In the summer months, there is nothing I love more than throwing together a backyard barbecue for our family and friends. With a smaller home, the great outdoors allows us to offer a comfortable place for our guests to spread out and enjoy themselves. Backyard barbecues can be practically effortless with a little bit of planning and preparation. I wanted to showcase some easy ideas for achieving a successful & fun backyard bash that will long be remembered.

Summertime is upon us, bringing with it fun parties, barbeques, family reunions, road trips, vacations and more. All of which can add up to a lot of money – if you don't plan ahead of time. Here are a few tips to help keep your summer spending in check.

During the summer evenings, we like to get our fire pit going and make some yummy s’mores. Nothing better than that ooey gooey toasted marshmallows layers with chocolate and cookies.