Laura: Summer time is without a doubt my favourite season of the year. I

Blue skies make me happy

love the blue skies, the delicious cocktails and barbecued burgers, my summer wardrobe full of floaty, fresh, floral pieces ... The list is endless.

When summer arrives, I awake from hibernation inside my duvet and rejoice at
the fact that I can actually leave the house without having to wear at least six layers to stop myself from becoming an icicle in the cold. I plan, every year, to make my absolute most out of the warm weather while it lasts. 

I'm still a student, so money has been tight for as long as I can remember. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy your summer whilst being on a budget. Here's how I do it:

 1. Search for free events in and around your hometown

Google is your best friend

Most of my summer plans have evolved from internet searches; the web is the best advertising platform out there and there are plenty of free or cheap events just waiting to be discovered. Family fun days, vintage fairs and food festivals are just a few of the many experiences on offer, some of which may only be a few minutes away from where you live.

2. Make money while you have fun

There are plenty of ways to have fun while still making money, and one that

A five pound note can go a long way

I absolutely love is selling my unwanted items in a car boot sale. Again, the internet is your friend when it comes to finding out about these sales; you'll most likely discover numerous weekly, monthly and one-off car boots for you to attend. 

It usually costs between £5 and £10 to pitch a place, but if you bring along enough items, prepare to make over ten times that amount by that end of the day! There's something thrilling about selling on your old, unwanted possessions that would have been trashed in the near future to a new home.

 3. Exercise

Exercise is free, and, if you do it right, it can give you a whole array of exciting experiences over the summer. I'm not talking slaving away for hours at the gym; I'm talking getting outside and appreciating how stunning the scenery around you looks in the summer light. 

Get those running shoes on

 Whether this is bike riding through the woods, swimming in a lake or the sea, or hiking in a beautiful destination, there's plenty of fun exercise opportunities to have a go at outside closed doors. 

I live a short drive away from a huge mountain range and climbing the biggest mountain there is not only free of cost but also such a rewarding experience. Making it to the top and admiring the beauty of the view below me can literally take my breath away, and rates as one of my favourite summer activities, even beating things I've paid for.

 4. Keep an eye out for cheap summer deals

  

If, like me, you enjoy traveling, you probably understand the difficulty of trying to pack the most adventure into your summer at an affordable cost.

You can find cheap deals for holidays abroad

One of the best ways to do this is to look out for cheap deals that are being (often poorly) advertised on travel and holiday websites. 

But how do you find these deals if they're so poorly advertised? I would advise downloading an app that collects the best deals together for you and showcases them all on one feed. 

My all-time favourite app is Wowcher, which links you to websites with the most amazing deals of around 50% off their original asking price, sometimes even more. If you're able to travel sometimes last-minute and have a tight budget to stick to, Wowcher and other similar apps will find you some brilliant opportunities to help you to enjoy your summer. 

 5. Take a road trip

Road trips in themselves are essentially free, other than the cost of fuel, which can be split between the occupiers of the vehicle if necessary. Road tripping is one of my favourite summer activities because it gives you the opportunity to visit new places, witness a refreshing change in scenery, and experience a different way of living. 

You could road trip to a city and spend a day sightseeing, or drive to your

Find yourself a beach (Photo- Woolacombe Bay, Devon)

nearest beach and relax under the summer sun. If you bring yourself a packed lunch, you don't even need to pay for food (although the occasional cheeky ice cream won't hurt anyone), making this a summer activity you can enjoy again and again.

There you have it- my top tips to enjoy your summer on a budget. If anyone has any tips of their own to add, please feel free to post them in the comment section below! 

Laura x