How To Save Money On Summer Days Out

As I wrote the words summer in the title of this post the heavens opened and I thought I’d jinxed this whole sunshine thing entirely. We’ve just had 10 days of pretty scorching heat, and it’s just a lull (I hope!) But the British summertime seems to finally be upon us. And with lockdown measures relaxed- even if the complete easing has been pushed back by four weeks- there’s fun to be had in the UK. If you’re anything like me though you’ll be trying to look for ways to save money on summer days out as life is suddenly getting expensive again.

I’m all for the brunches and cocktails and actually going out to do things. But it seemed to happen all of a sudden and my budget is still getting used to it. But going to your favourite spots in the UK and enjoying the summer doesn’t have to be expensive.

Here’s how to get out and about but still save money on summer days out.

Take a free walking tour

If you’re heading to a new city or just want to find out more about your local city there are plenty of free walking tour options.

You can save money on summer days out by downloading your own free walking tour via VoiceMap app. The app is free on both iPhone and Android. Each tour gives you a map of the walk you’ve chosen and an audio guide to accompany it. Tours including an introduction to London’s theatre district narrated by Sir Ian McKellan, and a Harry-Potter themed walk around Edinburgh.

Freetour.com offers free in-person group guided tours which you can find by searching by location. Your guide may invite you to tip at the end so if you liked the tour you can leave a little tip.

Save money on summer days out by exploring all things outdoors

We’ve all spent a lot of time outdoors during lockdown, but now the weather is nicer we actually want to. There are a huge number of walks through woodland, coastline and countryside which is maintained by the National Trust. And you can find online maps that are free to access here. The maps will show the length of each walk and its difficulty level so you can choose one that suits your time and fitness levels.

If you’re spending your time outdoors with kids you can download the National Trust’s ’50 things to do before you’re 11¾’. The list is a checklist of ideas for activities ranging from making a home for wildlife to stargazing. These are bound to keep the kids entertained and you’ll save money on summer days out as most are free (or cheap) to do.

Do a treasure trail

I mentioned Treasure Trail in my Father’s Day gift guide, but at just £9.99 each you can follow an interactive treasure trail. You can search by region and find a trail that suits you. Then you just download and print off the booklet to head out. I did a wizards trail in my hometown of Watford and although we didn’t solve the end puzzle we did see loads of parts of Watford I’d never seen or noticed before (despite living there for 30 years!)

You can also save money on summer days out by Geocaching which is free. The app can be downloaded to your phone and you can access a map of any nearby caches or treasure. Once you find a cache you sign the logbook hidden and leave it for the next person to explore. These are great ways to see more of your local area or explore somewhere new.

 Save money on summer days out by paying less at attractions

You can save loads of money by booking attractions in advance instead of paying on the day. With COVID most attractions want you to book in advance anywa. But this gives you time to search for deals, vouchers and the best price. If you’re a family of two adults and two children over 11, you can save £60 on entry to Alton Towers by booking at least five days in advance (weekend/ during school holidays). This is a huge figure to save.

Check out sites like Buyagift or Red Letter Days for family or couple vouchers which allow you to choose from a range of activities. If you buy the voucher when there’s a promotion on (or with additional cashback) you can save extra money! For example, this deal for the Tree Top Adventure at GoApe for one adult and one child is £36 with Buyagift, and £40 if you book through Go Ape. If it’s your first time you can sign up for a £10 discount on your first Buyagift order. And ordering now would give you 8% cashback through Quidco. And all this money adds up.

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