Trying to save money during the summer, while still going out, is a challenge. Especially in an urban city, cheap eating is non-existent and you’re usually out $20-$30 (or more) every time you get food at a nicer restaurant.

Even with working, money is still something I need to watch out for. There are other things I need to buy (groceries) before spending it all on food and drinks.

With the bars where I live in northern Chicago, it’s rare you’ll spend under $12 for a drink. Then you have to think about the cover, if the place has it.

Here are a few things I do to save money, while still having a fun summer:

1. Limit eating out: It’s hard, but we can’t go out all the time. When I do go out, I make sure it’s a good place that I know I’m getting my money’s worth.

1. Skip the daily coffees: Okay, I’m working on this one. I recently invested in a used espresso machine for only $36. At retail price, it would’ve been around $90 or more. I prefer how the iced almond milk lattes I make at home taste.

2. Coupons: I used to think coupons were annoying and barely made a difference until I started buying my own stuff. My mom usually gets coupons emailed to her, these help me buy my espresso k-cups.

1. Thrift: Every now and then I’ll save some money for new clothes, but thrifting isn’t a bad idea for some throw-away summer clothes that I don’t need all year

2. Even better, borrow: I don’t know if guys are the same as girls, but lots of girls share clothes. One of my roommates is the same size and has the same style as me, we’re always sharing clothes when it comes to neither of us wanting to buy something new.

As a child, I remember I used to hate taking vitamins unless. Unless they were fruit-flavored or anything like the famous Flinstone gummies, I didn’t want them.

I’m someone who naturally has low iron levels, so I have to make sure I take iron supplements so I don’t feel so drained from my lack of iron. Another vitamin I took a lot when I wasn’t eating meat and animal products was B12. Even now, I still try to keep up with B12 because it’s easy to not hit all the food groups that will give it to you.

I truly don’t think anyone has a perfect diet. There’s endless arguments about whether we should keep or ditch dairy, if meat is slowly killing us, if carbs are the cause of cancer, you name it – everyone has an opinion with diets.

The one important thing to remember with dieting is that some diets are unfortunately restrictive. When we’re following everything some Internet-scientist says, we become a victim of following their advice rather than an actual dietician. 

I remember when I was testing the waters with the Ketogenic diet, I had to take some vitamins that I was lacking from not getting to eat enough vegetables so I wouldn’t go over my carb limit (not sure what credible diet says you can’t eat many vegetables, even the green ones, but whatever). 

To get to the point, every person should be taking vitamins regularly. They should also confirm with their doctor on which vitamins they’re lacking so they could make sure they’re taking the right ones.

Xymogen has an endless amount of products, including vitamins. If you’re not in the market for vitamins, check out their products regardless.

For some of us, summer isn’t so much of a break. There are summer classes, jobs, and internships. It’s hard to keep calm when it feels like there are a million things going on at once.

In my case, I’m currently babysitting, doing an internship, and taking two summer classes. Some days I wake up completely unmotivated, while other days I’m ready to tackle any assignment handed to me. I’m someone who panics easily, so I need to be aware of common panic triggers.

As much as I love cold brews, espresso, and any type of coffee, too much coffee definitely triggers my anxiety. It’s a love-hate relationship. It helps me stay awake and alert, but it also makes me jittery and leaves me feeling almost too alert.

During my downtime or lunch breaks, I’ll reward myself with a coffee from a usually pricey coffee shop. Obviously, this adds up.

Having a Keurig and an espresso machine at my apartment doesn’t help either because I tend to make my own coffee a lot, leading to me feeling jittery.

I’ve tried switching to tea and I’ve noticed some improvements. My sleep is better and I feel more relaxed. It doesn’t wake me up the way a cup of coffee does.

Some believe that herbal tea helps with anxiety. I’m always someone who’s open to trying a natural remedy, so this is something I’m interested in.

Gaia Herbs is a brand that grows their own herbs. They’re based in North Carolina and grow pure plants to produce their own natural medicines such as herbal teas, liquids, and even kid-friendly alcohol-free medicines.

There are products for everyone. A few that sound especially interesting to me are the golden milk, herbal teas, and the herbal sleep capsules.

I like to think that the more natural a product is, the better and safer it is for consumption. It doesn’t leave me worrying about whether it’s safe or not.