Slowly but surely, the temperatures here in Phoenix are inching up. It’s supposed to hit 90 today. Which wouldn’t be as big a deal if the *#$!ing office would turn the A/C on. But they say that won’t happen until it hits 90 degrees for 5 straight days.
And so this leads me to wonder, do people spend more in the summer?
There’s seeking refuge in the cool air of a movie theater or restaurant. There are the obligatory Slurpees. (Tim and I are amassing an envy-inducing collection of the holographic cups from summer blockbusters. They’re even dishwasher safe!)
Speaking of movies, people are less inclined to sit around at home watching TV or a movie if it’s sweltering. So I’d think that home entertainment is cheaper in the winter.
Finally, there’s the clothing factor. To make your wardrobe appropriate for winter, you can layer. So I’d think summer is more likely to mean new clothes.
On the other hand, wintertime makes most of us want to eat, eat, eat. So we spend more on junk food — and regular food, since summer heat makes most of us eat less. nd let’s not forget the cost of winter sports. Skiing is not cheap!
There’s also the extra gas you burn warming up your car in the morning, if you live in a colder climate. There’s winterizing your car. And there are fewer ways to entertain yourselves cheaply. Sledding only goes so far — especially if you’re an adult!
So you guys tell me: What season do you spend more in? (Let’s ignore the obvious holiday factor, if possible.) Is it easier to be frugal in the summer or the winter? Got any tips about frugal entertainment in either season?
Meg says
LOL at "obligatory Slurpees"! So THAT's what we've been doing wrong! Actually, our drink habits here don't change much. We probably drink a few more cups of hot tea or hot chocolate in winter, but the last time I drank hot chocolate I was also eating ice cream, so it probably cancelled out. Living in Florida, I do tend to drink a lot of cold stuff, though. It's mostly just water I chill in the fridge, but sometimes we'll make sweet tea and occasionally lemonade or fresh orange juice (though that tends to be a winter/spring thing because that's when oranges are in season).
Both summer and winter do a number on our utilities bill despite our best efforts (less than most people we know, at least). But in both cases we tend to spend more time indoors and on our computers. We get out more in spring and fall when the weather is really nice, and probably more time in winter than summer even as our winter days can get quite warm. But when we do go out we tend to do cheap things. We'd rather go to a library than a movie theater and we prefer walking around parks than shopping plazas. So, it doesn't make a big impact on our budget.
Bucksome says
I do think it's easier to save money in the summer than any other season. You can get fresh fruit and produce for less money and we don't normally have the air conditioner on so our utility bill is less than winter.
simple in france says
Here in the Alps where it just snowed again last week, I'd say summer is the cheaper time of year for us. You will see me hiking and lolling around in nature instead of huddled up inside next to a heater or drinking hot wine or a grog or eating a crepe to get some good heating calories in me. Cheaper entertainment abounds in the summer.
oregonsun says
Summer is a lot much budget friendly for us. The only really high cost is our water bill for our lawn and flower beds. We tend to eat less when it is warm and can get by on salads and barbeques! Yum, I can hardly wait!!!
a.b. says
I think seasonal spending can be dependent on geography. When we were in Vegas we spent more in the summer due to a/c and wanting to go anyplace air-conditioned. Here in Portland we spend substantially more in the winter because entertainment is generally indoors and our food is grocery store only, not to mention the cost of heating our home. By comparison, in the summer we get a lot of our groceries at farmer's markets which has better prices, and we do a lot of free fun (hiking, hanging out at the river).
Revanche says
Honestly, I can't tell. I'm uber-sensitive to cold so I always want a heater on (even though I've resisted very well thus far by layering). I'm still tempted to smuggle a space heater into work because I hate hate hate working and shivering for hours at a time.
Conversely, if I have access to lots of fresh fruits and veggies in the summer, I'll eat more; otherwise consumption drops to barely sustain life because I cannot eat in the heat.
I'm just expensive to maintain. 🙁
TEN says
Its a tough call. Heating bills are much more than AC bills in northern climates and many homes do not have either AC units or central air; so that makes a big difference.
Summer is also the season for hanging out at the beach, a relatively cheap endeavor after the beach passes have been purchased. On the other hand there are many more family, friend, organizational gatherings, cookouts, etc.
Carol says
The river and marina are free, we don't use air conditioning much and we have all the garden stuff. Now that my husband is working the night shift there won't be any childcare costs either – summer is MUCH less expensive. I can't wait to hang out by the river! Plus the month of July here is "Artown" when there are a ton of free activities.
Jersey Mom says
Well, during summer time we don't turn on the A/C so we do save money there. We don't need new clothes during the summer (just take out shorts from the basement) but the kids would need new clothes since they're always growing. I do less laundry because clothes are less bulky.
On the hand, summer means summer programs for kids – which are quite expensive.
Mrs. Accountability says
In the low desert of Arizona? Summer is more expensive if you are running an air conditioner. There is a cheaper option, evaporative cooling. I've lived with one in Phoenix for about two decades on and off. It is tolerable for most of the time it is hot until we get to the monsoon, when the moisture from the swamp cooler makes it even muggier. We have considered putting a swamp cooler onto our home many times, but we keep coming back to the fact that we have to haul our own water. Some studies we've found say that evap cooler can use as much as 200 gallons of water daily. If that were true, we'd have to make an additional 12 trips to the well each month, on top of 8-12 trips a month we're already making. Are you using fans at all? I couldn't live without my floor fans, they really help to keep me cooler, because I can direct them to blow right on me. The ceiling fans help to move the air around, but floor fans can do a lot to help you stay cool. They don't cost much for a small one, which would be all you needed to put on the floor near your desk and it would help you feel cooler. I learned a few years ago that the reasons fans work so well is our body is always radiating heat out of our skin so the fan blows that warm air away from the surface, which results in us feeling much more comfortable. Add moisture (sweat, or you can create more moisture with a wet cloth or spray bottle) and you'll drop the temperature even more. I have a ceiling fan in my bedroom, but also run a floor fan at night at the foot of my bed which keeps me cool and comfortable at night.
eemusings says
I'm really not sure. BF is always hot and has the fan on almost year round. I'm always cold and always have the heater on in winter. Summer means it's cheaper to keep yourself entertained. And winter clothes are more expensive. Hmm…I think winter might have the edge, but it's close.