Let ASDA know your summer budget tips and have a chance to win £200 to spend at ASDA Groceries NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

ASDA have asked us to find out what Mumsnetters top tips are for saving money while still having lots of fun in the sun this summer.

Here's what ASDA say: "We've just launched #SaveSummer, our answer to keeping the kids entertained this summer, without spending a fortune. Every week for the remainder of the summer we will be releasing a series of ideas and activities online with which you can keep the family entertained on a budget. We would love to hear what your top tips are to enjoying the summer on a budget, whether they be games, trips or arts and crafts!"

So how do you keep the little ones entertained in the summer? What are your top tips for family fun on a budget?

However you and your family enjoy summer whilst keeping costs down, please let us know. Everyone who adds their thoughts, comments and tips to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive £200 to spend at ASDA's online grocery shopping site*.

Please note that any comments posted on this thread may appear in an email Mumsnet will be sending out, and potentially elsewhere.

Thanks,
MNHQ

*The £200 evoucher will be uploaded into the winner's account. This will be in the format of 8x £25 evouchers that can be used within 1 transaction or against multiple, but the evouchers will expire after 3 months. If you are not already registered with Asda Groceries, you will need to register in order to obtain the prize. eVouchers are only redeemable online within the Asda Groceries site.

[elizaco]

Take picnics/drinks with you.
Look out for vouchers.
Swap dvds/games with friends.
Have their friends over and have picnics/walks.

[fossil971]

Rediscover your board games - during yesterday's wet weather we had Battleships and other "championships" going on

Go places on the train such as London, often there are cheap deals and then 2-for-1 vouchers on top. A few weeks ago three of us went from the Midlands to London for the day, including travelcard, for about £30.

Always take packed lunches and drinks

Remember to go back to places that gave you an annual pass with your ticket, like the national Space Centre (taking a picnic of course)

Look out for free or cheap holiday clubs run by local churches as part of their children's ministry (have to say this as we are doing one this week!)

If you bought English Heritage membership last year, flippin' well use it

The local off road mountain bike trail centre is a good afternoon out for only the cost of parking

If you are stuck out somewhere - the local Asda cafe is normally great for a cheap lunch

[CelticPromise]

Pick your own fruit is a good day out.

Check out the local children's centres- in our borough there are some brilliant free activities going on.

Spread out the good stuff, so one or two big trips a week.

Look at attractions you can visit again without paying- we went to London Transport Museum a few months back but the ticket gets you in for a year, so that's free next time. Look at membership too, we are zoo members which is pricey but means we can go every week in the holidays and see something different every time.

[SuedeEffectPochette]

I got a large cardboard box from Sainsburys (sorry Asda!) (the sort crisps had been in). We have had it for years and every so often I bring it in from the garage and it becomes their tent/shop/rocket/hidey hole. Anything really. It is great. Plus they have decorated it with pens and slowly added lots of detail over the years.

[misshoohaa]

Catch up with friend and make sure you all host a play date during the hols. Going to someone else's else is always fun with a host of new toys and surroundings and rain of shine people with kids will inevitably be best equipped to host a gaggle of children. Coordinate with parents before hand to sort if you are bringing pack lunches or if the host is supplying.

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

We look for free activities, children's centres or make up our own such as a walk to the library - read I'm going on a bear hunt - go on a bear hunt!

Take picnics

Make ice lollys

[supergreenuk]

We did baking today and our local council put out a huge sand pit for the first few weeks of the holidays so we make the most of this free activity while its here.

I avoid indoor play centres as they hike the prices and limit the time which isn't very money savvy.

We use Tesco vouchers for days out.

[gazzalw]

Blackberry picking and then making jam/crumble is a very engaging and almost free day out and the blackberries are almost ready to harvest

[poachedeggs]

We have membership of the local council leisure scheme. It is incredible value and as well as access to all the swimming pools in the region there is also a huge programme of summer activities for all ages.

We spend loads of time biking in the woods, feeding the ducks and playing in the park.

It is also brilliant to have family time at home, just chilling out. We have enjoyed lots of days in the garden this year, in the paddling pool, having water fights, whatever really. It's called the summer "holidays" for a reason! And it isn't good for anyone to have all their time filled with planned stuff, kids need to learn to entertain themselves a bit too.

We can't really manage a proper holiday on our budget but we have had a night away (travel inn on their room-for-£29 deal) and we had a weekend camping.

[dahville]

We're big on walks and being outside. There are so many places you can go from play parks to nature reserves to cliffs to beaches to city centres. Make each trip a little adventure with things for your little one to discover, e.g. a beach that has a petrified forest at low tide, or a wooded area that has blooming wild garlic or bluebells in spring. A little internet research is all it takes for new discoveries.

Take picnics or snacks on each of your walks so you don't have to buy food on the go. Again, the internet is full of good ideas on how to make food fun and interesting.

Take advantage of free museums (or free days if they are not 100% free in your area); you don't need to spend long, just look at on or two exhibits and go each week.

Plant an outdoor garden and tend to it and harvest it with your little one.

Mostly kids just want to spend time with you.

[finlaysmum12]

have a tub of ice cream and home-made ice lollies ready in the fridge. just before the ice-cream van is due to visit, present your family with their treat from the freezer.
will save money and moaning!!

[Mandy21]

Sign up for all the local deals (companies like Groupon, Living Social). Recently got a family voucher for a local attraction for £25 (should have been £99). Sign up to websites that give information about local activities, what's on guides, local events. Get a group on school mums in a Facebook group (or on an email group) and let everyone else know if you've particularly enjoyed something or there is a discount code for something. Get children involved in free activities - nature hunts, treasure hunts round the garden and in the street (my children's absolutely favourite activity), garden games.

Food wise - always take a picnic and have your own drinks. If you're going to eat out, always check online (websites like Money Saving Expert) before you leave to see if there is a discount code or voucher you can use. If you are in a restaurant, get children to share an adult's portion, rather than buy 2 x children's meals, often works out cheaper. Just order water - drinks in a restaurant add a ridiculous amount to the bill.

[littlemonkeychops]

Be prepared in advance. All the little costs add up, so always take a packed lunch, drinks and snacks with you. Try and keep paid for activites to a minimum and if the weather is nice just get outdoors - park, beach, woods etc.

Think of fun activities for the garden, make an obstacle course out of cushions and boxes, use any big cardboard boxes to make dens, go on a bug hunt, fill the paddling pool with loads of tupperware for water play, do messy play with jelly or shaving foam.

Have a picnic in the garden!

[LittleMissSnowShine]

Stay in a family friendly youth hostel when taking a break with the kids - much less hassle and at the mercy of the weather than camping is, in some gorgeous locations and most are self catering so all you need to do is a big shop at your local supermarket before you leave to pick up the kids' favourites and you are ready to go!

[Elainey1609]

Picnics, baking free activities
Lots of parks and visits to library
Getting the crafty box out many many times
Lots of 2 for 1 vouchers

[herecomesthsun]

We have done/ are doing

• few hours at the local beach, we take snacks for the kids with us and get coffee/ icecream there
  

-Summer Reading challenge at the local library

-Playday in the park, free

-local RNLI fun day, free entry (although we did spend a bit on fun things and to support the RNLI)

• local fun days, free entry at local theatres
  

• planning to visit a National Trust site on a day with "value added" activities for children
  

• local carnival (free entry to activities)
  

• local council run "festivals", free entry
  

• will be using local tennis court at £2 a session a few times
  

-if can summon the energy will get out our frame tent, pitch it in the garden and weatherproof it. I would predict a huge potential for den-making and excitement here.

-picnics in the garden

-bike riding (we live in a country road with bike paths)

• getting the 2 kids to paint on their easel in the garden
  

• story writing about some of the things we've done
  

-meeting up with school friends at the village pay park

[Patilla]

When the British summer turns to its more normal rain we do a treasure hunt around the house where I place a series of clues which they look for and bring to me to read out until they find the prize which can range from a sweetie to an afternoon film.

We check local press and Magazines for details of free or low cost events.

We've had indoor paddling pool days on bad weather too, put up the paddling pool indoors, get dressed and had a paddling pool equivalent of a teddy bear's picnic.

When the weather is better we have done treasure hunts where I've made a list of things to find, usually with pictures as DS cant read yet.

We've also done a pretend safari and taken our binoculars out to find animals. It's amazing how many bottle top beetles and piece of string snakes there are in suburban England!

[Lotstodo]

Set a budget, it's good for your child to learn the value of money early! Keep a box of ice lollies in the freezer and only buy them when you are out if you really have to.

Have different themes such as, if watching a film or DVD perhaps one day if it is raining or you can't go out, have a cinema theme. Buy or make some popcorn, arrange chairs, turn the lights down and invite friends to join you.

Each week have a theme for a shop. For the baker's you could make some cakes or even bread. Set up a book shop or a library using your child's books. Encourage your child to use their imagination. Act our stories from books - dress up as a fairy, with home made wings or make a knight's armour out of cereal boxes.

Always take a picnic and bottles of water or squash and spend the day at the park or woods. Find out the names of plants and trees. Collect things and then make a collage with them.

[stickortwist]

Always take food snacks and water bottles of drink if going out.
If possible buy multipacks of ice creams from shops rather than individual ice creams.

I give 9 yr old ds1 a budget for dinner.... He then chooses a recipe and cooks it himself. Teaching valuable life skills and i get out of cooking !

[flamingtoaster]

Favourite activities:


"Paint" with water on patio/outdoor walls.
Walks in the woods - draw wild flowers and then identify them when we get home.
Spend the day iiving in the tent in the garden - all meals eaten out there, etc. (visits indoor to the loo are allowed!).
Visit local places of interest as if you are a tourist.
Baking.
Local free events are always worth a look.

Always take a picnic and snacks to keep the costs of outings down.

[RiaBexleyGreenwichLE]

The best days out always seem to be the impromptu grab-a-football-and-some-sandwiches-and-head-for-the-local-park type days. It's free! You'd be making them sandwiches for lunch anyway so why not head out with a football and eat al fresco? The kids enjoy it and get some exercise too.

If in London, there are always the free museums too - Science Museum, Natural History and not forgetting the National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory in Greenwich too.

[IncaAztec]

Summer fun has to equal cheap fun in this house. Picnics (even indoor or teddy bears picnics!), saving up for cheap trips out and taking your lunch with you. I also keep drinks and snacks in the car for when we are finished if the outing is some distance away - save some money that way too!

[Fillybuster]

Lots of little things:

• 'Make your own ice lollies' can fill many hours if done right!
  

First, a bit of planning: design your lolly. What colours? What flavours? If you're feeling adventurous, what shape? Get the dcs to draw a picture of what they want to make.
You don't need special molds (although the £ shops do sell a range) - we keep old yoghurt pots for this....

• How are you going to make those flavours/colours? Think about which fruits would make those flavours...maybe include a trip to the greengrocer or just look in the fridge/cupboard to see what you can 'make'. Squash, ribena, fruit juice, squashed kiwi, blended melon all make good colours and different flavours. 1 or 2 drops of food flavouring and food colouring can go a long way, too!
  
• Make up 3 or 4 different colours/flavours in jugs.
  
• Start to assemble...you can make great 'layered' lollies by freezing a bit at a time...it only take about 45 mins for each layer to freeze enough to add the next one. Clean up in between....and don't forget to insert a 'stick' (plastic picnic spoons are good).
  
• Eat...
  

• Library. Our local library is running a reading challenge with prizes, free of charge, which is keeping the dcs busy.
  

• Build a den in the garden (or indoors if it is raining)
  

• Baking biscuits/cakes, then wrapping up to look nice and delivering to an elderly relative or neighbour - combined with the visit, this can take an entire day
  

• Make a 'film'. Spend a day planning, developing, practising and acting a short story to be filmed, then watched with popcorn and much giggling. Provide props etc. This works really well if you give the dcs 5 or 6 image cards and tell them to make up a story based on that. Film them during the development/practise stages as well as the final 'result' - they will love watching it back afterwards. It works especially well when trying to entertain visiting children and relatives!

[HannahLI]

So Summer activities:
-Baking and cooking. My kids love getting involved and they can help pick and take ownership. I always try and tie making cakes and fun things (rather than meals) in with when we are visiting friends for playdates etc.. as I like to take something and it then covers two activities.
-Build things out of Junk! OUr recycling bin is always full of packaging etc, and we always have tons of boxes to build with. It can take hours and days to create something if you make it, then paint it, then play in it!
-Tents in the garden (or indoors). My children love building dens and the great thing is you can build over and over again
-Games in the garden - we forget that our own garden is a resource and that it has hours of playing in it just waiting. Create a goal from a washing basket, mark out a bowls pitch, use outside chalk to draw pictures, make a hopscotch.
-Find local walks and go out with the pushchair/bikes. Look for paths away from the road where the kids are safer and there are styles to climb over!
-Garden centres - they are free and most have got loads of animals to look at, outdoor activity playareas and a cafe. They are perfect for trips out!

[mum2eci]

Picnics at our local park are always enjoyed (if the weather is nice) nothing there to spend money on and kids can run around and let off steam!

Visit to local libraries to renew books or take part in free holiday activities.

Baking session at home always goes down well with my 3 little ones and they get to eat the end product, even better!

Making session using scraps of material etc we've collected.