If you are a regular reader of Southern Savers, then you know that one of the best ways to save money is to plan ahead. We mostly talk about it in terms of food, but there are other ways to plan ahead that will save you money! One of my best tips for doing this in the hot months of the year is to have a summer go bag always on the ready. Some people refer to a “go” bag to have on hand in case of an emergency like a natural disaster. But I’m talking about it from a positive perspective: having things ready so you don’t have to scramble when a fun opportunity comes up.

Today I’m going to share what to put in a summer go bag so you can be prepared for anything that comes up this summer. This summer go bag can also be transformed for a fall or winter to go bag, depending on the weather where you are.

Think of your summer go bag as stockpiling the potential for spontaneous fun this summer. You’ll enjoy the spontaneous trip to the splash pad way more if you don’t have to drag your kids into the drugstore to buy $13 sunscreen!

What to Put in a Summer Go Bag

Sunscreen

I hope this goes without saying, but sunscreen is probably the most important thing to have in your summer go bag! You can let your kids get wet in their clothes, but there’s no substitute for sunscreen. I check the current sunscreen deals and get several bottles: one for the back porch, one for our beach bag (a separate bag just for intentional pool/beach trips), and one for this summer go bag. If I know we’re going somewhere where we’ll be in water, I take the beach bag, but sunscreen is important any time we’re outside, even just at the park.

Bug Spray

Mosquitoes can also ruin an outdoor experience really fast. You can often get bug spray on sale if you watch the store deals. I like the plant-based repellents since they’re considered safe even for really young kids.

First Aid Kit

You can buy first aid kits at most pharmacies or big retailers that are already put together, but the Red Cross also has a guide for putting together your own first aid kit. I remember one time when my girls were really small and we had spontaneously gone to the park. They had just started playing when one of them tripped and skinned her knee. It wasn’t a terrible injury, but she was really upset and I knew that if I could just clean it and put a band-aid on it, she would settle down. But because I didn’t have any band-aids on me or in my car, it basically ruined her time (and as a result, my time) at the park. Now I never leave home without a band-aid! Read More→