How to make days out affordable

We love getting out and exploring the UK, but as soon as you set foot out of the door these days it starts costing money. Experiences are more important to us than things, so we prioritise days out, but it’s still not easy to manage our budget.

So here are a few tips to help make days out more affordable in the UK.

Free days out

My first step to making days out more affordable is to check out what free activities are on offer in my local area. I always start with our libraries, as they offer a range of free events and activities all year round. Even if there’s nothing on, I often take the kids for a mooch and to choose some new books, that always keeps them entertained for a bit.

Our local museum is a firm favourite with the whole family

Museums are also a great place to visit and many are free. If you’re visiting somewhere new, they’re a great way to get to know the area. We revisit our local museum every time there’s a new exhibition and we always learn something we didn’t know before.

Many interesting or old places have designated open days where you a visit for free, or the annual Heritage Open Days in September is a great time to see lots of amazing buildings for free.

We visited this windmill in Milton Keynes during a special open day

It’s also worth keeping an eye on local Facebook groups, as this is where events are often advertised, and don’t forget that bloggers (like me!) can be a great source of info. For example, see my post about free things to do in Northamptonshire this Easter.

Look for Offers

There are many ways to make days out more affordable and I never pay full price for a day out if I can help it. I am constantly checking social media to see if there are any great deals going. I also get a lot of offers through my job: in fact many employers have similar perks so it’s worth checking out if yours has similar. Schemes like Blue Light Card and Kids Pass are well known, I have also recently discovered Planet Offers, but there are many more. Wowcher and Groupon occasionally come up trumps, it’s just a matter of keeping your eyes open.

Other ways to save money on days out, include using supermarket loyalty points, taking advantage of community days (where local residents get free entry) and buying tickets in advance – as opposed to paying on the gate prices. Sometimes it can work out cheaper to buy an annual pass or membership, it’s worth checking as each situation is different.

When I do book days out, travel or accommodation, I always check and see if I can get any cashback. I have used Topcashback for many years and earned thousands over that time. (This is my own referral link, if you sign up, we both get a bonus)

How to save on travel

Travel can make up a big part of the cost of days out, so it is worth doing your research and making sure you are saving as much money as possible.

With car travel, check your local petrol prices and use the cheapest, that is far better than filling up on the go, where prices near main roads and on the motorway can be much higher. Also, spend a bit of time doing research on parking options, sites like JustPark and Park Let have many options and are usually much cheaper than car parks. It can often be better value to take advantage of park and ride schemes, this also takes away the stress of city centre driving.

Train travel can be a minefield, and in order to save money it is essential to plan and book in advance. It can work out cheaper to buy a railcard, it’s worth doing the sums for yourself. If you can be flexible with your travel arrangements, you have a better chance of making your day out more affordable.

Train travel can be a minefield, but a few minutes research can save £££

Don’t forget that the bus can also be a more affordable way to travel in the UK. Local operators often run special group day ticket offers at weekends and in school holidays, which can help families save money. Over longer distances, FlixBus and National Express offer alternatives that can be cheaper than the train.

Food and drink

We rarely buy meals on days out. As a family of four, even getting us all a drink and a sandwich can easily end up costing £30 or more. That is a big chunk of our budget being thrown away on something we could make ourselves for a fraction of the price.

We never go anywhere without a picnic!

We also take a couple of water bottles, many places have free refills and this really does save a lot of money. We do occasionally buy food, but it is definitely a treat, rather than an everyday occurrence!

Do you have any great ideas to help make days out more affordable? Let me know in the comments below.