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If you have children then you will be very used to the 5/6 week holidays every summer. It can be such a drain on finances trying to keep children entertained for weeks on end, paying for childcare, or even just feeding them all summer.
Why is it children are always hungry? I know they are constantly growing but I swear a child’s stomach is bottomless! The truth is the summer as a parent is blooming hard work!
Save money by planning for the summer
It is over 5 months until the summer holidays. If you can just save £10 a week think of the difference that will make in the holidays. I know that it can be a tough time to fund and sometimes you’ll have to look for loan options to get you through. The sudden panic when you realise you don’t have enough for trips out? Here are a few tips to help you save money in the summer without actually saving a penny now!
Sign up for money-saving websites
Signing up for websites where vouchers and discounts are often shared and just keeping an eye on them can make all the difference. Money Saving Expert is my favourite for this.
Save every loyalty card voucher you get
When you spend at Morrisons and get your £5 more vouchers, save them ready for the summer. Even one or two could pay towards a picnic!
Planning for the summer with 2-for-1 vouchers for days out
Cereal boxes, the back of car park tickets, newspapers and even leaflets through the door can have vouchers for attractions. Save all of them just in case it is somewhere you fancy going in the summer.
Get free trials
Sometimes free trials are available of things like railcards which can save a lot of money on days out. Keep an eye out for these on forums etc.
Book early
If you are considering trains, coaches or driving into central London it is much cheaper to book tickets in advance. I look at parking websites and often in advance there are some very good value spots available in perfect locations.
Planning for the summer food to save money
Picnics can be really cheap if you don’t buy the food at the last minute. When you see reduced bread, wraps, sausage rolls etc if they can be frozen then buy them and freeze them. Carefully organising your freezer can mean you get lots ready for the summer holidays.
Buying snacks for the kids which are healthy but not fruit in advance can be helpful too. As long as the dates are long enough adding a few bits to each week’s shopping can make a difference. Adding boxes of raisins, rice cakes etc adds just a pound or two each week to the shopping bill but you will be thankful in July!
How are you planning for the summer holidays? If you are going on holiday you can diet there too so the choice is yours.
Planning for a healthy summer
If you want healthy food for a relaxing summer where you don’t put on the pounds I have some great summer recipes to help. Be sure to get out the BBQ and put rubs on meats, marinate tofu or get that charcoal in to ensure that you have a great time.
Whatever you do be sure to plan ahead because we all know that when the weather is nice no shops have BBQ foods in anymore and the whole of the supermarket is full of people with trolleys of bread rolls and beer.
If the weather is a bit questionable there are plenty of cool summer meals to make in the air fryer to avoid putting the oven on or settling for a Mexican salad or Greek salad again!
A healthy summer means a little planning ahead to ensure you can stay on plan and still have tasty summer foods. That way you can always save calories or syns for favourites, mine are low-syn chocolate or Jaffa Cake gin!
If you hate meal planning then check out my summer meal plan or for cooler days my late summer/autumn plan.
