The summer can be a tricky time for parents, balancing the budget without compromising on school holiday fun. Making plans during a cost of living crisis adds extra strain.
Making savings over the summer will be essential for many before winter energy bills shoot up a predicted £1,000. With money tighter than ever, experts at NerdWallet have put together five tips to help keep kids entertained for less than a fiver.
Enjoy cheap eats
Keep an eye out on local restaurants' social media pages to see if they are running any ‘kids eat free’ promotions. Supermarkets are also getting in on the action.
Asda, announced a ‘Kids Eat for £1’ initiative which does exactly what it says on the tin. Available seven days a week the offer is open to families in England and Wales with no minimum spend on adult meals.
Morrisons has advertised a ‘Kids Eat Free All Day’ initiative, offering a free children’s meal with any adult meal purchased at £4.99 or over. The Too Good to Go app is also a great way to find food for less from cafes, restaurants and supermarkets near you - all while minimising food waste.
Visit museums and galleries
Many exhibitions up and down the UK are free to enter. They include The British Museum, London, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, World Museum, Liverpool, Nottingham Contemporary, Millenium Gallery, Sheffield, National Football Museum, Manchester, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff, Royal Armouries, Leeds, and The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry.
Learn to cook cheap recipes
The BBC Good Food website is full of recipes and even has a Budget and Everyday page to help keep costs down. As well as veggie and vegan dishes, they list budget family meal plans, five nights of meals for £25 and a host of healthy options.
Check out cashback website deals
Voucher websites like hotukdeals could be a great place to look for voucher codes, deals and freebies. Sites like these can also give you a nudge as to where family-friendly promotions are being run in your region, with the validity of the offers voted for by like-minded bargain hunters.
Similarly, cashback websites give you money back every time you shop online, on everything from clothes to toys and even activities. It’s always best to check these websites before booking a getaway or making a purchase, as some of the savings could be substantial.
Discover tips from social media
A quick and easy way to find free and cheap events in your area is to log on to social media and start searching by your location. On Facebook, you can search for events near you and save the links to the ones that may be of interest to you. If you register your interest, you can be notified when the event is getting close.
Similarly, you can search on social media pages like Instagram and TikTok for the exact things you are interested in. If you want something free to do in London, search for the hashtags #London and #Free to see who is posting about those trends. This could help give you ideas from accounts with similar interests to you.
Find out how to save money in your everyday life by visiting NerdWallet's Personal Finance Hub.
