Half term can be a stressful time for parents. Not only is the burden of childcare on your shoulders, but there’s also the pressure to provide entertainment throughout the week, which is why I’m here to help you cut costs on everything from childcare to meals out with the family.
Most of the tips below focus on easy money-saving wins, like finding deals on days out and saving on entertainment. However, if you need further support, I recommend reaching out to your local council – you can find yours at Gov.uk – as they may have grants and schemes available that can help you, such as the Household Support Fund.
Charities such as Working Families and Turn2Us also provide support to those struggling with the cost of parenting, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them for guidance.
As a journalist who has been sharing money-saving tips for years, I have tons of tricks for cutting costs during the school break – and having some fun in the process. Keep reading for 10 ways to save money during the February half term.
1. Use ‘kids eat free’ restaurant deals
Planning a meal out over the half term? There are tons of places where kids can eat for free – or for just £1 – during the school holidays, from popular restaurants to supermarkets.
To name just a few, kids can eat for free with the purchase of an adult meal at Zizzi, Las Iguanas, Morrisons,
Kids can eat for £1 when you buy an adults meal at
Asda,
Be sure to check the restaurant’s websites for how to claim the deal.
2. Find deals on days out
3. Look for free days out
4. Use your Tesco Clubcard points
5. Boost your budget by reselling old stuff
6. Take your child to Parkrun
If you’re looking for a free way to keep your kids active, look no further than junior Parkrun.
7. Arrange a childcare swap
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about childcare over the half-term, chances are that your fellow parents are as well.
8. Get support with the cost of childcare
The government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme allows you to get a top-up towards the cost of registered childcare providers, such as childminders.
For every £8 you pay into your Tax-Free Childcare account, the government will add £2, so you’re getting a 25 per cent top-up. You’ll be able to earn a maximum of £500 top up every three months, or £1,000 if your child is disabled.
However, those who claim Universal Credit are not eligible. If you do open a Tax-Free Childcare account, your benefits could be stopped.
9. Save on streaming
This is advice I give people year-round, but if you’re paying for multiple TV streaming services right now, it could be worth cancelling some of them and resubscribing when there’s something specific you or your kids want to watch.
Most major streaming services allow you to cancel your monthly subscription for free, so if you know your child is going to spend all week watching Paw Patrol on Netflix, you can save by pausing or cancelling your other subscriptions for now.
Additionally, if you haven’t used free trials from Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Paramount Plus, it’s worth signing up to find your child’s next favourite show or movie night pick.
You can also stream tons of shows and movies for free on Channel4 and BBC iPlayer (if you have a TV license).
10. Look for free video games
If your child is bored of the video games they already have, there are plenty of games out there that you can download for free.
A well-known example of this is Fortnite, which is completely free on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Other examples of free games include Sims 4, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, Roblox and Disney Speedstorm – but you’ll need to check the store for your child’s particular console.
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