10 Summer Holiday Money Saving Tips

How many of us recall the blissful feeling of the start of the summer holidays? Seemingly infinite days stretched out in front of us, dancing with endless possibilities.

Funnily enough, Mum and Dad never seemed quite as enthusiastic…!

There’s no denying it: keeping kids entertained for six weeks straight can be a challenge, and the current cost-of-living crisis has made things that bit trickier. Many of us have had to tighten our belts and adapt to a new budget.

Think back to your own happy summer holiday memories. Try to recollect the moments that have stuck with you over the years; bask in your nostalgia like a warm embrace.

Are you thinking about the elaborate trips out to theme parks and zoos?

Or are you remembering the afternoon Dad set up a makeshift sports day in the back garden, when you dropped the egg from the spoon all over your brother’s foot and got the giggles?

The day you, your siblings, and Mum walked for miles along the river picking blackberries, simply enjoying the sunshine and one another’s company.

When you all had a movie night on the sofa, snuggled under the duvet, the smell of homemade popcorn filling the living room.

The morning Grandad convinced you that there were pixies behind the shed, and you spent hours searching the hedgerows, swept up in the magic.

Our financial situations should never impact the precious time that we spend with our families.

We understand that there can be a lot of pressure to indulge kids and shower them in lavish trips but, at the end of the day, your time, company, and the fun you share are the things that they will remember the most.

We have pulled together some of our top money-saving tips for the summer holidays, based on some of our own favourite family memories.

Escape to the Country

We are incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful country with plentiful gorgeous greenery. Whether you’re a city dweller or a country bumpkin, you can guarantee that you are never too far from the healing powers of nature.

From inner city parks to rolling hillsides and peaks, the great outdoors offers an infinite supply of possibilities.

Walking, galloping around playing ‘horses,’ blackberry picking, bug-spotting, a game of footy… being outside in the fresh air will promote the gift of imagination, as well as improving both physical and mental wellbeing.

As far as free days out go, what’s not to love?

A National Trust

If you and your family class the countryside as a firm favourite activity, have you considered a National Trust membership?

A membership for two adults and two children up to the age of 17 (under 5s go free) costs £146.40 per year. It may seem like a big annual hit but, broken down, it works out at £12.16 per month, and every penny goes towards preserving the land owned by the charity.

For comparison, we picked a National Trust property at random and added up the costs. Entry to the house, park, and gardens in Cheshire’s Lyme Park for two adults and two children equated to £35.80. If you visit just one National Trust property a month as a family, your membership will have well and truly paid for itself.

Becoming a member grants you access to over 500 National Trust properties and parks (plus free car parking at most).

Let’s Go to the Beach!

Not only are we blessed with stunning countryside, but the UK is also home to some incredible beaches.

The beach seems to be an immediate happy place for many children. They know no fear when it comes to paddling in icy cold waters! Rain or shine, the beach is a paradise of wonder. There are rockpools to explore, sandcastles to structure and mysterious sea critters to encounter.

No matter your age, is there a more freeing feeling than running across the sand barefoot, the refreshing sea breeze ruffling your hair with every step?

Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

With the rising cost of both domestic and international holidays, a lot of us have had to forego our travel plans this year.

However, this doesn’t mean that you need to miss out… introducing the ‘staycation!’

We tend to take the towns we live in for granted. We commute in and out of them, we shop in them at the weekend, but how much do we really know about our town? Have we shamefully turned a blind eye to all that makes them great?

Pretend you’re a tourist visiting your local town for the very first time.

What do you notice?

What do you love about it?

You could make a ‘landmark bingo’ and get the kids involved in a spot of sightseeing. Things like churches, cathedrals, football stadiums, and museums are ideal places to start.

Every Day is a School Day

While you’re in town, you could take advantage of the fact that many art galleries and museums in the UK boast free entry. Some may even offer exhibitions about the history of your town – the perfect activity for a budding home-tourist!

Lights, Camera, Action: Homemade Movie Night

A trip to the cinema can be a frightfully expensive outing, especially with children in tow. On top of ticket costs, many of us also often feel obliged to fork out on snacks and drinks, which aren’t exactly cheap. While there are often deals available, we added up the cost of a standard Cineworld family ticket, one large portion of popcorn and four regular drinks. The total amount came to £41.16.

Why not cash in on the cosiness by organising a movie night from the comfort of your own home instead? Draw the curtains and dim the lights for that authentic experience, and heap on the cushions and blankets for extra relaxation.

Fill some dishes with snacks and you’re all set! Little bags of sweets can often be bought at supermarkets for a fraction of the price of cinema pick ‘n’ mix.

A Pizza’ Perfection (For a Slice of the Cost!)

A pizza can often go hand-in-hand with the whole cinema experience.

Expand on your cinematic homemade homage with a freshly baked pizza.

We raided Aldi and broke down the list of ingredients needed to make a delicious margherita pizza. The total cost of one homemade pizza came out at £6.05.* A similar dish at a popular restaurant chain would set you back around £10.95.

Kids will love helping you in the kitchen and adding their own toppings.

Who can conjure up the best pizza creation?!

In case you were wondering… the good news is that cooking pizza in an air fryer is totally possible! You will just need to cut your pizza bases down to fit the air fryer baskets.

Ready, Steady… GO! Back Garden Sports Day

Perhaps one of the most low-cost summer holiday staples out there, the legendary homemade sports day is a popular activity passed down through generations.

While decent-priced sets of equipment are available to buy on sites such as Amazon, you can avoid all costs if you pledge to get inventive! For example, small bean-filled teddies can be used in the beanbag race.

For the ultimate podium celebration, medals can be fashioned out of ribbon, string and decorated cardboard.

Most of us are aware of the impossible task of actually being able to locate a box of eggs in this day and age and, indeed, the rising price of them when they are available. With this in mind, you may want to come up with an alternative for the egg-and-spoon race! Good, household swaps include limes, tomatoes or ping-pong balls.

Andddddd… Relax

After all the activity of your super sports day, it’s only fair that you take a day to chill.

Have you got a tween, or a pamper king or queen? They will adore the idea of a spa day at home.

With admission fees eyewatering high, the prospect of booking an actual spa is a distant luxury for many of us.

Fear not! Source a spa set-up from heaven in your very own living room. Dig out your dressing gowns, fluffiest socks, and an assortment of nail varnishes. Face masks, moisturise and hand creams are also nice additions if you have any loitering in the cupboards. You can save more money by whipping up your very own face masks – there are plenty of ideas online to suit a variety of skin types, using home-sourced ingredients.

Does anyone dare paint Dad’s toenails a sassy scarlet shade when he falls asleep downstairs?!

Ask the Web

Doing a bit of online research can reveal a whole treasure trove of free days out in and around your local area.

The somewhat comforting thing about the cost-of-living crisis is that many of us are in it together. Collectively, a large number of us are constantly trying to come up with new ways to increase our savvy savings with the lowest impact on our quality of life.

There are many blogs and pages on the internet dedicated to listing free days out.

Type ‘free days out in _’ into Google to reveal what’s on in your region.

To get you started, check out Visit England for a few general ideas.

However you and your family choose to spend the upcoming summer holidays, we hope you will come out of it with many fond memories to treasure.

* Prices correct at Aldi as of 9th June 2023 (we selected the cheapest option for each product).

• Ready-rolled pizza dough: 99p
• Passata: 49p
• Fresh basil: 52p
• Mozzarella: 69p
• Grated cheese: £1.49
• Cherry tomatoes: 95p
• Garlic: 95p