Family days out can be expensive, but they are also fun too and one thing I have learned is that experiences bring much more fun and many more memories than things. So I try and make sure that our family days out are as well planned as possible and to make them as inexpensive as possible.
Planning
Planning your day out can often bring the biggest savings. Yes, sometimes you want to be spontaneous, but if you know where and when you want to go then taking 20 minutes to plan can save you a lot of money:
- Look for two for one vouchers online
- Convert your loyalty points. At the moment you can double up or more your Nectar points for some great summer picks
- Check if there is a discount for booking tickets in advance online
- Is it worth buying an annual pass if you are going to be visiting more than one over the period of a year.
Food and Drink
Food and drink can really add up on a day out. By far the cheapest way of tackling this is to take your own. We pack a picnic lunch and a flask and also take cold drinks with us too. We also pop an extra flask in the car and a tin of sweet treats to prevent indulgent afternoon visits to cafes too!
If you are planning on eating on your day out look out for food offers and also many places off refillable drinks. At around £6, I could certainly spend less taking drinks but someone would have to carry the drinks around all day.
Do not be afraid to ask for tap water. We do and also we often ask for two plates so we can share cake between the boys.
Exit via the gift shop
Many places now make you exit through the gift shop which can be a nightmare for families with small children.
We have our own strategy to deal with this. We let the boys buy one postcard each for their scrapbook on the way out.
Other methods could be giving older children a set amount of money to spend or explaining that you have spent so much money on the day out that you do not have any spare.
Be Prepared
Once you have gone to all that trouble and expense to pay and plan for a day out, you really want to make the most of it, so ensuring that you have waterproofs and sun cream is essential (as you never know what the british day might bring).
Also make sure you have everything you could need. Such as a change of clothes, swim costumes (for water play areas) and towels.
Lots of places have lockers that you can leave things in or you can leave things in the car and go back for them when you need them.
Do you have any tips for saving money on family days out? I’d love to hear them.
This post is in conjunction with Nectar Summer Picks
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