Do you entertain a lot in the summer months? Most people do. We also tend to spend more money when the temperature rises. Planalytics, a business weather intelligence research company, recently released a report indicating that warmer than normal temperatures in May caused more consumers to shop for items like barbeques, lawn and garden tools, party supplies and food. Add that to the amount you may fork over for a summer getaway -- AAA expects the average family to spend $1,052 this year -- including gas prices, which have already shot from a low average of $1.60 in December to $2.639 in early June, and you're no doubt feeling the squeeze.

That's why this week, we decided to look for ways that you can take advantage of the summer season -- inexpensively.

-- Buy in bulk. If you know you're going to be hosting a lot of parties this summer, shop just once for non-perishable items and buy them in bulk. Things like condiments, sodas, wine, beer, paper products and frozen items can all be bought from warehouse stores like Sam's Club, Costco or BJ's. Don't have a membership? See if a friend who does will take you shopping. Some warehouse stores also offer one-day passes. You'll pay a surcharge of about 15 percent, but it's often still cheaper if you need items in bulk. If you decide to sign up for a membership, the surcharge is generally put toward your membership fee.

-- Shop online for big-ticket items. You've likely gotten used to using the Internet for research on large items like appliances and grills. Brad Wilson is the founder and editor-in-chief of www.bradsdeals.com, a site that publishes sales, printable coupons and online discount codes. Wilson says that the web -- and not your hardware store -- is the best place to buy big-ticket items like the grill you need for your barbeques. Often you can find better prices, free shipping and no tax. At Ace Hardware, Weber's One-Touch 22.5 inch Kettle Grill was listed for $94.99 (plus $20 for standard shipping). On Amazon.com, I found it for $89 with free shipping. The same goes for patio furniture -- be sure to check Overstock.com before you head to the mall. I found Adirondack chairs on that site for as little as $109, a great deal when compared to similar versions found at Lowe's for over $250.

-- Find free -- or at least inexpensive -- ways to do your favorite things. Local parks, for one, are always free, and can be a nice change of scenery from your backyard. A game of Frisbee is a great way to pass the afternoon. Beaches can sometimes be free as well, or at the very least, cheap -- sometimes you'll only pay for parking. Here in New York, Rockaway Beach has no day fee and several free parking lots. (It's also accessible by subway.) Finally, do some research on museums in case of a rainy Saturday. Many public libraries -- including those in Chicago and Boston -- give library cardholders free passes to area museums and other attractions, says Edgar Dworsky, founder of www.Consumerworld.org. In Chicago, for instance, you can get free passes to the Art Institute, the Brookfield Zoo, the Chicago Children's Museum and the Chicago History Museum. Here in New York, Target sponsors a program that offers free admission to the Brooklyn Museum on the first Saturday evening !

of each month, and to MOMA every Friday night between 4 p.m. and 8p.m.

-- Use coupons. One of my favorites is The Entertainment Book. You do have to pay for it, but over the year, the price drops significantly. It starts at around $30 or $40, depending on the city, but right now, it's going for $9.99 on www.entertainmentbook.com. Inside, you'll find coupons for restaurants, retail stores, car rentals and various attractions. You can buy one for your city or for the city where you plan to vacation. "You can find buy-one-get-one-free tickets for theater companies, amusement parks and restaurants. The coupons tend to be more generous than what you can find online," explains Dworsky.

-- Assume just about everything is offered at a discount. A friend tipped me off recently to the existence of discount parking coupons for garages in New York City. The site she sent me to is www.centralparking.com -- and I recently saved $25 on one day of parking by using a coupon. My point is that this is the wrong time to pay full price. If the sweater you see in a store isn't on sale today, sign up for the retailer e-mail alert so you'll see when something becomes available at a discount. The same goes for travel. One source that Dworsky recommends can be found at www.travelzoo.com. The e-mail newsletter shoots you a message once a week with up to ten or twenty travel bargains. "They do the searching for you and it's a good source of very low prices," he notes. "If you're open as to where and when you want to go on vacation, something might pop up."

With reporting by Arielle McGowen