Summer credit crunching :-)

[theuncivilservant79]

I started looking at these threads 2 years ago when I separated. I learned so much!!

Please can I have your best summer money saving tips please

[Gremlingirl]

If you're out and about with the children, buy a box of ice lollies from a supermarket rather than individual ones. Even if they're crap ones, you can normally bribe the children into acceptance with being able to finish the box.

[Creamycoolerwithcream]

My DC absolutely love filling balloons (from Poundland) up with water and chucking them at each other. Great for hot days during the six weeks holidays.

[Creamycoolerwithcream]

Poundland is also good for boxes of ice pops, they only work out a couple of pennies each.

[Passthecake30]

Look out for leaflets at service stations etc for money off theme parks (just grabbed a handful)

Wash all duvets that fit in the washing machine while you can dry outside

Grow cherry tomatoes!

[obladeeobladahla]

A teddy bear's picnic in the local park, with friends or just you & dc
Local surestart centre - some run a weekly 'stay & play' session
Visit friends/have friends over
Use the 2 4 1 tickets for popular attractions, on cereal packs
Nature Trail in your back garden, local park or woods
Baking day
Decorate pizzas & have a 'fakeaway' with homemade wedges, garlic bread, salad. Watch a DVD, borrowed from friend or buy new & do a swap
Trip to the local pet's store & lollipop after.
Visit your nearest beach or free nature reserve or woods

• take a flask for tea & some hot x buns with, for a snack
  

Family cinema (sneak in homemade popcorn)
Etc

[Creamycoolerwithcream]

Love the pet store idea, my DC are teenagers now but I may take my DH!

[Aeth1992]

I've just tried to 'like' these posts...

The Ice cream man can peddle his wares away from my house. Boxes of mini 'magnums' from Aldi are the way forward here.

[theuncivilservant79]

Loved these thank you

The nature reserve ones have really inspired me. Dd1 is easy but dd2 just wants to be free all the time (18 months) - the nature reserves would work so well for her

[Fluffycloudland77]

Local grocers for salad, my shopping bill goes up in summer because of salad plus you can't freeze it etc.

Try making wraps. I'm going to try that tomorrow.

If you want national trust membership the scottish one is valid in the English properties and you can buy monthly dd not all in one go.

[foxdongle]

My dcs have a blue peter badge that they got from sending in some art work. With the badges dcs get in loads of places free until the age of 16. There is an attraction list with places all over U.K. some of the places change yearly. we've been to alton towers every year, tower of London, London dungeons, space museum, etc etc etc and saved £££.
perhaps you could get your dcs to have a go at doing something-writng, art, poetry to send in?

[theuncivilservant79]

Fox dongle I'm v inspired!

[Ruprekt]

To keep salad longer ie half lettuce or half bag leaves, place in bowl and place a damp piece kitchen roll on top of it. Keeps for days.

[Ruprekt]

Mine have BP badges too.

One wrote a poem, the other did an eco project.

Been to Legoland and Chessington this week for free!!!!

[Passthecake30]

Another one. .today I Cut some of the sleeves off llong sleeve tshirts for dd to make short sleeves. Look fine. ..and at the rate she is growing they won't fit her come autumn anyway

[Supermum222]

I never knew about BP badges and free entry to attractions. I have had a look at the website and it says they can do a picture with a 50 word letter about why they deserve a badge.
What sort of picture? Something environmental etc? It would be well worth it for us as we have 2 primary aged kids and have paid full price at a fair few of those attractions.

[Ruprekt]

Write about anything!

Think of a theme.....picture, poem, rescue a toad,

[foxdongle]

hi
mine sent in art pictures. one was of the BP ship. you didn't have to do the letter then, just name and address. though 50 words isn't much.
They have to be at least 6years. mine are 12 and 14 now, so over the years we have saved a small fortune. we also look if we are going somewhere in the uk on holiday for what is in that area.
last week I took dd to the tower of London bp badge got her in free - £11 saved simple as that. :)

[ConfusedPixie]

Out of curiosity, can you use the BP badge alongside a Merlin pass? Might be handy to know if I can get my charges to send off for some badges!

[Ruprekt]

Yes you can CP.

Dh and I have Merlin passes, kids have badges. We save a bomb!

[ConfusedPixie]

Awesome, good to know for when DP and I do have kids! And it means that I could take my charges to local attractions if I get them to do a blue peter project :)

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

I am saving the free visitor attraction vouchers from Kellogs. One adult goes free for every paying adult.

I have got two out of town weddings to attend this summer so I have booked two hotel rooms from premier inn for 25 each. They have a sale on all their hotel rooms until Sunday 29 April.

[Supermum222]

Interesting about the Merlin passes.
My daughter is 6 in June and my son has just turned 10 so it would be a good time to get BP badges. Will get my thinking cap on over the weekend.

[spababe]

My boys have BP badges just to warn they took a few months to come through. They both send in pictures - one was under the sea and one was of a BP pet. We have just used them on the BBC tour in London and it was great for tweens/teens

[dementedma]

Annual membership of National Trust and Scottish Heritage save us a small fortune.

[Chottie]

Our local library has loads of free stuff going on, play sessions, reading club etc.

The Friends of our local park run tree and bird identification sessions, bat walks, duck tours regularly throughout the year.