Frugal Summer Fun

My husband and I have been taking advantage of the nice summer weather to do some fun activities. In the last couple of weeks we went to two free outdoor concerts and the race track and stayed within our budget.

One night last week, our library had an outdoor concert.  This is as low key as it gets. The band was a local group and we knew two of the band members.  While I was there, I also ran into the library to check out some books.

A couple of nights later, we dragged out the lawn chairs again for the Harbor Jam free outdoor concert. Performing was David Victor, who was formerly with the band Boston.  Boston was big in the 1970's and 1980's with hits like "More Than A Feeling", "Amanda", and "Peace of Mind".  In addition to Boston songs, he also played Styx music, like "Babe", "Come Sail Away" and "Too Much Time on My Hands". Remember all those good oldies?

At Harbor Jam, in addition to the usual vendors selling yummy but not so good for you food, the local culinary arts school had a food station. That seemed like the logical place to get some dinner. My husband and I both got gourmet cheeseburgers on brioche rolls with cole slaw and a pickle for $6.00 apiece.  We had brought a small cooler with drinks from home.  I have had restaurant meals that paled in comparison to that $12.00 outdoor dinner.

Last Friday, we went to the Saratoga Race Track for an alumni event hosted by our (college) alma mater.  The tickets were $25 per person which included: track admission, a program, buffet lunch (subs, wraps, salads, chips, cookies), drinks (beer, wine, iced tea), and raffle tickets to win prizes like tickets to the college football and basketball games.

I'm not a big better; I usually allow myself $40 for betting for the day.  But I did hit some winners and ended up with $41 more than when I left home which was pretty nice.

This year the new 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Track opened. On Friday, the cost is $275 per person which includes: track admission, a program, and a buffet lunch.  So where we spent $50 for the two of us for an awesome track day, apparently we could have spent $550 for pretty much the same thing.

Meanwhile, I’m glad our alumni event was last week; the races are canceled today due to high temperatures expected to be around 97 degrees.😓

Sometimes I think the enjoyment is higher when the cost is lower (or free!). If I arrive late, leave early or don't have the best view, it doesn't faze me. Whereas when you spend a small fortune you expect perfection and any little inconvenience or flaw can ruin the experience. 

Hope you are enjoying some summer fun and staying cool!