Who wants to think about budgets during the summer? Especially now that the weather has finally taken a turn for the better. Time to enjoy summer fun, weekends away, holidays, bbq’s, weddings and parties.

The trick is to put enough in your budget to cover the bills so you can skip into the fall with a light step.

How much is enough? A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation is in order:

• Weekends away – estimate $500 per weekend
• Wedding and other gifts – your best estimate
• Holidays – $1,000 per week (keeping it relatively local)
• Extra food, treats and alcohol – add $100 per week per adult

Add these amounts up. This is in addition to your monthly budget. It doesn’t seem like much on a weekly basis but it adds up quickly. Cut back on other expenses or start a set a ‘summer’ fund in your budget.