That school holidays are not that expensive...

[Soggyflatjack]

We had some family over the other day who said the school holidays end up so expensive because of all the trips the children want to go on and to keep the kids entertained.

I disagreed.

I have two school aged children 5&7.

Yes, I'm paying more because they are home for an extra (morning) snack and lunch.

Petrol is just a little added cost as I drive DC to two different schools anyway which are quite far apart. I pay extra for car parking costs or sometimes we get the train somewhere

I'm lucky that we have a garden so I can throw DC outside to play.

We play games, make a creative mess which gets on my fucking nerves, go to parks, have picnics, go to friends houses and they come over to us. I also take the DC to toy shops so they can play.

I don't have any membership for anywhere like the merlin pass

I'm not including childcare costs.

I'm not including any booked summer holidays.

AIBU to think that you don't need to spend much on outings or am I missing something completely...? What are you doing which costs so much?

Can I be cheeky and ask how much you spend over the 6 weeks...? Do you budget for the holidays?

Twins here too.
They've gone off today to meet friends for lunch and a mooch to buy bits and pieces for Reading.

Another trip to the cash machine ...

My holidays have been very expensive and my children are younger than yours! (3&6) My food bill jumps a huge amount in the summer especially as we are not at home a lot. They have big appetites and get free school meals in term time! During the term they wear uniform/older clothes for nursery and the rest of the years clothes aren't really suitable for 6 weeks of summer and last years have been grown out of so need replaced! I am lucky enough to live in a nice city with lots of free stuff but almost all requires public transport (5 and over pay here) we walk to school and nursery or extortionate parking, and lunch unless I want to lug a big cool bag about all day along with everything else I need for 2 young children. My kids aren't homebodies and do not sit and watch tv for any length of time, thankfully we have a garden but it's communal and when they are playing out there I end up feeding half the street! (I'm not even including our 2 week foreign holiday or week up north or the clothing required for each holiday in this or our trip to Brighton and London from Scotland on the train and eating costs during these times) so yes YABU to think that just because you can do things cheaply it's possible for everyone!

I'm a childminder and am an expert at doing holidays on a budget, but really I am bored of picnics in the park, walking in the woods and going to the library.
At the weekend when DH is here and it's only my three, we are doing other things (more expensive things) but even just weekend entertainment adds up quite a lot. £30 for trampolining on Saturday and £20 for swimming on Sunday. That's two activities, not full day things, an hour on sat and 2.5 on Sunday. £50 gone, the holidays a expensive, I'm sure in a few years you will realise that.

The toy shop thing, elc and toys r us, do this, I'm not sure how you get any admin jobs done while you are there, mine would always be going in Seperate directions, opposite ends of the shop and I would be panicking I'd let one out of my sight. We didn't do it often.

OP, i think you're going to get a shock to the system in a few years when your children are older. I'd start saving if i were you

They don't have to be expensive, even for older children. I couldn't afford to take my three out and about lots or give them extra cash to go shopping when they were teens, but they had a lot of fun all the same. And no computer games either! It's different for everyone OP, but you can keep things small scale if you like. I'm amazed by all the theme park trips and so on some people do, they always seemed way too expensive. There's lots you can do round and about home

I'm curious cunning - what did you do with your teens during the long school holidays to keep them amused when you were at work to make sure they weren't in front of a screen all day long? I find that I do have to fork out for things and the costs mount up - especially as they no longer qualify for child entry charges.

My DC are 9 and 11. Until this year we went out every day of hols (though sometimes only for a couple of hours) as they were a nightmare if we stayed at home - likely to fight, tell me they were bored or constantly ask if they could watch TV (or more recently go on iPads). Good news is they were often happy with park or National Trust kids activities so could be free although biggest cost probably cafe lunches as picnics every day gets boring both to prepare and eat. But this year they don't want to do those things any more but happy to spend time at home drawing, reading, baking, playing swingball, even tidying up! So fewer days out but more of those we have had were expensive - cinema, Hampton Court, theatre, etc. Wouldn't want to be doing expensive trips every day (though could afford it) but equally wouldn't want to not do any of them. A balance gives us a mixture of good memories and lots of opportunities to have fun together.

I work in education so was around with them in holidays... Which I know is a big advantage. But I never felt it was up to me to keep them amused. We did projects sometimes when they'd help paint a room or sort the garden out. We got into routines working round each other and taking time out. I used computer for work so they didn't have the option of being on it themselves!

What do you all do with older children who only want expensive days out during the holidays? We are planning a few cheap days out next week (NT with picnic, quiet beach with picnic). We are deliberately avoiding places with costly entertainment. Teenager is sulking because he wants to go to a beach with a theme park and 'stuff to do' otherwise it will apparently be boring and a waste of time going . I told DH we should either go without him and leave him bored at home or we should make him come with us regardless. Spending lots is not an option next week.

I found it much easier and cheaper to entertain my teens when I was working p/t - the days that I was at home was the days when we just pottered. Now I'm working f/t, I have noticed that it's more expensive to keep them occupied - they will go out with their friends and need more money for that, otherwise they would probably be less inclined to do something that didn't involve a screen.

I certainly don't spend massive amounts, but I've certainly found it more expensive when they are living more independent lives esp. when I'm not at home during the long holidays.

Once they become teens, they have the capability to understand that, if you want to spend money, you have to earn it first.

Older teens can work (which also means they don't have weeks of doing nothing), and younger teens can earn money from you, getting jobs done, such as cutting the grass / clearing out the garage or shed, or whatever.

Mine are all Scouts / Explorers / Young Leaders so often have stuff to do for that taking up some of the time. There's all the boring stuff that need to be done - shopping, haircuts, opticians, dentist, clearing out rooms etc. there's usually a few days of arguing about clearing out the rooms before anything actually happens. Often there's some decorating to do. They do meet up with friends occasionally - in the park or wherever, or they invite them round to play in the paddling pool or whatever. By the time you factor in lie-ins, and take out the time you are on holiday as a family, I don't have to entertain my teens at all, like I did when they were younger.

I absolutely agree - they can earn it when they get older (if they can find work, of course). Round here, shops etc tend to start employing when they're 17. Mine earn money from me (the oldest one works in McDs) but that still means I'm paying out.

Scouts and Explorers (and most other clubs etc they've been involved with) stop over the summer, although mine have done trips away with them at the beginning of the holidays (UK and abroad) again, more expense at a higher level than when they were little.

My children are 5 and 2. I'm at home all school holidays which is great. Cheap things we have done:
Library reading challenge
Parks, meeting friends at country park (parking £2.50)
Friends round to play
BBQ at weekends
Swimming- just paid £4.10 for myself
Out on bikes and scooters
Obstacle course and water table in the garden
Baking, painting nails, college etc
Big paddling pool at local park = free

More expensive things:
We have passes to a local theme park so have been once a week.
Farm with Tesco vouchers
Cafe lunch with friends
Soft play

I try to limit the pricy activities to one or two a week and am creative with packed lunches, up to a point then we might have fish and chips on a Friday or a ready made sandwich from the bakery etc. Luckily there's lots to do in our area.