Frugal Activities For Hot Summer Days
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Are you looking for frugal activities for hot summer days when it’s too sweltering to go outside? Springtime weather is nice, but the summer heat is often too oppressive.
We are right in the thick of the hot days of summer. It will get even hotter in August. And possibly in September. Or October. Around here, you just never know.
Eat Ice Cream:
Who doesn’t love ice cream? I don’t eat a lot of dairy products, but I love ice cream. Sometimes I get soy-based ice cream at Trader Joe’s.
Since I live alone, I often get several pints of various flavors and indulge in a spoonful or two right from the container. I usually do this in the evening when I need something a little sweet to top off my day.
Read A Book:
Reading is always at the top of my list.
I love psychological thrillers and women’s fiction. I can put myself in the character’s shoes for hours and escape into the plot.
Books are like taking a magic carpet ride. You can travel all over the world without leaving your comfortable chair.
Go to the library.
Make Iced Coffee:
There are lots of iced coffee recipes to try. If you don’t want to make it yourself, you can buy the kind already made.
However, it’s much cheaper to whip it up yourself. Here is my tried-and-true recipe.
Create A Homemade Card For Someone:
I used to do this often, but I’ve gotten out of the habit.
It’s a great way to occupy yourself for an afternoon and surprise the person you choose to send it to. They will feel honored to receive a handmade treasure from you.
Brew Up A Pitcher Of Iced Tea:
I’m not sure which I like most: iced tea or coffee. Since I grew up drinking sweet iced tea, I guess I’d choose tea for nostalgia’s sake.
There’s nothing quite like the first sip of sweet iced tea over ice. And there are so many different recipes to try! Adding fruit or mint can really elevate iced tea.
Declutter a closet.
Snuggle With Your Pet:
Our pets give us unconditional love. And they love to be petted or brushed. So indulge both of you. Studies show that petting an animal lowers your blood pressure.
Ivy does not like to snuggle but loves to be petted or brushed. The amount of fur I can brush off that cat always surprises me.
Pot A House Plant Or Create A Terrarium:
Let’s face it. It’s often just too hot to garden. I can only water my patio plants and trim them every few days.
Now is a good time to repot house plants that need to be placed in a bigger pot. It’s always a chore, and I often put it off. But if I can put plastic or paper down indoors and do it with air conditioning, it’s rather enjoyable to stick my fingers in the dirt.
If you want something more creative, gather some tiny items and small plants and create a terrarium or indoor fairy garden. You could keep it or give it as a gift for someone you care about.
Organize a kitchen drawer.
Watch A Movie:
I don’t watch much TV, but occasionally, I will indulge in a silly and implausible Lifetime movie.
I’d rather watch a suspenseful mystery, though. I can really get into those TV series that keep me guessing until the end.
Create a decorative vignette.
Poke around in your closet and pull out some favorite items. Put them on a table and see what you can come up with.
It always gives me a little lift to walk by something new, even though I just dug around in my closet and didn’t spend a dime.
Watch Nature From Indoors:
One of my favorite things is simply watching the free entertainment outside my window. Ivy does a lot of bird watching while dozing in front of the patio doors. I always like to watch this red-bellied woodpecker.
I like to watch those silly squirrels cavort and do aggravating things like dig dirt out of my plant pots. Squirrels are always fun creatures to watch.
Birds are bright spots of color in the trees that often fly down to my patio to peck around.
Whatever you do during long days of intense heat, stay comfortable and safe.
(Post was updated on May 30, 2025)
It has been hot and humid here in north Florida but finally we have had some rain and my plants are looking much better. My daughter and I tried to go hiking in a state park yesterday but the mosquitoes quickly ruined those plans (and we had completely covered ourselves in repellent before starting out). If you plan on doing any walking these days, you try to get out there early enough to avoid the heat. Although lately it has been in the 80’s already when I start out. I am ready for those days with highs in the 70’s.
Thank you for the listing of activities one might undertake during these hot days of summer. Reading is always at the top of my list. I think I will go back and re-read your post about making smoothies; that sure sounds good on these hot days. I just purchased a container of Vanilla Bean ice cream so I am already with you on this one. After reading through your activities, I do plan on shopping for a few new houseplants next week.
Take care and have a wonderful weekend.
All great ideas, Brenda. Some of which I already do or can easily see myself doing. Watching the birds when I have my feeders up is one of my favorites. Of course, reading a book would be at the top of my list but I don’t do this in the daytime very often, mostly at night before I go to sleep. Playing with my plants is one I do a lot–watering, re-potting, snipping and rearranging them. You know, I never find myself without something interesting to do, no matter the weather. I consider this a blessing. I guess it comes from having a lot of interests. I’ve never been able to understand people who say they are bored or have nothing to do. I always have so much I want to do that I don’t have time for nearly all of it. That’s a good thing, I think! Keeps me out of trouble, as they say!
These are such comfortable ideas, Brenda. Though not a coffee drinker (but do like coffee ice cream) you have reminded me to get out my large glass container with a lid and make sun tea (peppermint). It is great iced.
Also, I will cut several small yellow marigolds and set little bouquets here and there. Yellow always lifts my spirits and in this heat and humidity my spirits need lifting. The marigolds last for several days so that is a nice perk, too.
Did I ever send you pics of my patio garden? It really looked good a week ago, but is fading in the heat. Aren’t we all?
Stay cool. You and sweet Charlie take care of each other.
I was picking my black raspberries which I thought was really cool bc first year…then I heard something in the bushes! Hoping it was a cat, but ran out of the bushes anyway! Lol. It was a garter snake…shuddering! A neighbor tried to get it out and it bite her…she’s OK! Scared me! Brenda, do you or any of your readers know how to get rid of it naturally bc of berries? Should I just cut down the bushes so it will go away? Moth balls are not good for anyone to breathe in. I’m hoping someone can give me some safe suggestions! I don’t want it to get in my house or have babies! She said it was little now! Thanks!
I’m glad your keeping cool! Have a great weekend!
I also am a sweet tea fan. I discovered this wonderful beverage just a couple of years ago. Before that I never liked iced tea, I thought it was way too bitter. Once I started adding a lot of sugar and making the tea a bit weaker, I found it quite delicious.
It is also very hot here in Reno. I have A/C, and I do use it, but for some reason I have never liked A/C. I think it is because the room is either too cold or too hot. It seems impossible to just get an even temperature. I also have a ceiling fan both in the living room and the bedroom which I use a lot.
I spend my days either playing games on the computer, watching Netflix or HGTV, or playing cards with my friends.
This is such a happy post.
I have a running list of puttery tasks to do in July (too hot) and Jan/Feb (too cold) to be outside. I sweep under my major appliances, make cards, re -arrange things in bath or kitchen cabinets, just little tasks.
That’s a very good idea!
Oh Brenda, it’s so hot right now. Over 100 every day for the next 7 days here in the Dallas area. This isn’t my favorite time of year although the view outside is amazing and green. I’m sure serious water rationing will kick in soon but for now we are watering as much as we can.
I like this post! It’s important to think of good ideas like this. I’m thinking of Christmas gifts I can make and also, I need to organize photographs.
Here too. It is supposed to be 105-107 today, and my poor air conditioner will not be able to begin to keep up with it.
As you do, I like shopping in my own closet. Sometimes I find things I had forgotten about–and it costs nothing. I find watching the birds, chipmunks and squirrels is many times more entertaining than TV!! By the way, is that your old sewing machine? I sewed miles on one like that.
Yes, I have two old Singer Featherweights. That black one and a white one found on eBay years ago. I’ve had them for a long time.
Brenda
We don’t suffer as much as you do because we don’t have humidity. However, it’s hot enough (94 F outside; 80 inside with no A/C–we just close the shutters on the sunny side of the house) that my computer becomes unhappy and shuts down. I let it cool off then reboot (I have work to do!). A fan in the room doesn’t keep it cool, though I find the temperature fine.
When I lived in NY and had no A/C, I would spend afternoons watching old movie after old movie for $1 a ticket with glacial A/C. Do such theaters still exist?
Things could be worse. Did you see the New York Times article about how India is on the way to becoming too hot to live in? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/17/climate/india-heat-wave-summer.html
Wow! What will those poor people there do? Thanks for the link.
Awesome ideas! It is incredibly hot and humid in Atlanta and will be that way into October. I’ve vote to skip Summer altogether. You also have way more will power than me when it comes to consuming ice cream; I’m addicted to Publix brand chocolate almond, so I try not to buy it too often. I bought Molly a “cooling vest” that I wet in water and it fits on her like a harness. I think it helps her on our evening walks as she does not handle the heat very well, just like her momma.
You and Charlie stay as cool as you possibly can.
Carol and Molly
I love almonds, but the dentist says it often cracks teeth. And since I don’t have dental insurance, I’m avoiding almonds! You stay cool too, Carol and Molly!
I love almonds too, but I only eat the sliced or slivered kind for fear of damaging expensive dental work.
I do most of these so I guess we are on the same wave length! I love watching the birds at the feeders, snuggle with Annie Belle, read a good book and watch a movie. Now I should get back to more photography and vignettes because you are right, they do perk up a room! Stay cool!
If I could ever get caught up with everything, I want to create some vignettes. As for ice cream, I love mint chocolate chip.
Wonderful ideas Brenda! Stay cool this weekend. I am dreading this heat they say we are getting. 🙁
I was just out and IT IS HOT! I don’t plan to go back out again until next week.