With the crisp autumn air finally rolling in, it may be high time to start prepping for all of the autumn festivals and farm trips that are headed your way. These activities can really bring a whole new life to your autumn months, but they can also play a huge role in your budget too. There are a few ways that you can save money on your awesome trips without having to sacrifice too much of the fun. Before you know it, you’ll be knee deep in apples and prepping to cut into the first pumpkin of the season. So let the rush of autumn take you by the hand, because then ten pointers will keep your budget under control while you have a little fun.
1. Good Timing
Planning your trip at the right time can be one of the easiest ways to save money on farms in your area. One of the best things you can do is head to the farms before they are at their prime. Since there won’t be as much fruit to pick, the tickets generally are a lower price during this time. Not to mention, there will be less people there and the weather won’t be quite as chilly which could lead to an overall pleasing experience had by all. If you don’t want to miss out on the highlight of the fun then try to plan your trip on a weekday. The farms and festivals tend to get less business on these days and the crowds won’t overwhelm you while you pick your favorite fruits. Of course, you should also consider waiting to go to the farm until you actually need the fruit. This will help cut back on wasting food, which save money in the long run.
2. Look For Children’s Deals
When it comes to spending money on autumn activities, nothing can really beat the price of free. Luckily, many farms and festivals will offer free admissions to children of a certain age, which can come in handy if you have a large family or a tight budget. Sometimes, there are major discounts when it comes to children’s ticket prices as well as food and activities. When you seek out a festival or farm to visit, you may want to check out the options to see if you can find one with activities for children. Many farms or festivals will actually offer slides, bounce houses, rides and games that won’t cost you a thing for children. This can make the trip even more fun and will help take some of the burdens off of your shoulders.
3. Shop In Bulk
Buying apples and other fruit from the farms this season may cost you a lot more than you would spend if you went to the grocery store. However, there is one way to avoid the high prices here. Many farms will give you discounts if you choose to buy produce in bulk. Of course, doing this isn’t exactly for everyone. You shouldn’t buy in bulk unless you plan on sharing, donating or using the apples and other produce for various dishes. If you love apples, as well as other fruits, straight from the farm, then you may want to consider checking out some recipes. You can make jams, pies and other exciting dishes that can be frozen and used at a later date. This can even come in handy for the upcoming holiday season, as you’ll have plenty of delicious treats to give as gifts!
4. Skip the Food
Festivals and farms tend to have a whole lot of delicious food that they serve. This food can be incredibly tempting, especially if you’ve been at the farm for some time. From roasted meats to candied apples, it may be hard to resist buying a little bit of everything on sale at the farm or at a festival. This can cost you a small fortune though, because the food tends to be overpriced particularly if you have more than one or two people to feed. You may want to bring your own small snacks along with you to curve your appetite while you enjoy the scenery. This should help ease any tantrums the children may throw so you can spend your money in ways that would stretch a little further.
5. Shop Around
If you live near more than one orchard, pumpkin patch or festival then you have plenty of options that can help you save quite a bit of money. Rather than simply picking out one place to go to, you may want to get online or call around to see which place will save you the most money. Some places will give you a cheaper price while others may end up charging you less for the produce you pick. When it comes to festivals and some farms you may be able to find specials on certain days. This should help you get more out of your trip and may even inspire you to get out and visit more places thanks to all of the savings the specials will offer. Keep a look out for deals locally too, as some stores may give you coupons and other discounts if they are partnered with the activity.
6. Group Trip
When it comes to traveling to farms, you may benefit more from going on a group trip. Many schools choose to do this in the autumn, but your kids may miss out if they’re homeschooled. If this is the case then you might want to consider putting a homeschool group together, so you can let your child socialize while allowing them to explore the farm with others. Some farms won’t even open up to the public unless they’re working with a group, so this could land you the spot you want on one of the more relaxed weekdays. Even if you don’t want to plan the trip around a school outing then you may want to consider inviting friends and family to join your group. Often, farms will actually discount tickets for large groups so everyone can spend a little less while still having just as much fun, if not more.
7. Don’t Overspend
One major problem that often occurs when people go to farms or festivals is they quickly go overboard when it comes to spending. Many people want to buy way too much when it comes to the produce offered, which can lead to a lot of waste if you’re not careful. This can work out fine if you know exactly what you’re going to use the produce for, but if you’re just buying the produce to buy it then you may be looking at spending too much for not much at all. Many people will spend large amounts of money on large pumpkins they hope to carve for Halloween. However, they often shop way too early for these items. You should also wait as long as you can to carve your pumpkins or else the money you spent will go straight down the drain because the pumpkins will quickly begin to decay. When it comes down to it, simply don’t buy any more produce than you would at the grocery store, especially if you’re just planning on eating it based on your regular diet. You should also be careful when spending on decorations as some items can be overpriced, which will leave your budget in peril.
8. Take Your Own Pictures
So many people use the beautiful scenery at the farms or festivals as the perfect photo opportunity. This is a great concept, but many people follow this concept up by hiring a photographer to take the photos or using a photographer that works for the farm or festival. This can cost you a small fortune as many professional photographers can charge an arm and a leg, especially when it comes to destination sessions. Instead of doing this, you can easily come up with your own photos to celebrate the season as well as your family’s charm. You may find that creating the perfect poses isn’t as hard as it may look, especially since there’s a lot of inspiration and guides to help you along the way. You may even get more out of your own photos because you will be able to capture your family’s personality more efficiently.
9. Review Safety and Picking Techniques
When you head to a new area then you should always be prepared for anything that could go wrong. Before your children begin picking fruits then you may want to go over some guidelines with them first. For instance, ladders should always be held firmly and younger children shouldn’t be on them unsupervised. You should also never run in an orchard or pumpkin patch because there’s too many potential dangers. Apart from that, you may also want to review the proper ways to treat fruit when you are planning on picking it and taking it home. For instance, apples should never be thrown into a basket, but gently placed in order to prevent bruising. You should also look for certain signs to ensure you’re going to get the best apple out of the bunch.
10. Go For the Fun
There’s actually no law saying that you have to head to the farm or festival simply to buy things. Instead, you could just go to have a little fun. Most farms and festivals will have lots of entertainment to choose from and most of it won’t cost you a single penny. Make sure you research to find out which festivals and farms are actually going to be hosting games and events so you can plan accordingly. The less you see the trip as something for the orchards or patches then you may find there’s lots of fun to be had at the celebration that doesn’t involve money. Skipping out on the high fruit price tag could leave you paying almost nothing for the full autumn experience.
Spending time outdoors in the cool autumn air will be reward enough when you check out the farms and festivals this autumn. You don’t have to let these activities become too expensive for you to take on though. These ten tips should help you save some money, while making your own budget thrive in the crisp autumn air.
