Even without much sunshine, the summer can feel like it drags on forever if you are constantly trying to find extra cash for foreign holidays, staycations, day trips, activities, nights out childcare, and food.
And just when the end is finally in sight, the August bank holiday comes along with yet more pressure to “make the most” of the long weekend with a trip away, day out, or by getting together with friends and family for a picnic or barbecue.
The summer can be a worrying time financially, as all these extra outgoings eat into household budgets, squeezing them further after a prolonged period of economic crisis.
But the longer days and lighter nights won’t be around for much longer and as they are the perfect time to make some memories, it’s natural not to want to miss out – so we’ve compiled 10 tips to help you enjoy what’s left of the warmer weather without breaking the bank.
1. Free adult tickets to London Zoo (and other top UK attractions)
There are free adult tickets to some of the UK’s most popular attractions, such as London Zoo, Go Ape, and Drayton Manor, available through MoneySuperMarket’s new SuperSaveClub app.
It’s free to sign up to but you’ll need to buy something on the site, such as insurance or broadband, to access the free ticket. However, if you sign up for the site’s Credit Monitor service (which is also free) you can access the free days out pass too, which is valid for a year.
Members can also collect cashback on their shopping when they buy things through the comparison website.
Many of the historic sites under Historic England are also free to enter. You can check on their website for the full list of locations.
2. Kids eat for free
Lots of chain restaurants such as Pizza Express, Bella Italia, Bill’s, Subway, and TGI Fridays offer free kids’ meals over the holidays when an adult pays for a meal. There are often exclusions, so check the small print first – the offer may only be valid during the week or it may not be totally free but discounted.
Most of the supermarket cafes also have freebie meal offers. At Morrisons, if you ‘Ask for Ellen’ before Sunday, you’ll receive two standard crumpets with a choice of six toppings and you don’t need to buy anything else.
3. Throw a potluck party
It’s cheaper to stay in when meeting up with friends, but not always for the person hosting. Instead of one person paying for all of the food, arrange a potluck party and get every guest to bring a different dish.
Challenge guests to pick a different country competing and cook (or buy) something in the style of that region. If the weather’s still nice, go to a local park and cut out the stress of one person hosting. You could also arrange your own games as free entertainment.
4. Start a babysitting bubble
Childcare costs are expensive, and a babysitter can cost around £10 an hour on average, according to the Bubble childcare app. If you have nearby friends who need childcare, you could arrange a childcare swap. This could be for an evening, an afternoon, or even the whole day depending on the age and number of children. Take it in turns and use the spare time for yourself for working, catching up with life admin, or just taking a few hours to rest and reset.
5. Cool down with a wild swim (or splash)
If you don’t live by the sea, there are plenty of other water-based options for enjoying the summer weather in the UK. Wild swimming has surged in popularity over the last few years but before you take a dip, always check it’s safe to do so. There are tips and advice on the River Trust website (https://theriverstrust.org/).
If you’re more of a paddler, there are lots of free splash parks across the UK and open-air lidos. Some of the best include the fountains at Granary Square in London, Swanley Park in Kent, and the Water Adventure Play Park in Weston-Super-Mare.
Several lidos can be great for a day out – and don’t cost the earth.
6. Cash in your loyalty points
There are reward and loyalty points on offer from a range of places, from Tesco’s Clubcard to the Boots Advantage card. Instead of cashing these in on future shops, you can often get more for your money by redeeming the points at other retailers.
The Tesco Clubcard points, for example, are worth two times as much if you redeem them at a partner retailer, which includes brands such as Hotels.com, RAC, Cineworld, Disney+, and Prezzo.
7. Grab cheap(er) cinema tickets
Don’t pay full price at the cinema – there are lots of discounts to take advantage of. If you already pay for Amazon Prime, every month you can access a discount code for two standard tickets at an Odeon cinema for £10. The code is valid for a month, any time of the day from Monday to Thursday.
Sky Cinema customers also get two free Vue cinema tickets per month, which you can find in the MySky app. If you have children, with the Cineworld Movies for Juniors screening, tickets are £2.50 for kids and accompanying adults.
There’s also Meerkat Movies for anyone who makes a qualifying purchase through ComparetheMarket. This includes an insurance policy – such as car, home, or travel – or switching a utility, such as broadband or your mobile phone. You’ll then be entitled to two-for-one cinema tickets, on any Tuesday or Thursday, for a year.
Some of the cheapest things you could buy include single-trip travel insurance for about £2. This isn’t to use (as the cheapest policies are rarely the best), but to buy to unlock the cinema offer.
8. Cut your train travel costs
If you’re traveling by train this summer, advance tickets are always cheaper, but if you’re going last minute, always use split ticketing. This lets you buy tickets for different legs of a journey, instead of one ticket for the whole way. Some apps, such as Trainline, automatically offer this service, saving customers an average of £13 per journey.
Railcards cost about £30 and they can cut one-third off every train journey out of peak hours. If you plan to make a few journeys in a year, they usually always save you money. Even one long journey could see you straight away make back the cost. A trip from Reading to Aberdeen, for example, costs around £120 so with a rail card you could save £44.
You can also get two tickets for the price of one at lots of UK attractions if you travel by train. Simply show the ticket when you arrive (or if you pre-book online). They include the National Portrait Gallery in London, punting in Cambridge, and Whitby Abbey.
9. Pick up cheap food
The TooGoodToGo app is a way for food businesses and shops to sell their excess stock at the end of the day at a cheaper price. The app is free to download and you will be able to see participating local shops and restaurants on it.
Most offer a £3.50 ‘surprise’ bag of goods (which you can’t see in advance) to pick up after closing hours. Many big supermarkets are signed up, including Aldi, along with chain restaurants such as Pret A Manger, Greggs, M&S, and Pizza Express.
Many restaurants also offer freebies if you sign up for their apps or newsletters. At Krispy Kreme you can get one free glazed doughnut if you sign up for its free rewards scheme, McDonalds gives 1,000 freebie points when you download its app (you’ll need 1,500 points to start redeeming off the cost of food), while at Greggs you can get a free hot drink of your choice with the app.
10. Buy an annual pass
If you regularly visit National Trust sites, buying an annual pass is likely to save you a lot of money. It’s £91.20 a year for an individual adult membership (£45.60 a year if you’re aged 18 to 25) but you’ll pay £15 to £20 per ticket without the annual pass.
It’s particularly worthwhile if you visit the attractions a lot and you have children aged five or over. A family membership is £159.00 a year for two adults and two children, and parking is included with all membership cards.
It’s significantly cheaper to join the Scottish branch of the National Trust too. Prices start from £69.60 for an annual adult pass (a saving of £21). You don’t need to be a Scotland resident to do so, and it gives you access to the same sites across the UK.
It’s slightly cheaper to sign up to English Heritage for the year, at £72 per adult, but parking costs are not included.