So this is one of the more fun and practical ones.
Consider setting a weekly or bi-weekly reminder towards the end of summer/start of fall to regularly look for deals at your favorite store (Walmart, Target, etc.) for summer stuff clearance. Those of us in Florida know that it is pretty safe to assume it is going to be crazy hot for many months the following year… starting only a short time after the crazy heat leaves us.
In your mind, fast forward to how old your nugget(s) will be next year and think of what they will enjoy. Old enough for a little splash pool? Maybe finally big enough for one of the many above ground pool sizes available? Will they need water wings, diving sticks, beach balls? Maybe even a slip-n-slide? What about beach equipment (a legit beach umbrella will change your life when it comes to kiddos wanting to spend hours playing)? Water shoes for more adventurous areas?
Enjoy this tip and stay cool. : )
Note: I thought of this post because this year we splurged on an above ground pool. As a side note, I would highly recommend the warranty on this purchase if it is slightly affordable. We had a hole in ours and they just refunded the entire purchase. We then went back to the store and repurchased a new one, now at end of the season clearance price (yes, I admit I did a small happy dance in the store).
Note 2: We have never had any luck with those little baby floats. For some reason I have never seen a tiny tot want to stay in one of those. We always just end up holding them. You can give it a shot, but save the receipt just in case.