Summer’s heat shouldn’t completely toast your wallet

Do you entertain a lot in the summer months? Most people do. We also tend to spend more money when the temperature rises.

Planalytics, a business weather intelligence research company, recently released a report indicating that warmer than normal temperatures in May caused more consumers to shop for such items as barbecues, lawn and garden tools, party supplies and food.

Add that to the amount you may fork over for a summer getaway -- AAA expects the average family to spend $1,052 this year -- including gas prices, which have already shot from a low average of $1.60 in December to $2.639 in early June, and you're no doubt feeling the squeeze.

That's why this week, we decided to look for ways that you can take advantage of the summer season -- inexpensively.

Buy in bulk: If you know you're going to be hosting a lot of parties this summer, shop just once for nonperishable items and buy them in bulk. Such things as condiments, sodas, wine, beer, paper products and frozen items can be bought from warehouse stores like Sam's Club, Costco or BJ's.

Shop online for big-ticket items: You've likely gotten used to using the Internet for research on large items such as appliances and grills. Brad Wilson is the founder and editor-in-chief of http://www.bradsdeals. com, a site that publishes sales, printable coupons and online discount codes. Wilson says that the Web -- and not your hardware store -- is the best place to buy big-ticket items like the grill you need for your barbecues. Often, you can find better prices, free shipping and no tax.

At Ace Hardware, Weber's One-Touch 22.5 inch Kettle Grill was listed for $94.99 (plus $20 for standard shipping). On Amazon.com, I found it for $89 with free shipping. The same goes for patio furniture -- be sure to check Overstock.com before you head to the mall. I found Adirondack chairs on that site for as little as $109, a great deal when compared to similar versions found at Lowe's for over $250.

Find free -- or at least inexpensive -- ways to do your favorite things: Local parks, for one, are always free, and can be a nice change of scenery from your backyard. A game of Frisbee is a great way to pass the afternoon. Beaches can sometimes be free as well, or at the very least, cheap -- sometimes you'll pay only for parking.

Use coupons: One of my favorites is The Entertainment Book. You do have to pay for it, but over the year, the price drops significantly. It starts at around $30 or $40, depending on the city, but right now, it's going for $9.99 on http://www.entertainmentbook.com. Inside, you'll find coupons for restaurants, retail stores, car rentals and various attractions.

Assume just about everything is offered at a discount: A friend tipped me off recently to the existence of discount parking coupons for garages in New York City. The site she sent me to is http://www.centralparking.com -- and I recently saved $25 on one day of parking by using a coupon.

My point is that this is the wrong time to pay full price.

If the sweater you see in a store isn't on sale today, sign up for the retailer e-mail alert so you'll see when something becomes available at a discount.

Jean Chatzky is an editor-at-large at Money magazine and serves as AOL's official Money Coach. She is the personal finance editor for NBC's "Today" show. Her Web site is http://www.jeanchatzky.com.