Summer has (finally) arrived, and it can be a time when costs creep up a lot, especially if you have children. A day out here and there, plus additional costs when you arrive can mean an expensive day out!
Some of the bloggers who are part of the UK Money Blogger collective got together to share some tips on how to save money during the summer.
Here, some of those involved have summarised some of those ideas to help you spend less this summer.
Unexpected costs
Hannah from Feast Style Thrive has some handy hints on how to avoid unexpected costs and which are likely to arise!
Day trips are a fun and cheap way of keeping the kids entertained during the holidays BUT make sure you plan ahead to avoid any unforeseen expenses.
For example, British weather is unpredictable so be sure to pack waterproofs as well as sun cream and ensure that the venue has indoor as well as outdoor facilities. It’s also wise to identify the cheapest car park nearby.
The kids are bound to want every treat they see so to avoid the sky-high prices for ice cream or souvenirs, visit a £1 store beforehand and pick up some toys, snacks and drinks to give them instead.
Finally, make sure you have change. It will be a godsend when you or your kids need to make an urgent loo visit!
Keeping cool
Nicola from The Frugal Cottage shares how to keep cool on the cheap, as running air conditioning can be expensive during the summer months.
Get cheap handheld fans from the pound shop to use for children on a day out; they might not last long but cheap and cheerful. Also, make sure you have lots of ice cubes made up in the freezer so that children’s drinks are nice and cold during the summer months.
You can make your own ice lollies from blended up fruit, using the cheap ice lolly moulds from the pound shop and lastly, make sure you’re wearing appropriate clothing!
Layers are good as you can always remove one if you’re getting too hot!
Summer snacks
Andy from Be Clever With Your Cash gives some tips on how to enjoy a cheap summer snack.
When the sun is out, I know I’m more likely to eat out – and al fresco extras like ice cream, pots of hummus and the odd summer pint can quickly add up.
The best trick to not bust your budget is to go homemade. That might sound like hassle, but sausage rolls are literally a pack of pastry wrapped around some sausage meat and some seasonings and baked – tastier and cheaper than nipping into the supermarket nearest your picnic. Kids want a mini milk? Freeze some milk in a lolly pop mould. Boom. Old bananas? Mash ’em, freeze ’em, and eat ’em as a cheats ice cream.
There are some great thrifty foodie bloggers in our group, with many easy and affordable recipes, so I’d check them out, including Thrifty Lesley, Reduced Grub, Miss Thrifty and Much More With Less.
Having fun on a budget
Lisa from My Money Spot rounded up the tips to make sure you have fun for less.
Having fun on a budget can seem like a daunting prospect but it needn’t be! You can have a great day out without breaking the bank as long as you plan ahead.
If you need to purchase entrance tickets be sure to check online first. Most places offer discounts online and you can find lots of vouchers too!
Have fun this summer and remember to plan.
Free days out
Of course, sometimes even cheap is too much. Lynn from Mrs Moneypenny talks about what activities you can do for free during the summer.
I love to do as many free days as possible in the summer holidays. Then I can splurge on bigger days out and not feel guilty.
Splashparks, a walk through the woods, geocaching and the recycling box crafting sessions (collect and clean recycling stuff for a couple of weeks, add sellotape, string = done) are all great and free.
If you are out and about take a picnic and a big bottle of water/juice. A visit to the beach is perfect if you live near. Best freebie day out ever.
Free days in
Jen from My Mummy’s Pennies had some fun ideas to keep kids entertained at home:
There are so many fun activities to in the summer holidays do at home that are free or very cheap! One of our favourites is creating a treasure hunt around the garden (or the house if the weather is bad!) using a collection of small toys such as novelty erasers or even LEGO
One of our favourites is creating a treasure hunt around the garden (or the house if the weather is bad!) using a collection of small toys such as novelty erasers or even LEGO mini figures. It just takes a few minutes to write out a series of clues and then let the children get searching! You could even give then tasks to do on their way around such as watching plants or star jumps to be active!
A great alternative is a nature treasure hunt where you give them a list of things to find in the garden such as different bugs or leaves!
So, lots of ideas there to have fun in the summer for less!
– Other bloggers who contributed to the above tips are Sara from Debt Camel and Karyn from Miss Thrifty.
One thought on “Money bloggers’ top tips to save money this summer”
I recently found out that I was spending loads of money every month on a packaged bank account which I really didn’t need – saved a considerate amount by investigating that!