Summer is here, and the region is gradually reopening. While you may be eager to see friends and return to normalcy, it’s essential to take a step back and consider how your summer plans and other circumstances may affect your budget in the coming months.

Here are 4 tips for getting your budget in shape for this summer of reopening:

1. Start by taking an honest look at your current financial situation — especially your spending:

Tracking your spending and analysing your situation are always the first steps in effective budgeting. Take a look at your bank statements from past months, if you haven’t previously, to determine if your expenditure has decreased or increased in any particular area. Whether you have summer plans, consider if you can afford to set aside a set amount of money each month to make them a reality. The Discounter App can really help you save a lot of money by giving you amazing deals across many brands.

2. Replace some current expenses with anticipated summer expenses where you can:

Examine your budget to see if you can replace some winter expenses with costs you expect to incur during the summer. Consider this: In the summer, you don’t need to crank up the heat or turn on the lights at 4 p.m. because it’s dark outside. You also won’t have to spend a lot of money on festive purchases or pay for large family gatherings. Instead, you might use that money to take a group of friends out to a restaurant or a local event  or drive to a beautiful new hiking spot and spend the day there. With The Discounter App, you can increase your saving by getting awesome deals on the restaurant of your choice as well as you can grab great deals on automobile renting.

3. And as you make summer plans, mix in free and cheap activities too.

One of the best things about budgeting for the summer is that if you get creative, you can always find something free or inexpensive to do. On a lovely day, simply going for a bike ride or a walk might be a treat. As things begin to normalize, explore what free or low-cost activities are available in your area.