The Secret Way to Save Money on Fireworks This Year
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With July 4th just around the corner, you’re probably busy planning holiday festivities, arranging a neighborhood cookout, or trying to remember which one of your friends has a boat. Oh, and you’re probably starting to think about what kinds of fireworks to purchase. Will it be sparklers and Roman candles? Black Cats?  Fountains? Those little snakes that leave nasty stains on your driveway?
Fortunately, I’m here to help you resolve some of those issues and make the firework-buying process nearly seamless. Through years of research, I have discovered a simple tip that can help you save a ton of cash on fireworks- as much as 100%. In fact, I wrote this post just so I could share my insane discovery with all of my readers. Don’t say I never gave you anything!!!
How to Save Money on Fireworks
The secret way to save money on fireworks is to……wait for it……
not buy fireworks.
I know what you’re thinking. “But……but…….but…… Fireworks are a fun way to relax. They’re entertainment. They’re a family tradition.”
Why You Don’t Need To Buy Fireworks
But that tradition comes at a huge cost to American families. According to some of the most recent stats, Americans spent approximately $645 million on consumer fireworks alone last year. And where does all of that money go?
It’s set on fire- literally- for just a few moments of selfish (and sometimes drunken) enjoyment. What a waste!
Not only that, but what do fireworks say about our intelligence as a species? The human response to fireworks actually reminds me of my dog’s response to laser lights. His eyes get big, and he runs after them as fast as he can. If he could talk, I’m sure he would say, “ohhhh…….ahhhhhhhh……” If he was coordinated enough, he would probably even clap.
Sound familiar?
What To Do Instead of Buying Fireworks
Still tempted to go out and buy fireworks? A few of these free and low-cost alternatives can be just as fun while accomplishing the same thing:
- Sit in front of a campfire and blink really fast
- Burn your thumb with a lighter then shred a $20 bill
- Let your kids run through your yard with flashlights while slapping wooden boards together loudly
- Grab your favorite adult beverage and watch a fireworks display on YouTube
On a more serious note, you might also check to see if there are any free fireworks displays in your area. Town governments often put on their own display for their residents, and all you have to do is show up. You can even pack a small cooler and some drinks in some cases, and have your own little shindig while you watch. Now, that is my kind of frugal fun.
Or you can do what I plan to do- watch some of your neighbor’s fireworks. Much to my chagrin, several of my neighbors have been setting off fireworks for several days now in an effort to turn the 4th of July into a weeklong event. I don’t mind that much, but I seriously hope that they are saving at least a handful of fireworks for the evening of the 4th.
Our plan is to have a small family cook out, set up some lawn chairs in the back yard, and enjoy the fruits of someone else’s labor.
And, in the spirit of the holiday, I can’t think of anything more American than that.
What are your plans for July 4th this year? Do you ever watch someone else’s fireworks to save money?
We go to the beach and watch the fireworks show while drinking illegally out of a cup. Always fun buzzed with a hint of possible arrest makes it a great 4th of july.
Hey, that sounds great. You have to keep things exciting from time to time!
Not buying fireworks would also spare a lot of people’s fingers. We do the local community fireworks thing too. There is a big one that our city does but it’s a zoo. Too many people. Then there is a local community one in our part of town. That one is smaller but more community oriented and better for the kids. Usually they ask for a few dollars in donations to support next years show. The fireworks are better, cheaper and I get to keep my fingers. Win-win-win!
Ha, well said Holly. I can’t remember if I’ve ever purchased fireworks myself, but the thought just makes me shake my head. I’ve got a friend who spends thousands every year for a neighborhood display, so we’ll go watch theirs. Fireworks can be fun but I’d just as soon light some dollar bills on fire, like you said. Happy 4th!
I have bought fireworks in the past. Never again! (The only exception might be a few sparklers for the kids)
I love that it is near impossible to find fireworks where we leave, because they are not only dangerous for personal use, but they are a waste of money. To get any “real” show you have to spend a bunch of money and it always ends up paling in comparison to what you can watch on TV or even in your town or the next town over. We like to sit out on this spot on the Hudson River and from our vantage point we can see the fireworks shows of about 4 towns and if we really squint we can see the Macy’s fireworks show in NYC.
That sounds amazing!
lol I love your low-cost alternatives 🙂 I can’t say I’ve ever bought fireworks before, and as cool as they are, they’ve never been anything more to me than lighting money on fire. Like you, I’m all for the true American experience of living off of someone else’s money–at least watching them burn it for my pleasure.
Me too. The word on the street is that the people behind us have a huge stash of fireworks to set off on the 4th. Yay =)
Some of the fancy HOAs near our house put on displays that we can see from our backyard, or all of the towns do their own. The only fireworks we’ve ever purchased were some sparklers to play with for the heck of it… but it’s funny, when you grow up where fireworks are illegal, buying them isn’t something you even think about doing later!
I wish they were illegal everywhere.
I don’t know that I’ve ever purchased fireworks myself, but when I was a kid my mother always got some for us to set off in the driveway. I recall it being lots of fun, save for the time the bushes accidentally got set on fire! That being said, you are correct that it is not very frugal. I think these days enough cities have fireworks displays that it’s not really necessary and as you mention you could totally make an event out of watching the big display. That’s what we’ve done in recent years.
That’s what we always did growing up. The high school always put on a big display.
Lol, I think I was in tears from laughing so hard at your alternatives. Our neighborhood has been setting stuff off for the past 10 or so days. It drives the kids batty as they have no clue what it is. We’ll be doing much the same as you are…having a small get together and watching our neighbors set their money aflame from our backyard.
Sweet! That’s how you do it, John!
“Sit in front of a campfire and blink really fast.” L-O-Freaking-L!
We live in an area where fireworks are not allowed so going to a free show is our only option. Unless we want to drive to Adelanto, about an hour away, where people line the streets and shoot off fireworks without caution. It’s like being in a war in Afghanistan…scary! Plus I am pretty sure if you Google that city it is the Meth capital. Drugs and fireworks—-no bueno…. 🙂
Ugh. Yeah, no kidding. Sounds like a recipe for disaster!
My friends and I used to shoot bottle rockets at each other. Not exactly the smartest thing we ever did, but probably not the dumbest either. Sometimes when I look back at my formative years, I am amazed I made it out without any really major injury.
Oh, me too! I’m surprised I’m alive!
Ha – love this! We’ve never really spent much on fireworks, as when we lived in the suburbs all of our neighbors spent thousands and we enjoyed a free show. One year, though, we did spend thousands, when some sparklers exploded in Rick’s hand and we spent the evening at the ER on Memorial Day. Not going there again.
Yikes. That sucks!
Done and Done.
Let me guess….
You sat in front of a campfire and blinked really fast?
No, but even the toddler is really good at using Youtube.
It does seem like a waste to me too. All that money just to blow stuff up. hmmm, and the individual fireworks are nothing like the ones put on my cities, beaches, etc., so why bother? Yeah, never did get that one. There is a city one in my town that I only have to walk two blocks to…the sad part is I can never get anyone to come over because they want to get drunk at the beach and stay there. boooo! 🙂
Booooo indeed!
Here’s another great option : Watch your neighbors light them off. I swear our neighbors must spend some big money on those. Just feel bad for our dog, she gets so scared!
Mine too. He doesn’t like loud noises at all.
I am saving big time! We are going to my sister in law’s birthday party and there will be fireworks.
Nice. Let someone else in the family pay for them. I like it.
Fireworks are illegal in NJ so I am forced to save money by big brother, hahaha.
Hey, at least you’re saving =) Do people buy fireworks illegally?
We’re pretty lame about 4th of July. When we lived closer to relatives we’d have a cookout, but now that we’re in Texas, we’ll spend the day doing very little and then go with friends to watch the (pretty good) Texarkana fireworks display. Nothing says fun like rednecks and fireworks. Yeehaw!
Uh….yeah. I live in Indiana so I know all about rednecks and fireworks!
Summer is fireworks season in Malta so there is no need to buy any. The weird part is they even have it during the day!!! I mean you can’t even SEE anything???? Most evenings, we just stand on the balcony and watch and on the weekends, each little town has a festa, complete with insane 4th of July type fireworks as each one tried to outdo the other..
Fireworks were illegal where we used to live, so when I saw all these shops and tents set up down here, I was taken aback. People used to smuggle them in all the time, though. My boyfriend’s uncle had a huge party with their own, and the surrounding houses also set them off. There were tons of nice shows available, too. This year, the community my parents live at has their show, and then we’ll be driving down the beach to see other shows. I can’t imagine buying them myself!
Technically your – and my – tax dollars pay for all those firework displays that cities put and states put on….so yeah I agree with you, why spend more money when you already subsidized those big expensive firework displays?
This is too funny, especially because my husband and his best friend put on this BIG fireworks show every 4th and they put so much time and effort into it and I just anxiously await for the whole thing to be over with! Thankfully, it’s funded by donations from family/friends.
You only get one week of neighborhood fireworks? I get almost a month and they’re illegal here. It’s not as bad as it has been, they cracked down hard during the drought last year so fewer are willing to risk it now. My parents never bought so much as a sparkler for us, we always went to the local show put on by the city, so it’s not something I’ve done as an adult. I know it’s rare, but I’ve heard enough about fires caused by fireworks that I’d hate to be responsible for damaging someone’s yard or house. Or my own house.
Those are some great tips. I’m not personally a big fan of fireworks but I know they do go on sale once and a while. I think it’s totally possible to have a great time without them though
Fireworks are physical evidence of the ridiculous abundance we live in. “I can’t afford anything and I’m always broke” but goes and spends $150 on something he/she is literally going to just light on fire and destroy….
I can honestly say that you really can put your eye out with fireworks. No way no how are those coming into our house. Plus in Colorado, it’s easy to literally burn thousands of acres from a spark. We don’t mess with fire at all. Smokey Bear would be proud! We’ll watch the town display. You can see them from our back porch.
We seriously might not even take the kids out this year. Our neighborhood is so bad on the 4th. Last year people were shooting M80s into crowds of people. And a drunk teen kicked the sideview mirror off my car. City living….
I’ve never understood fireworks as entertainment, and I am not somebody that particularly enjoys them. I Wouldn’t seek them out, that’s for sure. My fiance feels differently about them and always wants to go watch them but we’d never buy them.
Thanks for sharing..nice article