Low-cost family days out for summer
Summer’s nearly here, and whether you’re looking for ways to entertain the kids or fun days out with friends – it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are three ideas for enjoying the weather without spending a fortune.
1. Visit a free museum or gallery
There are hundreds of museums and galleries scattered throughout England, Scotland and Wales and most offer free entry or ask for a discretionary donation. This includes places like the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, and the National Gallery. Many cities and towns have local museums dedicated to history, culture or specific areas of interest too. Take a picnic lunch and eat in a park to avoid expensive restaurant prices.
2. Head to your nearest free farm
Farms are a great day out for kids and adults alike and many of them are free to visit. You don’t need to be in the countryside either, city locations such as the St Werburghs Farm in Bristol and the Tam O’Shanter Farm in The Wirral are popping up everywhere. Activities will depend on the farm itself - but there should be animals to interact with, walking paths and an amazing café or farm shop to explore.
3. Use loyalty points to pay for adventures
Sign up for supermarket loyalty schemes so you can rack up points every time you shop. Both Nectar and Tesco Clubcard points can be spent on everything from waterparks, experience days, theme parks, castles, aquariums and zoos. Usually, you’ll get more value for your points this way, than you would spending them in store.
If you save money this summer, you might want to consider funnelling it into your pension, where it can grow over time and help fund your retirement. You can increase the amount of money you pay into your TPT pension each month by making changes in your online account, or consider using an AVC to pay in a one-off extra chunk of cash. Don’t worry, you can always reduce contributions again if your circumstances change.
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