Friendly reminder: Romanticizing the summer doesn’t mean you have to drop a bunch of money on a new wardrobe or book a last-minute flight to Tulum just so you can post yourself drinking out of a coconut. Romanticizing summer is all about turning everyday things into moments that feel special to you… and while hopping a plan to a tropical getaway sounds fun and all, it’s absolutely not required to have a romantic, main-character-worthy summer. These low-cost ways to romanticize summer are about slowing down, taking pleasure in the little things of the season, and finding beauty in what you’re already doing…plus, having some extra fun along the way.
Hot days spent at the lake, iced peach tea in a tall glass, nibbling cheese with apples in the park, sundresses paired with big floppy hats, tangy lemon gelato in a waffle cone, and linen everything. Whether the warmer months have you reaching for your surfboard or your new rom-com style novel, summer is the perfect season for creating joy in every moment.
Now don’t get me wrong — romanticizing your summer doesn’t have to mean adding more to your schedule. You get to decide what you want your summer to look like, and this post is designed to inspire you to turn everyday activities into special moments that allow you to be present. Keep reading for my favorite low-cost ideas to romanticize summer.
Oh, hey! Looking for a quick inspo read instead? Check out my post on 32 soft girl spring activities for self care <3
Make homemade fruity syrups for your home cafe
I personally don’t love the taste of artificial syrups and sweetners at coffee shops. House-made syrups is where it’s at, so I love experimenting with different fruits and flavors.
Plus, waking up and knowing you get to start your day with your favorite homemade latte makes your morning routine feel so special. It becomes less about chugging a coffee for your morning jolt, and more about the craft of a delicious drink.
Try it: Make a strawberry simple syrup for a strawberry iced matcha, or a cherry-vanilla syrup for your homemade latte. Blueberry syrup can be a delicious addition to anything from Greek yogurt and iced lattes to lemonade or cold brew.
Play around with different flavors, pour them up in cute bottles, and keep them refrigerated to use whenever you’re craving a sweet drink at home.
Brew your cold brew coffee and iced tea at home
One of my favorite low-cost ways to romanticize summer is to simply make most of your drinks at home. It gives you an excuse to break out the glass straws, the cocktail glasses (even if you’re just drinking iced tea), and slow the whole process down.
Iced tea and cold brew coffee are some of my favorite summer drink orders, and they’re so simple to make at home.
A few things to consider before brewing your own:
- Most tea bags have a lot of microplastics, so choose a loose leaf tea when possible
- Organic is always best
- Get your coffee beans from local roasters to make sure the beans are fresh and small-batch (so they won’t taste burnt)
- The water you use matters too — make sure you’re using filtered water to get the best tasting notes from your beans
Try it: I looove peach tea in the summer. It’s such a nostalgic drink, and so simple to make. I suggest brewing a loose-leaf, organic black tea, and making a homemade peach simple syrup that you can add to the tea after it’s finished. This recipe is delightfully easy and uses simple ingredients to make a delicious summer tea.
Romanticize your ice cubes (yes, really)
Hear me out — coffee ice cubes in your at-home lattes are a game changer. Instead of your drink getting weaker as it sits, it gets a little bit stronger as your coffee ice cubes melt deliciously into your latte.
To do this, just take leftover coffee from your morning brew and pour it into ice molds to freeze. Or, if you’re like me and you never have leftover coffee, just buy some cold brew from the store and freeze that instead.
Aside from coffee, you can freeze orange juice cubes and invite the girls over for a Saturday brunch. Prosecco and orange juice cubes are the perfect way to spice up your weekend hang, and it’s a fun twist on traditional mimosas.
You can even freeze ice cubes with little edible flowers in them to make your mid-day mocktail or iced tea feel that much more special.
Bonus tip: Get a couple cute molds for your ice shapes. Try flowers, hearts, or even teddy bear shapes for a fun twist on even your simplest drinks.
The idea behind this is to make everyday things (yes, even ice) feel like a cute little main character moment.
Become a master at homemade acai or smoothie bowls
Summer means having acai as often as possible, but eating out constantly can get way too expensive.
To keep this a low-cost way to romanticize summer, I recommend buying a bag of pure, frozen acai packets and keeping it on hand for whenever the craving hits.
Just blend a packet with the recommended amount of coconut water or apple juice. Then, top with fresh fruit, a drizzle of honey, chia seeds, cacao nibs, and maybe even some homemade granola.
If acai isn’t your thing, making any kind of thick smoothie bowl is still a perfect summer treat!
To add some extra flair to your homemade acai bowl, you can play around with fun additions like blue spirulina and dragon fruit, which will make your bowl look extra tropical.
Fresh flowers every week
Getting yourself fresh flowers every week isn’t necessarily about decor (otherwise, it can get really expensive and showy). Instead, make weekly flowers a feminine summer ritual you get to treat yourself to.
My first favorite place to buy flowers from is the farmers market. This can be a really affordable option if you’re willing to walk around a bit. Some bouquets might be more expensive (in the $25 range), but a small bouquet of sunflowers, carnations, or something seasonal can be as little as $7, depending on where you’re located.
And if the farmers market isn’t for you, Trader Joe’s flowers are so affordable, you don’t need to drop more than $5 for a pretty bouquet of chrysanthemums.
Again, the point here isn’t to have an enormous bouquet of mixed, exotic flowers, but to embrace seasonal flowers as a low-cost way to romanticize summer and invite nature into your home.
Make your own jewelry
My favorite part about summer is leaning into my coconut girl era every year. That means colorful beaded chokers, big chunky rings, seashells incorporated everywhere, and fun pearl accessories.
This is a low-cost way to romanticize summer, but it’s also a great way to distance yourself from fast fashion and be offline for a while as you create your own jewelry.
Not only are you slowing down and letting your creative juices flow, but you’re using your own hands to make summer keepsakes that are unique to you.
Invite your friends over for a few hours of crafts and DIY friendship bracelets, or take a solo day to play some good music and design your own pieces that you’ll wear on repeat.
Dive deep into your plant girl era
For the days you’re mainly in your house working, cleaning, or taking a much-deserved rot day, plants and greenery are my favorite way to liven up a space.
And they don’t have to cost a great deal — Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, the farmers market, Trader Joe’s, and even Facebook Marketplace all have tons of plant options (or seeds to grow your own!) for an affordable price point.
Adding plants to your living room or hanging a succulent above your desk is an organic, low-cost way to romanticize the summer days you’re chillin’ at home.
Pick a new Pinterest meal or dessert recipe to try every week
Look, no judgement here, but you and I both know you have a huge Pinterest board (or multiple boards) full of recipes you’ve been meaning to try. And I know that because obviously I’m in the exact same situation, though it’s probably even worse.
One easy way to romanticize your summer without spending a ton of money is to simply turn your meals into a main character moment. Play some music, turn on the twinkly lights, tie a cute apron around your waist, or do whatever else makes the cooking process feel special.
If you’re not one who cooks often, start with an easy and delicious meal from your Pinterest boards that doesn’t require anything too complicated — sheet pan dinners are especially simple, tasty, and cost-efficient.
To make cooking a new meal feel more romantic and less like a chore, I highly recommend planning ahead by making sure the dishes are done, the counters are cleared off, and you have all the grocery items you need before getting started. As someone who has rage-cleaned the kitchen more than once when trying to make a cute lil treat for herself, trust me — it’s being prepared is for the best haha.
Swap your jean shorts for linen and sundresses
I’m guilty of wearing the same pair of jean shorts on repeat during the summer… I’ll swap my t-shirts out, but I basically have very little variety in the bottom half of my outfit. And it’s not even because I don’t own more summer clothes, I just get nervous changing up my look sometimes.
If that’s you too, hear me out — let’s band together and try swapping our go-to denim shorts for something flirtier and lighter this summer.
One of the easiest low-cost ways to romanticize the summer is to simply switch up your wardrobe, dress for the season, and embrace your Pinterest outfit boards.
(Don’t feel like you have to go on a shopping spree — try to find other options that are already in your closet! Or better yet, host a clothing-swap with friends to find something new while rehoming the items you don’t use. Thrift stores are also always a good option.)
Linen pants are breathable and make every day feel like you’re strolling along the boardwalk. Plus, they look great not just with blouses, but with baby tees, tanks, or any other simple basics you already own.
And if we’re really feeling brave enough to step outside our comfort zone, we can slip into a pretty sundress (very Carrie Bradshaw energy), head to a coffee shop with a romance novel—or a mystery thriller, depending on where we’re at in our cycle (please tell me I’m not the only one whose reading taste changes)—and read in the sunlight with a cold drink in hand.
Start a summer sport or hobby
Before we dive into this, let me just say: Don’t get caught up on being the best. And don’t go out and buy a ton of brand new equipment (there are lots of secondhand sporting goods stores). Just get excited to try something new.
Now, this is one of my favorite low-cost ways to romanticize summer, BUT it’s also a fun way to play into your alter ego if you’ve been wanting to try something, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
For example, my alter ego plays pickleball in a cute skort with my fiancé, and rollerblades down the boardwalk with a smoothie in hand. So with that in mind, I’m going to head to a second-hand sporting goods store to thrift some pickleball equipment and maybe even a pair of rollerblads.
Whether your alter ego is a hiker or a morning yoga girlie, the main idea is to get outside and be in the daylight.
Whatever vibe speaks to you, try some sort of outdoor activity that gets you off your couch and out into the fresh air.
Obviously, I’m going to leave you with plenty of ideas to inspire <3 If you try something for a while and you’re not into it, that’s ok! The fun of summer is in re-creating or getting re-acquainted with yourself, so keep going until you find something you love.
Outdoor summer hobbies to pick up:
- Pickleball
- Tennis
- Swimming
- Gardening
- Reading/journaling/painting outside
- Camping
- Bird watching or nature spotting
- Hiking
- Ultimate frisbee
- Surfing or bodyboarding
- Join a community rec league
- Horseback riding (this one will be on the pricier side)
- Rollerblading
- Kayaking
- Tidepooling
- Paddleboarding
- Outdoor pilates
- Outdoor yoga
- Beach volleyball
- Jogging
- Cycling
Visit the farmer’s market
You don’t need to spend a ton of money here. Even just bringing a friend along to stroll through the stands of local goods, sample the produce, and people-watch makes the summer feel more whimsical.
More than anything, a visit to the farmers market gets you off your phone, away from screens, and immerses you in the heartbeat of your community.
You can even consider this a “European summer” activity. Give yourself permission to mosey around, taste new flavors, smile at strangers, and chat with vendors. If you want a low-cost way to have a whimsical, romantic summer, then a visit to the farmers market definitely beats re-watching Friends in your apartment.
I mean, I’ll definitely still be rewatching Friends… but, you know, I think we can make time for both.
Have a summer potluck
The easiest way to get all your favorite people together is with a giant feast… especially one that doesn’t put the pressure all on one person to cook and host.
Invite all your friends over and have a sign-up sheet that lets people write down what homemade dish they plan on bringing.
Summer potlucks are more low effort than hosting a fancy dinner party, and there’s something about eating a hamburger outside on a warm July night that feels nostalgic in all the best ways.
Try a new work space
If you have the luxury of working from your laptop, take your office out of the house for the day.
Not only does this give you a chance to try a new spot or re-visit a favorite, but a change in scenery does wonders for your creativity.
Put on a cute outfit, pack your bag with your work essentials and a snack, and head out. You can work at a coffee shop, a laid-back restaurant with outdoor seating, a public library, or anywhere else you like the vibe.
Final notes on low-cost ways to romanticize summer
Okay lovely, I hope you’ve found at least a couple things on this list you want to try out this summer.
In a world of people sharing their lavish summer vacations, boujee dinners-out, and posting beach pics in their $230 Free People bikinis (which are gorgeous, but not always reasonable), I hope your biggest takeaway from this post is that there are tons of ways to have a romantic, main-character-worthy summer without needing to spend your entire paycheck.
Summer is for being outside, getting a sunburn that will eventually turn into a tan,* thrifting a cute sundress, catching up with your best friend while sipping iced lattes on a bench in the shade, painting your fingernails neon orange, making homemade peach ice cream, listening to loud music in the car with the windows down, letting your natural curls go crazy, probably making a couple questionable love-life decisions that may or may not work out, and dancing around your house in an old t-shirt.
*I’m not encouraging you to get a sunburn, this is just something that kinda happens sometimes… PLEASE wear your sunscreen!!!
Don’t let socials fool you into thinking a romanticized summer has to come with a big price tag. Live your life, and have as much fun and laugher as possible.
Sending good vibes,
Xo Sav
