How to save money on days out and family activities

School holidays are among the most expensive periods in the year for families. Attraction prices tend to increase during peak periods, childcare costs rise for working parents, and the pressure to keep children entertained can quietly drain the account in ways that are hard to track until after the fact.

The good news is that a lot of the cost comes from habits rather than necessity. Many activities are free or close to free. The ones that cost money are often significantly cheaper if you plan slightly further ahead than the morning you go.

Always buy attraction tickets online in advance

For paid attractions, the single most reliable saving is buying tickets online before you go rather than at the door. Most major attractions charge a higher gate price and offer a discount for online booking. The discount is typically ten to twenty percent, sometimes more. Booking a few days ahead rather than on the day also gives you flexibility on timing and removes the risk of selling out.

Check whether your bank or employer offers discounts

Many current accounts and employee benefits schemes include leisure discounts that most people never use. Check your online banking app under offers or benefits. Check whether your employer has an employee benefits portal. HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays and others all run ongoing discount schemes for account holders. These are often available for attractions, theme parks, cinema and restaurants.

Use the National Art Pass, English Heritage or National Trust

If you visit paid attractions more than four or five times a year, membership of the National Trust, English Heritage or a similar organisation typically pays for itself quickly. The National Art Pass provides two-for-one entry to over 200 paid museums and galleries in addition to free entry to some. These memberships work out to a few pounds per visit once the annual cost is spread across the number of times you use them.

Lean heavily on free options

The UK has an unusually rich set of free options for family days out. National museums in London, including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and British Museum, are all free. Many regional museums are also free. National parks, beaches, forests and country parks cost nothing to visit. Libraries often run free children's events, particularly during school holidays through the Summer Reading Challenge.

Take your own food

Food inside attractions is one of the most predictable budget drains of a day out. A family of four buying lunch at an attraction typically spends £30 to £50. Packing food from home for the same family costs a fraction of that. Most attractions do not prevent visitors from bringing their own food. Eating your packed lunch in the car park or a nearby park is not a compromise. It is just sensible.