Summer Staying In Plans

With everything going up in price, it can be a real struggle to find things to do on a budget and sometimes one of the cheapest things to do is stay at home. Yet that can seem pretty boring so I thought I'd share some things you can do at home during the Summer on a budget. That way you can have a few days where it's not your typical day at home and just makes it more exciting for you especially during the Summer. These are things you can do on your own or with family/friends but it just makes Summer more exciting for you especially on those days you don't want to leave your home. Let's get started.

1. Have a BBQ

Honestly, what even is summer without having a BBQ and these days you don't even need some fancy expensive BBQ equipment. You can easily buy a disposable BBQ and it does it just as good. For me it's just the smell of the BBQ while being out in the garden just feels like Summer. You don't even need outdoor seating, just a picnic blanket will do and make sure you have a safe place to put the BBQ. It just makes dinner time a little bit different from normal and it's very easy to do. You can go as simple or as all out with things like with salads, condiments, buns and whatever else takes your fancy. It's really up to you what you do but it's just one of those exciting and affordable things you can do at home. Plus it doesn't have to be a one off thing, you can do it a few times during the Summer just as something to do at home. 

2. Get through your TBR list

Do you have many books on your bookshelf that you are dying to read but haven't had the chance? Well, now you can slowly make your way through all the books on your To Be Read list this Summer and you don't even need to leave your home to do it. You can read in your bedroom, living room, garden. Wherever you like to read now is the perfect time to get through your reading list during the Summer. Plus it will feel good especially if you're a reader like me who has a big TBR list piling up. As you know I'm planning on reading at least five books this Summer so I'm definitely taking every opportunity when I'm not working to do some reading and it honestly feels good.

3. Party

Sometimes you don't need the excuse of a birthday to throw a party. Have a little get together with your friends or family and have a little party. It's an excuse to put some music on, have some good food and decorate the house. You can even have a BBQ as well and do a little garden party. It's just something fun to do and sometimes as you get older, you go to less and less parties so why not just have a party and celebrate your friendship with people or just because you feel like partying. Whatever the reason, you can go all out or just keep it nice and simple. It just adds a bit of difference and planning ahead so people are able to come will also give you peace of mind that this party will be organised to the letter. So if you're struggling with ideas to do during the Summer, just have a party and have fun. Life's too short not to have fun. 

4. Game night

Have a game night with your family/friends one day. It gives you a chance to have a bonding moment but also get all your competitiveness out at once. Whether it's a board game or a video game or even a card game, get everyone involved. Make it fun. Take scores. Provide snacks and drinks. I honestly love a board game but the rest of my family are never keen which sucks. I honestly think it's a fun thing to do during those long boring Summer days where you don't have much to do. 

5. Movie Day

Instead of going to the cinema, why not have a movie day at home. With cinema's these days being quite pricey, you may as well have a movie day at home. With all these streaming services these days you have plenty of options on what to watch. Have a movie marathon like Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean or whatever series takes your fancy. Something I did once was have a movie day where I watched a lot of movies from my teenage years such as Wild Child, Meangirls and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. It was a good movie day. Go all out with your favourite snacks or get a takeaway of your choosing. It's so easy to spend one of your days off watching movies and you can even do it on your own or with company. Do whatever takes your fancy as it's your movie day after all.

6. Jigsaw Puzzle

Pretty straightforward but sometimes getting lost in a jigsaw can really help you mentally. I've been given plenty of jigsaw puzzles over the years and I never really get a chance to do them. Mainly because time gets in my way and some jigsaws have 1000 pieces which could take a big chunk of your time. Make it fun by doing a jigsaw in a place where you can always come back to it whether it's on the floor or a table. Plus you can make it fun by watching a series, movie or just listening to music while you do your jigsaw. Just make it fun for yourself. 

7. Arts and crafts

Sometimes you like to get your creative juices flowing and some arts and crafts can really help with that. Whether it's just doing a colouring book or going all out with painting a canvas. Whatever art form you choose, just let your mind wander. Maybe even create a little project for yourself and focus on a theme. You may even surprise yourself at how creative you are. Either way, doing some arts and crafts is definitely a fun activity to do to pass the time.

8. Baking/Cooking

Another good thing to try this summer is your baking and cooking skills. Have you always wanted to try your hand at baking something like a cake or biscuits etc. Well, the summer is the perfect time to try it out and plus you can offer your baked goods to any guests that may pop by so it's a win-win situation. If baking is not your thing then why not try your hand at cooking meals from scratch. Is there a particular recipe you want to try yourself? Maybe it's a recipe for one of your favourite takeaway dishes. Sometimes it's good to have a list of meals you can cook from scratch so that you're always prepared when it comes to dinner time. Whatever you decide to do, it's always fun to be able to learn new recipes for different things and it also means you've improved your cooking skills.

9. Have a clear out

Sometimes you can do a spring clean in the summer. It's a good time to sort through different things. Maybe not the whole house in one go but maybe split it up into sections so that you can slowly make your way through the whole house. Summer is the perfect time to get rid of anything you don't need or use. It will also make your living space feel less cluttered and allows you to get your home more organised so go have a clear out of your home if you're struggling to think of things to do this summer and get every member of the household involved in the clear out. Even make a game out of it if you want to. It's just one of those things you know you will have to do eventually so you may as well start now.

10. Pamper Session

Finally, take some time out for yourself and indulge in a bit of me time. Doing a bit of self-care every now and then can really improve your mental health in so many ways. Even if it's just having a bath, giving yourself a little manicure or even doing a bit of skincare. Just treat yourself to some self-care and you can even make it feel like you're in a spa with candles and music to help set the mood. It's really important we take care of ourselves so having a little pamper session can really help to calm ourselves and have a little time to relax. Remember to take care of yourselves this Summer and have a little pampering just to make yourself feel better.

There we have it. Those are ten things you can do this Summer that don't require you to leave the house so even if it's raining outside, here are some ideas that can really help you to make your Summer the best it's ever been. Let me know if you have any other suggestions for staying in plans to do this summer in the comments below. I would love to hear them.

Thank you for reading my blog and I'll be back tomorrow with another post for you.

See you then. 

Megan x 

*This is not a sponsored post* 

For business enquiries or just a chat email: megantimeblog@gmail.com