60 Epic Summer Bucket List Ideas That Don’t Cost a Fortune
This list of summer bucket list ideas is packed with memory-making adventures that are long on fun and light on cost.
When my kids get out of school, I know it’s the one time of year we can slow down, reconnect, and enjoy the sunshine. So, you’ll find beautiful budget ideas to do on your own, with friends, or together with family.
Grab your shades—it’s time to soak up the summer magic, one idea at a time!
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Fun Summer Bucket List Ideas For cheap
Summer fun DOES NOT have to drain your wallet! Build memories that last a lifetimee – for a whole lot less.
1. Explore a Farmer’s Market close to home
2. Compare the best foods. Spend the summer trying a certain type of food and declare the winner at the end of the summer: It could be tacos, hot dogs, pizza, coffee, beer, barbecue, etc.
3. Host a water balloon fight
4. See the most beautiful natural thing near you (lake, mountains, etc)
5. Visit a library you’ve never been to before
6. Walk or bike across a beautiful bridge
7. Buy yourself or pick fresh flowers
8. Drive to your nearest state park and spend the day outside
9. Make pasta from scratch
10. Go to a community musical near you
11. Volunteer somewhere that makes you feel like you’re making a difference
12. Stay in your pajamas all day and have a movie marathon
13. Do a digital detox. Ghost for a day, weekend, or week and see what a difference it makes!
14. Give yourself a bright summer pedicure
15. Clean out your ________ (closet, basement, garage…) Try a 30 day declutter challenge.
16. Watch a sunrise or sunset
17. Try something for your well-being you haven’t done before – yoga, journaling, meditation, etc.
18. Run a 5k or 10k
Here’s a unique variation: Walk a marathon! Go 26 miles in a weekend by splitting it up between people. Enlist the whole family!
19. Plan a picnic with your partner, family, or friends
20. Host someone you haven’t seen in awhile. (You can feed others well on a dime)
21. Start new 4th of July traditions that don’t cost a fortune.
22. Make a summer playlist
23. Make a fun summer drink. Sangria uses cheap wine and in season fruit!
24. Read! Can you read a book a week over the summer?
Bonus: Relax in a hammock with a good book for a day. See more fun things to do on a budget
25. Bake a fruit pie from scratch
26. Porch sit with tea for an afternoon
27. Hike a new trail
28. Write someone an encouraging note, thank you, or love letter. What if you wrote a note to someone every day for a month?
29. Take a weekend or week completely off of work (and housework!)
30. Write a short story or book. Or simply write a letter for your children to read later.
31. Stroll in your nearby downtown.
32. Roadtrip or travel and then split the costs with a friend.
33. Take a cooking class.
34. Learn something new (self-defense, Chess, a new language, a new instrument)
35. Complete a money saving challenge
36. Create a family cookbook (it will help you cook at home more instead of eating out too!)
Bonus: Learn to cook your partner’s favorite meal
37. Jump off a diving board. I did this one year – just to prove to my kids (and myself) that I could!
38. Dance in the rain.
39. Re-connect with an old friend (or family member)
40. Meet someone for coffee. Then mentor them.
41. Meet someone you admire for coffee and learn life or money wisdom from them.
42. Help someone else with their bucket list
113. Forgive someone you need to forgive
114. Start a business that brings out your passion. Or work on a passive income that benefits your future self.
43. Create a Saturday night stargazing picnic ritual
44. Make your own pizza (and throw the dough!)
45. Learn how to make sushi
46. Go camping with friends or family
47. Try food from every continent
48. Make a recipe that your grandma or great grandma used to make
49. Drink wine at a local winery (or try beers at a brewery)
50. Plant a community garden
51. Make a secret handshake
52. Host Sunday night supper where everyone’s invited
53. Read aloud a book to someone. Then watch the movie together.
54. Build an epic living room fort.
55. Improve your diet in one way. (Perhaps it’s going vegetarian or eating more salads)
56. Walk in nature every day for a week or month. Or spend one morning a week wandering in nature, with only a notebook and pen.
57. Make an inspiring vision board for the rest of your year
58. Visit your local museum
59. Schedule your yearly checkups ahead of time – what a bonus for your health!
60. Build a home library. (This is on my summer bucket list this year!)
What’s Next?
Check out a full list of bucket list ideas for any time of year >>
And be sure to join the Wealthy Woman community for the best tips and free resources!
Don’t forget to save these cheap summer bucket list ideas to Pinterest for later!
