things that have been put off – visit your aunt across town, invite the neighbours for a bonfire, play a board game with your spouse. Maybe pick up that hobby you put down long ago and enjoy the slower pace.

• Don’t forget your local library – Recently I’ve discovered that our local library has an opportunity for every age group. From Lego clubs for the young, Science Saturday for the pre-teens and teens, and adult book clubs, to groups that help you further your skills and abilities, the library is no longer a dusty, boring place. Much - if not all - of the programming is free and is usually listed on the library’s webpage. See what events you might be interested in and sign up with a friend!

Blog provided by Crystal Buhler, Licensed Insolvency Trustee, and President of C. Buhler & Associates Ltd., who provides assistance to those in debt living in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories. Learn more at www.debtfreenorth.com.