The Price of Summer

For many parents there is the ever present question, ‘How do I afford to feed the kids when they are home for summer?’ The cost of caring for children increases as being at home means they consume more food and beverages than if they were at school.

Faced with rising grocery bills, many parents in a bid to relieve the strain on their pockets as well as occupy their children, enroll them in summer school.
However, most summer programmes end in July and school does not resume until September. That leaves August to be endured by both harried parents trying to save money and bored kids who eat everything in sight.

How can parents save money on their grocery bills during the summer months?

The best thing to do is get them out of the house. Being locked up inside watching television or playing video games make them crave snacks, so make a rule that they have to go outside at least two to three hours every day.

Buy natural snacks instead of loading them up with sugar.
The sugary snacks are tempting but buying more fruits and vegetables at the market goes a long way in cutting their appetite and your grocery bills.

Encourage the children to eat dinner leftovers for lunch so as to avoid purchasing lunch items. A good idea is to freeze home made drinks as they double as a frozen treat on a hot day without the added cost.

How do you save money during the summer months? Let me hear from you!!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley
Gleaner on-line writer

Tags: children, Jamaica, summer