5 Tips to Live By the Ocean without Going Broke

Living near the ocean is a fabulous luxury, but if you don’t have the budget to properly enjoy it, then it can be more of a pain than it’s worth. Luckily, there are a few ways to save money on ocean front living.

1. Rentals
If there are things you want but you can’t afford, it’s likely that someone is around to rent them to you. For example, don’t invest in expensive beach chairs that you have to lug to the beach, maintain, and that will eventually break down anyway. Instead, take advantage of ocean front rentals that are much more convenient.

2. Non-peak hours
You know that tourists go to the beach during peak hours, and you probably realize that it can be a pain to get around them. However, did you realize that often times local businesses will have discounted rates at non-peak hours? Try going to a restaurant and grabbing a bite between the breakfast and lunch rush, or the lunch and dinner rush.

3. Let them know you’re local
Many ocean front communities have discounts for people who live in the area. It never hurts to ask! You may find that there one or more of a number of discounts available, from punch cards to buy 5 get one free, or a percentage off.

4. Keep an eye on free festivals
Remember that local free festivals aren’t just for the tourists! There may be movies at the beach, special art shows, or other fun events that you’ve been avoiding because you think they’re geared towards tourists. However, these can provide a free source of entertainment.

5. Find out where the tourists are – and stay away!
In most parts of the country, it often doesn’t make sense to drive 5 miles out of your way to shop at a lower priced grocery store, because the difference in cost won’t make up for the added time or cost of fuel. However, when it comes to ocean front prices, you may very well find that stores just 5 miles from where the tourists are can be significantly less expensive.

As you can see, anyone can save money living near the ocean – if they keep their eyes open and are open-minded to fantastic deals.

Vanessa is a self-proclaimed beach bum who loves being near the ocean all she can. She is also a blogger and a contributing writer for Pay day loans, a company that helps customers in the UK to get money when they need it.