Summer Is Not a Vacation from Your Budget

Think again.
“Your budget shouldn’t change because it’s summer. Your expenses will differ from the school year, but your budget is like your waistline — you do not want it to expand,” says Stephanie Rauterkus, Ph.D., assistant professor of finance in the School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Rauterkus, who writes the blog 365 Days on a Budget, says your budget should look similar to this:

50 percent for needs

30 percent for wants

20 percent saved

In the battle of needs versus wants, Rauterkus says, “Ask yourself, ‘will my family survive without this?’ And be honest. A new pair of shoes is a need only if you don’t have any shoes.”

Wants are everybody’s favorite. You have nearly a third of your pay for this. Splurge within your budget, she says.

For big expenses like vacation, camp or home improvements, ask your bank to create a summer account, like a Christmas club. Treat this extra cash like sunscreen: spread it around as much as you can without getting burned – and when it runs out, stay inside.