Best Seasonal Items Available at Target, Walmart and Amazon for Less Than $50

It may not be as expensive a season as winter with its crowd of holidays, but summer does tend to see overspending. People are dishing out cash on everything from beach days to luxury getaways. Summer 2024 is shaping up to be extra expensive. For example, the price of airline tickets is up 25% over the past year, outpacing inflation. The cost of beef is set to soar, making summer cookouts less financially feasible, and gas prices have been trending up, leaving road trippers in a lurch. 

But where there’s a way to overspend, there are more than a few ways to save. In part, it comes down to finding a good deal and acting on it, should your budget allow it. At Target, Walmart and Amazon, you can find a slew of seasonal essentials priced at under $50. Let’s have a look at some of the best of what these megaretailers have to offer summer shoppers on a frugal budget. 

Grilling on the go? Check out the portable barbecue grill by Himaly. (It’s also a fine choice if you want a grill for your backyard but don’t want to commit to something big and costly.) Amazon is selling this item for $17. You can find similar options for much more at competing retailers, such as Home Depot, which has a portable grill priced at about $65.

What’s a day by the pool without a lounger float? Currently at Target, the SwimWays Spring Float Papasan Inflatable Pool Lounger costs $15.99. A strikingly similar item sells for $24.98 at Home Depot.

Want to curl up with an engrossing page-turner, or, heaven forbid, your cellphone and abandon all cares in the world? You’ll need a hammock. Walmart is selling a portable one, made by Forbidden Road, for $14.99. Or spend $34.97 on a similar hammock being sold at Home Depot.

Good shade is crucial to a successful beach day — as is SPF. Why not get both in one purchase? Amazon has the Sport-Brella Versa-Brella SPF 50+ Adjustable Umbrella on sale for $29.49 — 31% off. At Home Depot, you can pay $41.18 for a beach umbrella that doesn’t come with SPF protection. 

Grab a two-pack of sprayable sunscreen (SPF 50) by the Up & Up brand at Target for $8.99. You’ll spend more than double that ($18.99) on a two-pack of Banana Boat sunscreen spray at Walgreens.

At Walmart, a pair of plastic women’s sunglasses comes in a variety of colors and costs $9.95, down from $12.95. Why spend $15 on a very similar pair, with fewer color options, at Urban Outfitters?

Amazon has tons of men’s sunglasses for sale. Consider a simple wayfarer-style pair that you can get in a ton of different colors for $8.99, marked down from $9.99. Or spend $15 on a similar pair at Urban Outfitters, with far fewer color options.

Where to put down your glass of sangria while getting up from your wicker lounge to change the song on your portable speakers? A wicker side table, of course. You can get the Puerta Wicker Side Table by Christopher Knight Home at Target for $39.19. Venture elsewhere, and you’ll easily spend much more on a similar product. Pottery Barn sells wicker side tables in the $300 ballpark.

Take your relaxation party on the go with a portable beach lounge chair by Kole Imports currently available at Walmart for $20. You could do far worse. At Ace Hardware, a similar product goes for $32.99 — and that’s on sale.

Fun in the sun just isn’t the same without a playlist of summer tunes going in the background. Nab a pair of outdoor waterproof Bluetooth speakers from Amazon and spend $39.96. You’ll likely dish out much more money at a place like Lowe’s, which sells a single Bluetooth speaker for $137.13.

Yes, you can go to a place that is more known for selling shoes, like Nordstrom, and drop $75 on a pair of OluKai flip-flops, or you can head over to Target (or Target.com) and get a pair by Shade & Shore for $5.

At Walmart, you can get the Bluescape 10-foot inflatable swimming pool. It’s perfect for the whole family to cool down in and costs $29.98. A similar one sells at Costco for $39.97.

Get your summer workout on in style. Ladies can grab a two-piece set (sports bra and shorts), which comes in multiple colors, for $17.99. Men can find gym shorts and shirt sets (three per package) for $36.99. Or you could spend hundreds of dollars on something from Lululemon!

Spruce up your cozy nook with a fresh scent for summer. You can get a 6-ounce ceramic wooden wick candle by Threshold at Target for $10. Other home goods retailers, like Pottery Barn, sell similar candles for $14.50 — and that’s on a huge, limited-time sale. Plus, you might be surprised by the stylish look of the Target alternative.