By Colleen Rothe

Even for those of us here in the Pacific Northwest, summer has finally arrived. A good dose of sunshine is sometimes all some of us need to feel refreshed and renewed. But it also means we might be a little freewheeling with the dollars in our wallet or purse.

Save the freewheeling for a great summer outing or family vacation, though, by saving and cutting back on these summer time items:

Go old school with the laundry. Do what you can to not run your dryer during the summer months. Dust off the clothes pins and hang the laundry outside. Sun and warm summer breezes make laundry smell so fresh and clean. No way to hang it up outside? Got a balcony? Get a $10 drying rack at the local discount or hardware store. Voila. Insta-savings. You could also only use your dryer on a low heat setting or partially dry your work shirts and let them air dry until completely done.

Air filters replaced? Check. I know I’ve blogged to you about this before. But it’s so easy to forget, especially if you have central air. It makes a huge cost savings. A dirty filter increases your cooling costs because it makes your system run longer. Seriously, that inexpensive investment saves you buckets of money that could be spent on more fun areas of life – not the electric bill.

Open a window. Turn off the air conditioning and open a window. It doesn’t mean you have to endure 90 degrees with 100 percent humidity. It means only use it when you need to do so. Know the forecast. If the evenings are going to be cooler, turn it off before bed, open the windows and let the cool evening air in. The point is to maximize its use and save money by not having the central air on when it’s only 75 degrees outside. On the days you have to run the air, close off areas that don’t need to be cooled, like vented bathrooms and closets. Close the blinds in rooms that are unoccupied. And consider adjusting the thermostat up just a few degrees. Moving it from 72 to 74 can save you enough for a tank of gas to go fishing next weekend.

Dine outside. Well, you don’t necessarily have to eat outside, although, that’s one of summer’s pleasures too. But definitely cook outside. Turning on the oven indoors during the summer time not only increases your energy usage, it traps heat indoors, likely increasing your need for the A/C – and right after you just opened the windows to save a few bucks. Turn on some favorite music, put a slice of lime or lemon in your drinks and it’s a regular daily party, all in the name of saving money.

Hit the garden store. While you’re just diving into summer, retailers are amping up for fall. Be on the look out for bargains – landscape plants, tools, and other outdoor project materials (deck stain, even patio furniture). For that one corner of the yard needs a bit of color, pick up some perennial plants now while the prices are hot, hot, hot!

Early to bed, early to rise. Makes watering not cost so much. Some of us just can’t bear to have our lawns and gardens suffer and wilt in the heat. So if you’re going to water, do so early in the morning or late in the evening. The water you douse your lawn with evaporates much more quickly and does much less good if you’re watering after the suns high, which means you’ll need more H2O to get the job done.

Get out and enjoy the summer time, but keep your budget in mind. Just because the sun is out, doesn’t mean you get to forget your goals for staying financially fit this summer. Oh! Speaking of fit? Want to save money on a gym membership? Go for a walk!