Labor Day tends to mark the transformation from care free summer to the business of autumn. Thus, it’s no surprise that many people go a bit overboard when it comes to spending on this three day weekend. From last minute vacations to hitting all of the major sales, there’s definitely attractions that can cause your budget to fail if you’re not careful. Of course, there are ways you can save money during this holiday though. From preparations to frugal outings, you can make Labor Day the perfect holiday to prepare for all of the busy months that will soon be headed your way. So, get ready to make this upcoming 3-day weekend fun, frugal and beneficial.
1. Book Your Winter Vacation
Although you may have been hoping for a last minute vacation, there’s one thing you can do that will save you big time in the future. That is, get your winter vacation booked and ready to go. Generally, you want to book months ahead of time, so waiting until Labor Day is generally a bit of a stretch; however, the airline, hotel and rental deals offered during this time are often too much to pass up. You should be able to get airfare at an incredible price which will cut down on your getaways price substantially. You should make sure to splurge on tickets that can be cancelled or rescheduled though, just in case your time off of work is canceled for whatever reason. Hotels and rental companies will also have plenty of deals for this holiday weekend, so make sure to book while you can to ensure you have a place to stay and a car to drive during your getaway. With all of the bookings taken care of, you won’t have to worry about saving up money for your trip, which could help make the next few months a lot easier.
2. Go Back to School Shopping
It doesn’t matter if your child has already gone back to school or if they’re scheduled to return after the holiday, because the Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to grab all of the missing school supplies your student needs. Although back to school sales may be over, Labor Day sales will more than compensate for this and may even offer your substantially lower prices on the goods you need. Plus, a lot of back to school items will have already been moved into the clearance section to help make way for the holiday décor that will be heading to the store in just a few short weeks. School supplies shouldn’t be the only thing on your agenda though. Clothes should take a price drop during the holiday thanks to the sales, so don’t be afraid to hold off shopping until then. Last but not least, you may want to check out items you know you’re going to need during the school year. For instance, sandwich bags, sports supplies, cold remedies and crafting items. If you can, see if your area is having a tax free weekend around this time, it will add to the savings immensely, if they are!
3. Get the House in Order
There’s a whole lot of things that need to be done around the house before winter makes its way through. However, finding the time to do them probably isn’t going to be the easiest thing to do. Thus, you may want to spend time working on the home during the Labor Day weekend. There is bound to be lots of sales on cleaning supplies and home repair items. This will allow you to get through the list of cleaning and repairs that should be done before the cold weather arrives. While working on the home, you may want to consider adding a fresh coat of paint to freshen the home up, or redecorating a teen’s room to make it more study efficient. Now, is the perfect time to go through old items and host a yard sale to help earn some extra money or to make up for your back to school shopping. Of course, you’ll also want to prepare the lawn for the falling leaves that should be arriving in mere weeks. Also, clearing out the gutters and inspecting the roof are also wise ideas.
4. Visit National Park/Beach
Chances are, the weather is still on the warmer side in your area, which makes Labor Day weekend a great time to plan a trip to enjoy the great outdoors. Try to choose a park or a beach near your home to save on money. Most beaches tend to be on the free side, which will help keep your budget in check while you enjoy a few last minute days of summer. If you pack food and water for the day and stay busy in the water and sand, then you should be able to enjoy the trip for next to nothing. During this holiday weekend, a lot of national parks should be offering free or low cost admission to the park, which will help make your holiday plans even more frugal. With the price of admission reduced, you should be able to enjoy the weekend without spending a lot of money. Apart from beverages and some food, you should be good to go. If you can, plan a camping adventure complete with fishing and gathering. Everyone will get their fix for nature before the weather turns to snow and ice.
5. Plan Extracurricular Activities
If there’s one thing that autumn brings which often ends up causing a lot of headaches, it’s definitely the countless extracurricular activities that the kids get into. There’s no doubt, sometimes we over extend ourselves which causes frustration as well as loss of money. So, before all of the school madness begins, you may want to sit down and talk to the kids about the activities they’d like to participate in. If the activities are purely school related then you can easily make a schedule to make sure everyone’s activities won’t clash and cause you to rush from one end of town to the next. If the activities aren’t school related then you may have to budget in the price as well as the schedule. If you can keep activities to a maximum of two, then you should be looking at an easier schedule as well as a friendlier budget.
6. Know What to Buy
Labor Day sales are pretty tempting, which can cause your budget to turn upside down if you’re not careful. Of course, there are a few ways to avoid spending way too much though. One, is to know exactly what you should be buying during this sale. The new fashion line for autumn clothing will be out in full force, so many stores will concentrate on moving some of this stock. So, this is definitely the time to upgrade your wardrobe and make sure everyone in the family has what they need to stay nice and warm as the temperatures drop. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should stay away from clothing clearance racks either. In fact, if a store has a discount on clearance too then now is the perfect time to catch up on next summer’s shopping. This holiday weekend is also the perfect time to buy children’s toys, which could help you stock up for the holiday months. You should avoid electronic sales though as Black Friday is around the corner, unless you see a deal that’s too good to refuse.
7. Host a Potluck
It may be some time before you can get your family and friends together for a meal cooked outdoors, thus Labor Day is the perfect time to host a sendoff barbeque for the summer months. With school, work and bad weather striking, barbeques are almost off limits until next spring, so ask everyone to help with foods by raiding their pantries and freezers for their leftover summer foods. This will help everyone make room for autumn foods and will ensure you have plenty to eat when for your party without forcing people to spend a lot of money. As far as fun and games are concerned, you can easily start up a game of football or any other sport that sets the mood. You may also want to put on a movie or plan the party around the premiere of a TV show. Of course, board games and crafts are always a cheap way to keep the home under budget.
8. Visit the City
Whether you live in or near a city, you may want to take a break from the everyday grind and experience what the city has to offer. Generally, cities will host a variety of activities that are frugal for the Labor Day holiday. From concerts in the park to free parking days by the boardwalk, your city is sure to be filled with fun for the whole family during this 3 day weekend. Apart from community activities, many museums will drop the price of admittance to a low or free charge, which will provide you with hours of fun. Amusement parks are also a big deal during the holiday, so if your nearest city has a few then you may want to see what deals they’re offering. You should check online to see if there’s any hotel deals that will allow you to get out of the house for a night, so you can have more fun on your mini-vacation. Finally, if you’re traveling to the city or in the city then try a gas app to help save even more money.
9. Volunteer
If you missed out on volunteer opportunities during the summer months, then you may want to try to get some good deeds in before the autumn months. There’s always lots of help needed during this holiday because many people would prefer to take a last minute vacation or need the days off to help get their family ready for school. So, soup kitchens, food pantries and other need based charities are sure to welcome you in with open arms. You might also want to see if a program like Habitat for Humanity has any projects going on in your area. If you can’t find any activities then offer to help out a disabled or elderly neighbor with their yard or home. You can even pick up trash in a local park or see if you can plant trees or other foliage in a barren area.
10. Recuperate From Summer
Summer time can be filled with action, but so is autumn and winter. So, if you haven’t had a chance to kick back and relax then Labor Day may be the time to do it. Try to clear your schedule for the weekend, or at least the day so you can do nothing at all. It may be hard but a day of lounging around and watching TV could be in order to help keep your mental health up for the busy months. If you can, try to get the family to join in on a board or card game. You can even play the kids’ favorite video games with them. Of course, playing sports with family and friends is another relaxation friendly activity, as is reading a book. Whatever you choose to do, try to keep it as stress free as possible.
Labor Day is the perfect time to catch up on everything that needs to be done in the home. From cleaning and repairing to getting the kids ready for school. With these ten tips, you should be able to feel the joy of the holiday without spending a small fortune to celebrate it.
