QUICK - we need your top tips for keeping costs down on family days out

[AbbyMumsnet]

Sunday Times just called and need a couple of top tips for cutting costs on family days out. Both actually getting into attractions - where do you lot get your online vouchers/deals from - and while you're there. (Pack a picnic and other more inspired thoughts.) Also, favourite free attractions. Can you post asap? Cheers m'dears.

Scour your local papers Whats On section, noticeboards etc for free events that are coming up.

A lot of things happen that aren't particularly well publicised -open days, events in parks and libraries, family nature walks etc

FromGirders some of the girls at work sell them to raise money for local schools/clubs etc

it costs about £20 and its FULL of vouchers for local shops/places etc - we always get one as a couple of visits to pictures etc and its paid for itself

here!!!!

If you are going by train - get a family railcard and check whether the place you are going to such as cadbury world, think tank, @ Bristol that sort of place sells the ticket with the train ticket. We've saved a fortune by doing this.

lol at Abby getting all excited!

oooh

look close to home....there are loads of places we pass regularly that we keep meaning to check out....castles, parks, cycle paths etc..

organise a big picnic in a local park with other families...don't forget the wine!

i second south wales fab museums...all free entry and loads of different things to do...

train ride into town, spend a few hours in the library...read the fab books, do some colouring, rent a really cheap dvd, train home, then cinema session with popcorn in the afternoon.

always check out websites for freebies/cheappies/vouchers/deals etc...before you head on a day out www.hotukdeals.co.uk is often a winner

in cardiff, we have a free magazine called "the primary times" its given out in schools and available at soft play centres, clinics etc... gives a comprehensive termly guide to whats on locally, including special events.

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Take your own popcorn to the cinema, saves the ruinous prices.

Orange wednesdays, or equivalent, my local Odeon is reduced price on Tuesdays,
another cinema does a monthly ticket which means you can go to the cinema unlimiited times that month.

Annual membership of Nt, English Heritage, Cadw etc saves a lot, or season tickets for local attractions. £100 gets all 4 of us into Bowood house all year, we go most weekends, it would cost about £25 per visit.

Tesco clubcard days out are marvellous! As much as it begrudges me to say so.

Always always always take drinks with you for the kids, wherever you go. I find a sports-type water bottle that I can refill anywhere the best, and take it even if I'm only planning on being out for half an hour.

On a picnic:

Serve your guests Laurent Perrier (saving the more expensive vintage for yourself)

keep a shedload of cheap icecreams or homemade ice lollies in the freezer. Then when they kick off about wanting an icecream/lolly, just say ''we'll have one when we get back''

Nature's World in Middlesbrough is great, it costs a couple of quid to get in (or buy a family pass for a year for about £30) you need more than a day to see it all, we've been going regularly for a year and found new stuff today!! we will be spending a lot of the summer there!! and clubcard deals again for everything else!!

This year we;re having lots of picnics, rockpooling days and nature walks (all free of course!) and I'm looking forward to it more than if we were going abroad or to a big attraction, we always have a better day doing these type of things anyway!

borrow a child in a wheelchair to get yourself onto the London Eye

it costs loads less plus you jump all the queues

my dd1 is available at a knock-down price

If there are attractions which are "extra cost" on top of admission prices - make sure you avoid them like the plague. Make sure your DCs do not know they exist.

Check any height restrictions before yoiu go and make sure it is suitable for your child to pay the entrence fee and that you will get value out of it.

clubcard points for entry here too

picnics all the way, including flask of proper coffee

I make up diluting juice or take big carton of juice and plastic cups for the children rather than buy cartons

during picnic season (ie school summer hols) it's much cheaper to make cakes than buy snacks for picnics

before going to eg the safari park, i make it utterly clear that it's costing a lot and when we get there there's NO WAY we're doing bouncy castle/face painting etc

i like to have a season ticket for one place locally - that way it seems free everytime you go! this could be a birthday present for the kids?

Don't waste your time traipsing around The Natural History Museum (yes I know its free)

Far more fun to be had chasing the pigeons on the grass outside.

Abby - thanks for the tip. Was the Tower of London good? Our kids are 8 and 4.

Check off peak hours and days and pick the time you go if you're flexible, some places have different rates for different days

Swimming at local pool, some pools have discount days or cheaper times when it's quieter, or allow you to bulk buy tickets eg for a month so that you save overall

Go to a park in a different town, ds is always thrilled to bit to try new swings

Local libraries often hold story reading sessions and have details of local children's/toddlers'/babies' groups on their noticeboards

Coolbox in the car with proper food and also junky snacks in it for an outing - if anyone wants rubbish food at least it's not as rubbish and pricy as in the cafe!

If I am planing an outing, I surf the net for special offers, money off vouchers I can print off etc. I use clubcard deals for days out too. Some places sell cheaper tickets online, Lastminute.com for Legoland, for example. In the West Country, you can buy a book of vouchers called Invitations for £20, which seems a lot, but we saved that the first time we used it. I don't know if they do it anywhere else, but it is good for holidays as well as locals.

Thanks dizzydixies that's a good link! Looks great for our area. Will def get one once I start working again.

girders some of the vouchers are crap but it makes you think of new places to go to eat/shop/visit etc and it really does pay for itself after a couple of uses

Tower of London was good - went with DS, then 7, and DN (nephew), then 9. They particularly liked the torture stuff, which was a bit worrying.

Make bread dough with the kids, fold it around sticks (keep layer thin otherwise it will take ages) and bake them over a campfire. Then eat.