Americans Are Spending Nearly $400 Every Summer Weekend—Here's Where the Money Goes
Summer is all about making memories, but those memories are coming with a hefty price tag.
A new survey commissioned by DailyPay and conducted by Talker Research found that the average American is spending nearly $400 every weekend on summer activities. While people are eager to spend more quality time with family and friends, many are finding it increasingly difficult to balance fun with their finances.
Summer Fun Isn't Cheap
According to the survey of 2,000 Americans, 50% say they spend the most money socializing during the summer months, while 60% are making a conscious effort to spend more face-to-face ("IRL") time with loved ones instead of staying glued to screens.
The most popular summer activities this year include:
- Dining at restaurants (40%)
- Spending the day at the beach, park, or lake (34%)
- Going to the movies or hosting movie nights (33%)
- Parties with family and friends (32%)
- Road trips (27%)
The Cost of Staying Social
Unfortunately, enjoying those activities isn't getting any easier.
The survey found:
- 60% say having a social life is becoming too expensive.
- 73% feel their income is preventing them from doing everything they want this summer.
- 57% say financial concerns are keeping them from spending quality time with loved ones.
- 55% admit they've had to sacrifice their social lives because of money.
To keep up, more than half of respondents (53%) said they've picked up extra work or side hustles just to afford summer activities.
Financial Stress Is Affecting Friendships
Money problems aren't just hurting wallets—they're impacting relationships as well.
The survey revealed:
- 42% say they've lost friendships because they couldn't afford to keep up socially.
- 48% admit they've made excuses to avoid plans instead of telling friends they simply couldn't afford to go.
Where Americans Are Spending Their Money
The average spending over a typical summer weekend breaks down like this:
- Dining out: $61
- Hosting gatherings or bringing food and drinks: $60
- Celebrations and gifts: $59
- Entertainment (movies, concerts, amusement parks): $57
- Outdoor activities: $55
- Self-care and wellness: $54
- Transportation (gas, rideshares, parking, etc.): $51
Altogether, those expenses add up to nearly $400 every weekend.
The Top 10 Summer Activities of 2026
According to the survey, these are Americans' favorite ways to spend time together this summer:
- Going to restaurants
- Visiting the beach, park, or lake
- Movie nights or trips to the theater
- Parties with family and friends
- Road trips
- Picnics
- Weekend getaways
- Cooking together
- Game nights
- Concerts
Quality Time Still Matters Most
Despite the financial pressures, people continue to prioritize spending time with those they care about.
Nearly 72% of respondents said being around family and friends is important to them, while 62% believe socializing is essential for their overall well-being. On average, Americans say they need about 10 hours of in-person time with loved ones during a typical weekend to feel refreshed and recharged.
Interestingly, younger adults—especially Gen Z and millennials—are making the biggest effort to spend time offline with friends and family, but they're also the generation most likely to overspend on social activities.
As summer continues, many Americans are proving that while making memories may be priceless, the cost of creating them certainly isn't.
