Summer gave me the breathing room to test random practical money moves that actually compounded into measurable gains.
Summer is typically known for good weather and that comes with temptation of spending money if you are looking to spend more time outdoors.
It really created a natural inflection point of reflection and give an open opportunity to rethinking how I should spend, save and investment.
Here are small but practical wins that I tested over the summer season to make myself more financially ahead.
1. Making Iced Drinks at Home
Instead of the temptation of going out for drinks, I for the most part thought about making drinks at home.
Even though there are yearly summer specials like the McDonalds Summer Drink Days for $1, I realized how much cheaper it was just to buy an ice cube maker.
Whether if you buying a machine to make ice cubes or having a having a water cube tray to put it in your freezer, it makes it much more enjoyable to customize your own drinks at home. This season, I made instant cold iced coffee with a blend of sugar cubes and also coffee flavor enhancers to get a little bit of that sweet taste.
And at the time, as you’re sipping away on an iced cold drink you will probably save yourself ALOT of money with the electric or energy bill from turning on the air conditioner during really humid days.
2. Creating a Learning Loop for Personal Knowledge
This summer I finished 3 books related to business and finance which were “The Intelligent Investor”, “Think and Grow Rich”, and “The Psychology of Money”.
These books were definitely an eye-opener on how to become a better investor as it relates to how to think about your money, learning from others how to invest from a very distant past and how to apply it your own personal situation.
As I work towards a more personal approach to finance, I started to follow social media channels that motivate and give me a summary of markets of how to stay focused on small monthly goals of investing
3. Invest in Yourself First, Then Pay Your bills
The “pay yourself first” principle sounds simple, but giving it priority transformed my cash flow.
Before achieving this, having 3-6 months or 6-12 months of emergency fund, and having no debt is essential before investing.
The psychology behind this is that you have to think like your money locked up for a long time before taking it out as you let compounding do it’s work.
On payday, I automated transfers into a brokerage account, splitting funds between a low-cost US stock market ETF, a Canadian stock market ETF, and an international ETF.
In my mind, having 3 core ETF’s in your portfolio is essential when it comes to long term investing and 5 ETF’s should be your maximum, otherwise you will have companies in your holdings that will overlap or overdiversify.
So after that, I pay the bills on everything else on what is left so I made sure there is a system of growth down the long term future without feeling like a monthly negotiation.
4. Shopping Outlet Malls
Since the pandemic era, I have not thought about buying clothes because of the hybrid work model situation.
But now that I am in a better financial situation, it made sense to go out there again and shop as I have been thinking of buying clothing for experiences like travelling rather than materialistic items that I already have.
For example, I shopped online at Lululemon and bought pants and accessories for my personal wardrobe setting myself up for travelling in the future.
As I work through what already own in terms of clothing, it is much more easier and manageable on what to buy so I do no duplicate of the items I already have and can spend more on quality items in order to save money.
5. Summer Foods at Home
I drastically cut food costs by buying in bulk and cooking at home.
Knowingly that I spent less than $100 for the whole summer season to cook burgers on the weekend without breaking the bank was definitely a good financial move.
This move reduced per-meal costs and minimized temptation to eat out.
Additionally, I used batch cooking and freezer strategies to keep meals varied and convenient, which preserved the psychological appeal of dining without wasting food on food items like pork and chicken as they tend of expire relatively quickly if not done so.
Furthermore, I was able to track the cost-per-serving of my home-cooked meals versus typical restaurant prices.
6. Close to Home Waterfront Trails
At the end of the summer, I decided to head down to the city as I typically work in the urban surrounding already.
I decided to spend a little money on my mental wellbeing of just away from doing the daily routine by taking the public transit to head down to the city for the views, eating good food, and the breathe for fresh air and personal reflection.
I definitely appreciated the exercise and spending the whole day walking rather than driving and stuck in traffic behind the wheel.
Spending money intentionally for yourself is a must when you’re living through a grind for towards your financial goals.
7. Opening a Sinking Fund
Having a separate account for large and infrequent expenses is helping me think about saving a specific goal in mind
This strategy prevents a big expense from derailing your monthly budget, helps you avoid debt, and offers peace of mind. Without dipping into your emergency funds or savings funds, this is easy the best option to treat yourself with guilt-free spending away from debt or regret after the fact of spending it.
Labeling the account gave me a tangible sense of progress; seeing the balance rise turned saving into an anticipatory game rather than a deprivation exercise.
Rather than rely on credit or last-minute splurges, I planned ahead by creating a sinking fund to save up a vacation trip. First, I estimated total trip costs—transportation, lodging, food, activities—and divided the sum by the number of pay periods until the trip. Then, I scheduled automatic deposits into a separate, labeled savings account so the money stayed earmarked.
Conclusion
This summer highlighted how small, intentional choices can compound into meaningful financial progress.
By combining automated investing, strategic shopping, smart meal planning, and disciplined leisure, I created a durable system that both improved my financial position and preserved my quality of life. You don’t need a major lifestyle upheaval to get ahead—just a few smart experiments, measured consistently, can change your financial trajectory.
Ultimately, this wasn’t about saying no to life; it was about saying yes, better.
The portfolio contributions I made first were amplified by the savings I made later. Each habit supported the next, creating a feedback loop that compounded throughout the summer.
By fall, you may find, as I did, that summer can be the season when your finances finally bloom. Until my next summer season, stay tuned on repeating this process.