It’s the second week of June and it’s officially summer. The warm, bright weather brings with it lots of opportunities to get outside and do different things, things that aren’t so fun to do in winter; we’re not sure we’d like to go swimming in an outdoor pool in December!

If you’re a typical over-spender, the idea of getting involved with summer activities might make you a bit wary, especially if you’ve set yourself a budget for this year. Well, the great thing is, not all summer activities have to cost a lot; there’s loads of money saving things you can do that won’t break the bank or ruin your budgeting plans!

We’ve been thinking about the things we like to do in summer and we’ve come up with a few money saving ideas for you that mean you can get out and have fun, but don’t have to worry about how much you’re spending…

Go to the beach – we can’t think of anything better than spending a day on the beach! If the nearest beach is a fair drive away, why not get everyone to pitch in for some gas money? Then all you’ll need is some snacks and drinks which you can bring from home so you won’t have to spend any money for the whole day!

Make ice cream – summer is ice cream season and we all probably spend way too much money throughout the months of June-August on it! So why not have a go at making your own? You could create a big batch that will last, so you won’t need to be spending each time you fancy a treat. All you need is some milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar – and the flavoring of your choice. There are some great recipes online so take a look.

Visit a museum –why not do something different and find a free museum to have a look around? It will make a really nice day out and will still be within your budget, mainly because it’ll be free! You could always go for a nice walk in the sunshine afterwards – don’t forget to take some of that home-made ice cream along with you!

Read a new book – there’s nothing better than sitting on a sun lounger in the garden, getting lost in a really good book. You can get some great deals on books online, and for those of you who have a Kindle instead you’ll know you can get books for next to nothing.

Go camping – get your friends together, grab a couple of tents and pitch up underneath the stars for a few days whilst enjoying the great weather. Camping is a great way to spend a vacation without having to spend a lot of money, especially if you self-cater rather than finding restaurants to eat at.

Have a BBQ – instead of taking the whole family out to eat, why not organize a BBQ at home? If everyone brings along something to go on the grill, or a drink or sweet treat, it’ll only got a few dollars (pounds), and spending time in the sun with your family and great food will be worth it.

There are so many money saving things to do in summer that will allow you to get outside and enjoy the nice weather and we’d love to hear some ideas from you for things to do throughout the summer months that don’t cost a fortune, leave a comment below…