Well, summer has officially begun! It’s the time of year we dream of during the cold, winter months when the skies are bleak and gray. It’s a time that brings about cherished memories of summers past. A time we eagerly anticipate as the world begins to thaw and spring to life once again. A time to venture out of our homes, to explore the wonders that surround us . . . but do you ever find yourself wondering: What should we do? There are so many different options during the summer months but, while we’d like to do all of them, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time . . . or enough money.

So consider this: a membership.

If there’s a particular place you enjoy visiting, or a certain activity you engage in frequently, then you may want to consider becoming a member. But the cost of membership seems so expensive! you might think. It’ll never pay for itself. Ok. Valid concern. Let’s take a closer look at it . . .

Let’s say you love going to the zoo. You have a family of 5. To park your car, that’ll cost $10. General admission is $30 for 2 adults, and $31.50 for your 3 kids under age 11. The subtotal, so far, comes to $71.50 – just to walk in the gate. Now your kids are begging you to see the dolphin show. That’s another $7.50. Oh! And there’s a super cool special exhibit, for this summer only, that your kids are dying to see. That’s an additional $19. That brings our total to $98. And now they’re thirsty. And hungry. And there’s an awesome something-or-other at the gift shop that only costs $10 . . .

Oh! I’m sorry . . . is your head spinning? Breathe. Take deep breaths. In through your nose. Out through your mouth.

Ok. Same scenario – but as a member. The cost of a family membership is $115. That includes unlimited admission and parking for a year, plus a free guest, 4 tickets to the dolphin show, 4 tickets to ride the tram, some free passes you can give to your family or friends, admission to the children’s play zoo, and discounts on everything from food to merchandise to special events and exhibits. So, if we do a little math (don’t panic!) we see that, even if you choose to simply walk around, skip all the extras, and buy absolutely nothing, the total cost of 2 visits is $143 – which means the membership will have already paid for itself. If you return several times throughout the year, you’ll save hundreds of dollars just in admission and parking fees alone. For example, if I paid $71.50 for each of 5 trips to the zoo, I’d pay a total of $357.50. If I buy a zoo membership for $115, I’d save $242.50 over the course of the year. Want to get really nuts? $115 divided by 5 visits means that the cost per visit would only be $23. For the whole family. That’s a lot better than $71.50.

What else can you do? Who else offers deals and memberships? Ask around. Look up your favorites online. If you enjoy swimming, check out the cost of a pool pass. Do you like museums? How about amusement parks? Or maybe camping? Local sporting events? Golf? Whatever the case may be, do a little research. Find out what’s included in the cost, what the perks are, and if it’s something worth doing. Calculate how much it would cost you for multiple visits and then compare it to the cost of a membership. Or, you can take the cost of the membership and divide it by the number of visits you could realistically make and see what the cost per visit is. Either way, you may just find that being a member can be a very economical way to do the things you enjoy most.