With summer fast approaching it’s time to say goodbye to studying. halls and student finance, you’re back home, you’re broke and so are all your friends so what on earth are you going to do all summer? You could get a job, though their not easy to come by and besides who wants to work in weather like this? You could borrow from the bank of Mum and Dad but you still owe them for helping out last month when you didn’t correctly work out your budgeting, again. So why don’t you try out my top five ways to spend summer without actually spending;
- Volunteer at a Music Festival – Love festivals but can’t afford the tickets? Not a problem, with various volunteer programs you can attend them for free in return for just a few hours work. The jobs range from litter picking to bar work, there’s no uniform, you can work with your friends, and some companies even provided you with food. There’s also the added satisfaction of listening to your favourites knowing you well and truly earned it. Check out https://www.festivalvolunteer.co.uk/ & http://www.hotboxevents.com/about/festival-stewards-and-festival-volunteers/ for the chance to attend some truly awesome festivals.
- Host a Frock swap: Summer means night’s out and parties galore it also means you need a tonne of new outfits which you can’t actually afford. Still we all have clothes tucked away at the back of our wardrobes that we never wear. Clothes that looked amazing under the bright lights of the changing room but transformed into monstrosities the moment we got them home. So gather all those unwanted, unworn items, get your friends to do the same and swap.
Spend an afternoon trying on each others outfits, it’s just like shopping but without cramped, overheated fitting rooms and impatient shop assistants. Plus that one friend that insists on trying on everything can be left to it whilst you lounge in the comfort of your own home. It’s the perfect way to spend a rainy day and you can get a stunning new outfit for free. - Have a Photo Shoot – We live in the age of Instragram and SnapChat the chances are that if your not a budding photographer at least one of your friends are. Local woods make great locations or skate parks for a more urban setting. Turn it into a summer project that combines all your friends strength. Have a friend whose into beauty and fashion? They can be the make-up artist, sporty friends can be the subject of fantastic action shots. Get creative and just have fun. You could even pack a picnic and make a day of it, it’s a great way to soak up the sunshine and spend time with friends. You may also get a portfolio out of it.
- Give back to your local community – There are hundreds of volunteer projects in the UK that run the whole year round. With so much free time during the summer months why not take part and give something back. You can find local projects at http://vinspired.com/ or why not create your own? Rally the troops for littering picking at your local park and see how quickly your tan develops . Or if you’re more artistic you could paint over graffiti with a colourful mural people will enjoy. Volunteering allows you to hang out with your friends with the satisfaction you’re doing good. There is also the added benefit of keeping you out the path of annoyed parents whose “get out of my house†hints have become far from subtle.
- Host a Pot-Luck BBQ – Activities involving a lot of people and food are often very pricey when providing it all depends on one person. However the idea of a Pot-Luck is that everyone brings a plate of something and everything is shared. Not only does this keep the cost down it’s also a lot of fun, you could end up with all sorts of combinations. Previous Pot-Luck’s of my own have involved a banquet entirely of pudding. Many parks and woods have there own designated barbecue areas so you an invite as many of your friends as you like, just remember to clear up afterwards.
Hopefully these ideas will help you make the most of the last of your penniless summers before we all have to get jobs and spend these months working instead.
Image reproduced from benefitseveryone.co.uk
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