Beach... on a budget

SUMMER SPENDTHRIFTS MOVE ASIDE:

Ocean City offers a smorgasbord of ways to eat, drink & play on the island at a price point that’s wallet-friendly

By Kristen Dowd

LET’S FACE IT.

It’s easy to drop some coin in and around Ocean City.

First, there’s the beach (because you’ve got to do the beach) and its required beach tag. And then you’ve got the food: the colossal slices of pizza dripping with cheesy goodness, the towering swirl of creamy soft serve studded with sweet sprinkles, the crispy fries served alongside fresh-squeezed lemonade. Combine that with a round of miniature golf, a handful of rides at Playland’s Castaway Cove and a cozy and cute OCBP lifeguard sweatshirt, and you’ve more than kissed last week’s paycheck goodbye.

But I’m here to tell you it doesn’t always have to be that way. You can do the beach on a budget. No – really, you can! Yes, it will take some self control. And yes, you may need to save that cozy and cute sweatshirt for another trip. But if you’re looking to hit up the boards with a set spending plan, go ahead and count out your cash and leave that debit card at home.

You’ve got this. And here’s how.