Summer’s all sunshine and chill vibes—until your AC bill spikes, the kids need full-time care, and you realize you’ve got three weddings in one month.
Even if you don’t have a packed travel schedule, summer can have a sneaky way of draining your wallet. Higher utility costs, spontaneous adventures, and seasonal to-dos can throw off your budget fast.
But a little planning now can go a long way. Below are some of the most common summer expenses to start budgeting for now.
In This Article
1. Higher energy bills
If you’ve ever cringed opening your July electric bill, you’re not alone. As temperatures rise, so does AC usage, especially if you work from home or live in an area prone to heatwaves. Add in fans, ceiling units, and extra laundry (hello, sweaty clothes and beach towels), and your energy costs can jump more than expected.
How to prep:
Look at last summer’s bills to get a ballpark number, then start setting aside an extra $20 to $50 a month now. You could also check if your utility provider offers budget billing, which evens out your payments across the year so you’re not hit with a midsummer spike.
Bonus: Investing in blackout curtains or sealing drafty windows can help lower costs before it’s peak-heat season.
2. Summer camps, activities, and childcare
When school’s out, the juggle begins. For working parents, summer often means shelling out for day camps, babysitters, or full-time care. But even if you don’t need full-time coverage, the cost of summer sports, art lessons, or enrichment programs can sneak up fast.
Even casual arrangements like hiring a teen neighbor or enrolling in a local rec program can add up quickly.
How to prep:
Start asking around now. Many camps and programs offer early-bird pricing or sliding-scale options based on income. If you’re coordinating with other parents, consider splitting a nanny share or rotating playdates to reduce the number of paid care days.
And if you’re paying out of pocket, stash away a bit from each paycheck into a dedicated “summer care” fund so you’re not scrambling when June hits.
3. Travel, day trips, and gas
Summer tends to spark a serious case of wanderlust — whether it’s a weekend road trip, a last-minute flight to visit family, or just extra outings to the zoo or lake. Even “cheap” adventures start to stack up when you factor in gas, snacks, parking, and entry fees.
And with gas prices still creeping up, filling up the tank can take a bigger bite out of your budget than you expect.
How to prep:
Start a sinking fund (a fancy name for money you set aside little by little for a specific goal). Stash $25 a week now, and you’ll have a few hundred dollars by summer break. You could also use cash-back rewards from your credit card to offset travel expenses like hotels, rental cars, or gas. Just be sure you’re paying off your balance in full so you’re not trading savings for interest charges.
4. Weddings, showers, and events
Summer’s not just vacation season — it’s celebration central with weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, graduation parties, and more. If you’ve got a busy social circle, those invites add up fast.
According to The Knot, the average wedding guest spends around $610 between travel, attire, lodging, and a gift. Even smaller events like baby showers can cost $20 to $200 or more, especially if you’re buying from a registry or helping host.
How to prep:
Make a list now of events you already know are coming. Then, ballpark how much you’d like to spend on each one. That way, you’re not panic-buying a $200 dress the night before. You can also rewear outfits, go in on group gifts, or tap into credit card points to cover travel. And if funds are tight? A thoughtful, heartfelt gift (like a framed photo or homemade treat) goes a long way.
5. Summer clothing
Summer often brings a whole new wardrobe wishlist, especially if you’ve got growing kids or a vacation coming up. Think swimsuits, sandals, shorts, sunscreen, hats, pool toys, and outdoor gear. Even basics add up fast when you’re buying for the whole family.
How to prep:
Take inventory before you shop. You might already have more than you think (especially those “just in case” extras from last year). For anything you do need, try thrifting off-season, checking buy/sell groups, or organizing a swap with friends, especially for kid gear. You could also set a seasonal clothing budget now and break it into categories like essentials, nice-to-haves, and “fun if there’s room.”
6. Seasonal home and car maintenance
Summer is also prime time for upkeep. Think: AC servicing, lawn care, gutter cleaning, pool opening, and oil changes before road trips. Even small tasks, like swapping out air filters or refilling propane tanks for grills and firepits, can sneak up on your wallet if you’re not ready for them.
How to prep:
Make a quick list of the maintenance tasks you usually tackle (or tend to forget) each summer. Then, assign a rough cost to each and spread those totals across a few paychecks. Even putting aside $50 every two weeks can help smooth out those one-off expenses.
If you’re DIYing anything, take inventory of your tools and supplies before heading to the store. You don’t want to buy a new measuring tape just to realize you already have two at home buried in the junk drawer. Planning ahead also gives you time to shop sales or borrow what you need instead of paying full price in a pinch.
7. Pet boarding or dog walking
Between weekend getaways, longer work hours, and full summer schedules, pet care can get pricey fast. It’s one of those expenses people often forget to budget for until it’s time to book.
According to Rover, dog boarding costs anywhere from $25 to $80 per night, depending on whether you use a sitter, vet, daycare, or in-home option. A dog walker averages $20 to $40 per visit, according to Thumbtack. Those can add up quickly if you’re booking them regularly.
How to prep:
If you’ve got trips on the calendar, start researching local options early. You may be able to score a discount for early booking or longer stays. If the cost feels out of reach, ask a trusted friend or neighbor about doing a pet-care swap or offer to trade services like house sitting or plant watering.
8. Gifts for teachers, grads, and dads
End-of-year thank-yous and milestone celebrations have a sneaky way of popping up right as your summer budget’s already feeling stretched. Between teacher appreciation gifts, graduation parties, and Father’s Day, you might end up buying for multiple people within just a few weeks.
Even modest gifts — like a $25 gift card, a bouquet, or a framed photo — can add up when multiplied across several recipients.
How to prep:
Jot down who you’ll want to recognize and set a per-person budget. Then, either start setting aside money now or get creative with DIY gifts like homemade treats, handwritten notes, or a memory jar. If you’re short on time (or ideas), pooling funds with other parents or friends can help stretch your dollars further.
What to do if you’re already stretched
If you’re looking at this list and thinking, “There’s no way I can cover all this” — that’s okay. The good news is that you don’t have to do everything at once.
Start with a few small moves:
- Cut or pause one monthly expense (like a streaming service you rarely use).
- Sell something you don’t need — outgrown kids’ gear, unused tech, that countertop appliance collecting dust.
- Take on a short-term side gig to cover one specific goal, like pet care or travel.
- Use a cash windfall wisely — a tax refund or bonus can be a great way to fund seasonal extras.
- Consider consolidating high-interest debt to free up breathing room in your budget. A personal loan* through Prosper could help you combine payments and lower your rate, especially if you’ve been carrying credit card balances.
And if your emergency fund is running low? Don’t drain your savings for summer fun. It’s there for the unexpected, and you can build it back up with small, consistent deposits over time.
Lastly, watch out for these common financial mistakes — like overusing credit cards or having a sloppy budget. This money management guide can help you build a system that works year-round.
FAQs about summer expenses to budget for now
How much should I budget for summer expenses?
It depends on your plans, but a good starting point is to review what you spent last summer. Add up costs for things like travel, childcare, events, and utilities. Then, divide that number by the months until summer to create a doable savings goal.
What’s the average summer camp cost?
Summer camp costs vary widely. According to a Care.com analysis, day camp costs around $178.49 per person per day, and sleep-away camp costs around $448.53 per person per day. Specialty summer camps start at around $275 per week but can stretch up to $2,000 or more per week, depending on the camp.
How can I save money on travel this summer?
The biggest ways to save money are to start early, set a firm budget, and use a sinking fund. Use credit card points for flights or hotels, pack your own snacks, and look for free or low-cost activities wherever you’re headed. If you have high-interest debt that’s preventing you from building wealth and securing your financial future, consider looking into consolidating debt with a personal loan.
*All personal loans made by WebBank.
Written by Cassidy Horton
Cassidy Horton is a finance writer who’s passionate about helping people find financial freedom. With an MBA and a bachelor’s in public relations, her work has been published over a thousand times online by finance brands like Forbes Advisor, The Balance, PayPal, and more. Cassidy is also the founder of Money Hungry Freelancers, a platform that helps freelancers ditch their financial stress.