Summer days out on a budget! Spread the cost of summer!
Weekly instalment loans – spread the cost of summer!
The Great British Summer Holiday is part way through, and it can be increasingly difficult to think of things to do with the kids. Particularly things to do that do not cost a fortune! Many of us have chosen the staycation route this year to save money, but it can end up being just as expensive as going away!
But there are lots of things that you can do as a family that won’t cost a penny. As for any day trip you will need to add the cost of travel so try and find things to do that are near to where you live. It is also a good idea to plan in advance what to do about food so that you don’t end up spending more than you need. Either take a picnic or lunch boxes with you or make sure that you have details of current restaurant offers and voucher from websites such as MoneySupermarket.com.
Here are our Top Ten favourite budget days out!
- 1. Beach
- Grab the sun while it’s here: it may not be for long! A day out at the beach is free and the kids will love it. You may not be able to avoid buying ice creams but everything else can be taken along with you.
- 2. Park
- Many towns and cities have huge parks with play areas. An ideal spot for a picnic and the kids to play and you – hopefully – to be able to relax for a few minutes.
- 3. Museums
- There are so many around and most of them are free. If you’re lucky enough to live near London then the Science Museum or Natural History Museum could keep them occupied for hours!
- 4. Stately homes
- Some stately homes have gardens that are free to enter and have activity areas where children can play. Even a maze! Check out the ones nearest to you and you’re bound to find something of interest.
- 5. City farm
- Most city farms are free – though would appreciate a donation to their work. Your children will love seeing the animals and most farms offer an opportunity to pet or feed the animals.
- 6. Car boot sales
- These can be great fun to wander round and children can be given a small amount of money to spend – perhaps even have a competition for who can buy the most items for their money, or give them specific things to look for. Or if you’re feeling brave how about setting up your own stall and clearing out some of that clutter?!
- 7. Special summer events
- There are many summer events run by community organisations, churches, pubs etc that can provide free entertainment such as music or family fun activities. Definitely worth investigating!
- 8. Cinema
- It can be horribly expensive to go to the cinema but during summer there are often good offers around, for example in newspapers or from the cinema itself. Worth looking into, and if you smuggle in your own sweets you’ll be spared another horrendous expense! Although on this note, Vue Cinema’s have recently announced on Twitter: “Please note that you are able to bring your own food and drink into the cinema rather than purchasing from our confectionary stands. This is with the exception of hot food or alcohol.” So no smuggling required!
- 9. Outdoor Games
- If you live near any kind of open space or playing field then outdoor games and a picnic are a free and easy way to spend a day. Why not meet up with other families to share the fun – and the organising! There are many outdoor games for children that are fun and simple and require little or no equipment.
- 10. Treasure Hunt
- Building on the above theme how about getting together with friends and family to organise a treasure hunt? You could either base it in a local park, prepare clues and hide them beforehand or go on a nature walk with a list of things to spot en route. Prizes do not need to be expensive – sweets always go down well!
If, despite the above ideas, you are still struggling to make ends meet this summer then you may want to consider a short term loan. A weekly instalment loan could help to spread the cost of summer and you can comfortably pay a little of it back each week so that it doesn’t mount up and cause more money problems later on. Click here to find out more about how a weekly instalment loan from Simple Fast Loans could help you to enjoy the rest of the summer in style!
