A day spent at the beach means you need some essentials but you don’t want to spend a fortune. There are items you can get for under $10 to make your day at the beach or the pool the best it can be. Just returning from our annual vacation, these were items that made it into my bag day after day. I hope this list helps you have great beach and pool days, too.
1 A Bottle of Chilled Water
Nothing is better at quenching your thirst when you’re hot than a bottle of chilled water. Save the fruity drinks for after the sun goes down. When you’re spending the day seaside then you need to stay hydrated. My favorites are Smartwater and FIJI water but you may have discovered other brands you love. The important thing is you drink enough while you’re soaking up sun.
Frequently asked questions
2 Sunscreen
You can’t do the beach without sunscreen! You need to protect your skin from painful sunburns, wrinkles and the risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen can do all of those things. Choose one that’s waterproof if you’ll be swimming or jumping waves. The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunscreen doesn’t leave you with yucky oily residue that many sunscreens do.
3 Lip Balm with SPF
Can’t forget your lips when you’re protecting yourself from the sun! They can sunburn too and that’s quite painful to deal with. I tossed a Maybelline Baby Lips with SPF 20 in my beach bag for sun protection and to keep my lips moisturized. Most Baby Lips are under $5, making this a steal. But not all of the varieties of Baby Lips have SPF protection so check before you use it for sun protection.
4 A Beach Towel
Even if you’re more of a chair girl, you’ll appreciate having a beach towel packed. You need it to dry off after a swim. And some girls prefer to use their towel to lay right on the sand. I do this and love the feel of the way I can mold the sand underneath my towel into any sort of shape I want. You can certainly find cheery, colorful beach towels for under $10.
5 A Book You’ve Been Dying to Read
I would be so sad if I forgot to pack a book into my beach bag! It’s true that many books are over $10 but if you shop used on Amazon or eBay then you can find lots of reading choices under that amount of money. I’ve scored many reads for under $5 by buying used. Saving money on books gives you more to spend on other things. If you need inspiration on what to read, check out the bestseller list.
6 Sunglasses
Sunglasses are a must at the beach. I love the sun but not when it blinds me. Sunglasses come in all price ranges, but you can find them under $10. The beach is actually a great place to find them cheap. My daughter bought a pair for $6 last week at a shop by the beach. They often have different styles than your regular stores do.
7 A Wide Brimmed Hat
I’ve seen some really cute wide brimmed hats at Walmart for $5. You can also find them for cheap at the little shops close by many beaches. Wide brimmed hats are amazing at shielding you from the sun. If you’ve got fair skin then they’re a must. Thankfully, there are many fashionable styles in wide brimmed hats now.
These are 7 beach essentials you can get for under $10. You probably already have some of them. What essentials are a must for you when you go to the beach or pool?
