Live Locally This Summer
As many of you have likely noticed, over the last several months the major airlines and hotels have been slashing rates to make travel during this economic downturn more attractive. There are some incredible deals out there with some of the most amazing targeted at filling first/business-class seats and getting bodies into 4 and 5 star hotel rooms. Before you become too enticed by these deals only to find yourself separated from more of your money than you would like, evaluate your options closer to home – you might be surprised by the fun you can have while saving simply by becoming a tourist in your local area.
Summer is here and from coast-to-coast communities are ramping up their festivals and public event offerings with many meant to draw crowds from neighboring states – yours might just be one of them. Your community papers and weekend rags are the best places to look for local entertainment like art shows, small-venue concerts, and street fairs and block-parties. These outlets will also let you know about special events, e.g., some museums my neck of the woods have free exhibition days for community residents – zoos sometimes do the same. Local public radio is another medium you might check out for events near you. This outlet shouldn’t only be a staple medium is places like San Francisco and New York City. Community round-up type programs tell listeners about public forums and other culturally entertaining options in addition to what you would find in your Creative Loafing.
If you find you simply must get some distance between you and the hustle of your professional life, camp! It’s not necessarily for everyone, but in my opinion, this is one of the best ways to spend time with your friends and loved ones while seeing and saving some green. Depending on where you live, you might not even have to drive more than a couple of hours to put up a tent or cast a fishing line. This summer, if finances or tight, or even if you’re just looking to cut back a bit and still enjoy yourself – make yourself a mixed-tape, grab some sandwiches, board games, and beer and hit the road with your friends.
I couldn’t agree more Colin.
1) A deal is only a deal if you are saving money on something you were already going to buy in the first place – otherwise it is just wasteful spending.
2) It’s always humerous to count up the number of things you haven’t done in your own city, that others travel hundreds of miles and spend hundreds of dollars on plane tickets and hotels to be able to do. Google the top 10 things to do in your city – my guess is most of us haven’t done half of them.