Financial Matters June 2013 – Stuart Burns
It’s hard to believe that summer time is rapidly approaching and many of us will take some time off, have kids out of school, or both.  One of the big things to watch with vacations and holidays is overspending.  It seems fitting to take this month to discuss some activities that you can do that are lower cost or free so that you can enjoy not only the summer time,  but the rest of the year without the stress of debt.
I would have to say that growing up I really had a lot of fun.  The interesting thing is we never took expensive vacations and didn’t spend lots of money for activities.  My parents made the things that we did special.  So that’s the main idea of this article.  Whatever you do, make it fun.  If you have kids, make whatever you do fun for them.
Summer Fun for Kids and Adults
Here are some activities that you can do with the kids that are either low cost or free.
Harkins Summer Movie Fun: 1 movie a week for 10 weeks for $7.  In Arizona, Harkins Theaters offers passes for movies that cost $7 for 10 movies.  They will be showing animated movies for kids and if you have the $1.50 refillable cups and t-shirt, you can make the whole experience pretty affordable.  The movies are all at 9:30am and you have to select the theater and day of the week.  Other Theaters throughout the country also have similar deals (Cinemark, etc).
Picnic:   This is a great option since there are usually parks close to everyone.  You may have to go either earlier or later in the day to beat the heat.  Here are some fun places to go:

• Kiwanis Park in Tempe:  There are many activities here including fishing
• McCormick–Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale:  Park admission is free.  Tickets for the train are only $1 or 12 for $10, children under 3 are free.

Take a Tour:  There are some fun companies that provide free tours of their facilities.  I have provided a couple local Arizona companies:

• Stuffington Bear Company – Phoenix
• Cerreta Candy Company – Glendale

Museums:   There are many museums that have free admission around the valley, which provides both a fun activity for the kids and less heat.

• Arizona Museum of Natural History:  Mesa (Free first Sunday of each month).
• ASU Art Museum:   Always free.
• Children’s Museum of Phoenix:  Free first Friday from 5pm to 9pm.

Water Fun:    Phoenix is loaded with community pools and splash pads.  Here are a few fun ones;

• Phoenix Zoo:   Fun activity including splash pad.
• Tempe Marketplace Mall:   Nice splash pad area in the main mall.
• Tempe Town Lake:  This is a good choice later in the day to walk around the lake.

Local Lakes:   Phoenix is surrounded by lakes in close proximity to beat the summer heat.  You need to prepare the kids for the sun and be sure to carry lots of water.  Growing up I literally lived in the water during the summer.  Here are my favorites:

• Saguaro Lake:   North East Valley
• Lake Pleasant:   North West Valley

Cabela’s in Glendale:   It’s an outdoor retailer, but there are many animal displays that the kids might enjoy and its free to roam the store
Local Libraries: Many of the local libraries have story times or activities for kids.  Check with your local library for activities.
Movie Night at Home:  This is another activity you can choose to make fun.  Growing up I remember we would get popcorn, candy and make a family fun night.
Arizona Science Center:   There are summer camps for kids that would provide fun and educational opportunities.
Camping:  One advantage that we have living in Arizona is being in a state with such a wide range of terrain.  You can go from the desert in Phoenix to the forest in Flagstaff or Payson in a matter of a couple hours.  There are plenty of fun places to go camping and it’s another relatively low cost way to have fun for all.
Here are some upcoming events and festivals that are happening in Phoenix:

• Valley of the Sun Juneteenth Celebration 
Local musical performers, community groups and schools. Educational workshops, children’s activities, ethnic arts and crafts, vendors, and authentic Soul food. Free admission. South Mountain Community College, Phoenix.  – June 15
• Westgate Wednesdays 
Join the Radio Disney Road Crew at Fountain Park on Wednesday evenings for an hour of games, music, dancing and fun. Free admission. Westgate City Center, Glendale.   Wednesdays, May 29 – July 31
• After Dark in the Park 
Bring a picnic basket or purchase from local food vendors. Music and air jumps for kid’s starts at 7 p.m. Fireworks display at 8:45 p.m. Free admission. Deer Valley Park, 19602 N. 19th Ave, Phoenix.  – June 29

You should keep an eye out for discounts that companies you may already do business with may provide.  One example is, Bank of America offers the “Museums on Us” the first weekend of each month.  Simply show that you have a debit card with Bank of America for free entrance to Phoenix Art Museum and Children’s Museum of Phoenix.  This link provides the museums throughout the country that are part of “Museums on Us”:
Have a safe summer and take advantage of the many options that won’t create debt or will simply allow you more financial freedom.
For some great financial tools and resources go to:

• BOA Money Management
• Better Money Habits

Contact Stuart Burns at 602-464-1381 or email me at  stuart.j.burns@bankofamerica.com