Summer Entertainment for Under $50

You hear it nearly every time you turn on the news: gas prices are keeping people home this summer with a staycation (vacation time used to stay at home). It's not such a bad idea, especially when there is a ton of stuff to do close to home!

Kiplinger's put together great list of things we can do this summer for under $50. Be careful, though, because choosing too many of these fabulous, fun activities can cost you a mean chunk of change. Pick one or two for the best results.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials
No need to travel to Beijing this summer—you can catch the action without taking a flight halfway across the globe. Check out the U.S. Team's page to see if trials will take place near you but, if not, there's always NBC.

Stephanie Meyer's Breaking Dawn
If you don't know, Meyer's is being called the next J.K. Rowling and her teen vampire series is causing quite a stir in the literature industry. Catch up on the first three books and then pick up a copy August 2 to continue the magic.

Motley Crue, Crue Fest
They're on tour until the end of August in dozens of cities in the U.S. and Canada. Tickets range in the $20-30 range, for lawn seats so they're quite reasonable for cheap summer activities. Can't make the concert? Pick up their newest album instead.

What other cheap, fun summer activities do you and your family have planned?