Summer lasts just three months. In those three months, you have limited time to actually get outdoors, spread your wings and create memories that are going to last the rest of the year. For those who spend the rest of the year planning or dreaming about summer, make sure every day offers a new opportunity.  So go ahead and book your summer vacation with the money you have from your payday advance and enjoy the memories that will last you a lifetime.

Take a Road Trip

What used to be the all-American family vacation is now a must for young adults looking for total fun. Movies like “Due Date” take it to the extreme, but could there be anything more amusing than the road trip?

From the time you spend talking in the car to seeing the country’s best roadside attractions (think super-sized food statues or brooms that stand on their own,) something makes these trips amazing. Everyone should take a cross-country road trip at least one time in their lives, kids in tow or not.

Notoriously inexpensive (if you do not count the gas) these trips make the perfect choice for families on a budget or those college students looking for a cheap way to get to the beach. To pay for a road trip, rely on discount fuel, coupons, free meals or stays at motels and make sure everyone in the group is pitching in.

Book that European Vacation

Travel Europe. You can plan a cruise around the Mediterranean or plan to backpack your way through the Alps. Tour century-old castles, explore the most delicious French cuisine, and kick back in a vineyard in Italy, all within a few days. Europe’s passenger trains make touring the heart of the continent easier than you thought. See the great cities of London, Barcelona, Rome and Berlin.

Spend at Least a Week at a Beach

While the beaches along the Great Lakes are okay, it is best to head to the ocean beaches along the United States’ coastlines. With more than 12,000 miles of beaches along the coastline, there are definitely options to choose from, ranging from secluded romantic beaches in Hawaii to the most family friendly of locations, like Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head.

From the tip of Florida to the Maine coast, the Eastern Coastline is known for its affordability. Spending a day at the beach does not have to coast you anything. From Washington to the base of California, the western coast offers a peaceful ocean view and deep, blue waters.

Take Life into Your Hands with Roller Coasters

Summer is not complete without a day at an amusement park–or a week if you spend it in Florida’s numerous family attractions. Roller coasters are pushing the line. If you want the fastest in the United States, head to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey, which travels more than 128 miles per hour. For one of the fastest, head to Sandusky, Ohio, for the Top Thrill Dragster, at a height of 430 feet.

Amusement parks entertain in other ways too. The food is as bad for you as it can get, which means it’s fantastic tasting. The shows are a bit corny, but they will make you laugh. You will be sunburned and love every minute of it.

Paying for the Trip

No matter where you head for summer fun, you will need to pay for your trip. Do so in every way possible since this summer you will want not to worry about money. Get donations from family and friends (tell them how hard you have worked towards it). Get donations from work, too, such as banking that vacation time and cashing out anything extra you can. Donations are a good route to take.

Slash Those Expenses

Another great way to save money for you unforgettable summer is simply to cut your expenses. Sign up the kids for free school day care programs and breakfast and lunch. Pocket that extra money for your vacation fund. Turn the air conditioning off and the heat down. Walk to the store for other necessities rather than using the in the car. Go with public television and get rid of the cable for a few months.

Be Creative with Sales Power

Look around your home. There are likely plenty of options for selling things. Start with your old valuables. To have an unforgettable summer, you need to get rid of those things sitting and collecting dust. Recycle that dead car for cash. Some companies will give you money if you just get the car onto the lot. Sell plasma or blood. Pawn other valuables so you can have more spending money.

Get a Second Job

To create the most memorable of summer vacations, you will want to eat well, play hard and pay for gas. A second job may be in the works. Get up early and deliver newspapers. Take on a part-time job doing delivery work. Find out if the local schools need someone to help with painting or janitorial work. Just take on extra hours or new projects at work. Get up the courage to ask your boss for a raise. Summer will be well worth it.

Making it Memorable at Home

While summer means going and doing, you do not have to be exploring the world to enjoy an amazing summer. Plan your summer around things at home too, in between those big vacations or those amusement park days. Why not visit the zoo.

Grab a few great books and plan to sit in the sun reading them. Take the kids to the water park or to the local swimming pool at least every week. Make Sundays the days you do nothing but sit around watching old movies with friends. Host at least one BBQ this year.

Summer Means Magic

For everyone who is looking for a way to relax and unwind, look inside. What is it that is going to make this summer unforgettable for you, specifically? In order to get through those cold, wet winters and the never-ending rain of spring, you need, and deserve, a plan for summer.

It starts with knowing what you want to do. Summer is not all about the home improvement projects or spending your days at work. Make it about those times when you can break away and simply enjoy your family and friends.