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More ideas for budget things to do in the school holidays
Are you like me and not going away this summer or going on holiday at the end of August? Well don’t despair, Mrs Bargain Hunter is here ;-). Here are some more ideas for you to fill the summer days.
Turn your living room into a cinema
Everyone loves a trip to the cinema on a rainy day, but let’s face it, the cost of a family ticket plus food isn’t exactly cheap! So why not try your hand at recreating the magic of the pictures at home with your loved ones this summer? Try blacking out your windows, grab some microwaveable popcorn and ice-cream, and spend the afternoon holding your own personal movie marathon!
Check what summer events your council is holding
People often forget that local council websites are handy for more than …
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Free places to go in the school summer holidays
Many towns have free experiences, museums and art galleries that include interactive areas for kids. I’ve done some digging and here are some that I have found around the country for you to enjoy in your summer holidays. Please suggest more in the comments.
Belfast
Start with the Ulster Museum, a Northern Irish museum that is home to a large collection of art, history and natural sciences. From Ireland to the South Pacific, ancient relics to hands on activities, the museum offers something for everyone. There are even dinosaurs and an Egyptian Mummy.
Now onto the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, where you can discover cottages, farms, schools and shops set in parkland. Costumed guides demonstrate traditional crafts. There are also steam locomotives or you can experience the sensation of flight in the Transport Museum. …
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Cheapest and most effective way to label school uniform
Life’s too short to sew or iron on labels, so I save my time and money and use Stikins.
For the last 10 years, I have been responsible for labeling shirts, shorts, bags, lunch boxes, shoes and more. I have had labels melt on my iron when the glue in them starts to deteriorate, been embarrassed by my lack of embroidery skills and had “smudged” or writing that’s not visible when using pens on dark items, small labels or uneven surfaces.
I have been using Stikins now for four months. They are from £6 for 30 labels or £12.50 for 120 labels and if properly stored last two years. Compare that to my iron on labels which have glue that has deteriorated in less than a school year already. At 30 mm x 15 …
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Paying for Easter kids clubs with childcare vouchers
I have been using childcare vouchers from my employer and Sodexo, a voucher scheme administrator, for 11 years now. I don’t get childcare tax credits, so this is the next best thing for me.
This year’s budget has introduced some changes, but don’t come into play till next year, so till then I will use my voucher entitlement.
I don’t pay tax or NI on childcare vouchers, so that’s a huge plus.
As the kids grow up, childcare costs have decreased, but I still use holiday clubs and after school clubs and the ones I use accept vouchers. Even in teen holiday clubs, they are accepted!
Childcare vouchers are a salary sacrifice scheme. You need an employer that offers the scheme, and your childcare provider has to accept vouchers for it to work. If you …
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Free and low cost ideas for family fun over Easter
Soon two weeks of Easter school holidays will be upon us. While as kids we were out on the streets playing till it got dark, today it’s hard to get the kids away from their screens, so I’ve put together a list of ideas to keep them busy, ranging from Easter Egg hunts, free pet workshops, story festivals, to biscuit making kits and free apps.
Free My Pet Pals Easter Activity Club at Pets at Home
To celebrate super small furry animals, like the Easter Bunny, the nationwide pet shop Pets at Home will be providing Easter fun for children, with free pet workshops over the Easter holidays. “My Pet Pals Easter activity club” will be holding workshops at 2pm throughout the week using fun, interactive activities to educate the next generation of pet owners …
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Free rubber band balls – great idea for school charity week or fetes
Now I am always looking for fun and cheap to make ideas to sell at the school’s charity week. I usually make cakes or biscuits, but the ingredients aren’t always cheap…butter, sugar for example.
This year I will be supplying rubber band balls, all for free.
We’re looking at selling the largest balls for up to £1 and the small balls for 20p – 30p…. the kids will pay that, as they get a cool bouncy ball and the money goes to charity…we’re all winners!
So what do I need…patience and loads of rubber bands. I don’t want to pay for the bands, so where to find them?
Well if you go to a post office sorting office you will find loads just lying on the ground. Red or brown. I have been going when …
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Wasgij Destiny 14 How Times Have Changed Jigsaw Puzzle – solution
In my cheap things to do for February half term, I mentioned Wasgij from Jumbo Games, as a cheap way to while away a blustery Feb half term day and actually it’s good fun family entertainment for anytime.
Anyway, we tried out the Wasgij Destiny 14 How Times Have Changed Jigsaw Puzzle. You can pick it up from around £9.99 from Amazon. It’s a time-travelling puzzling concept where we had to imagine what the image on the box will look like 50 years on. This will keep your whole family busy over a few days, unless you fancy a mega puzzle session.
We liked it so much, it’s still made, so here’s the solution for those of you who love this puzzle….don’t look if you don’t want to know.
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My mini Matalan haul of kids clothes
Matalan is a god send for me when it comes to cheap but good quality kidswear. I also love the Falmer Heritage range for women…but that’s for another post.
I nearly always buy the kid’s pyjamas, socks, pants, t-shirts and trousers from there. I find that the styles are great and they wash really well. But most of all, the prices are really competitive.
There aren’t many Matalan stores around. They tend to be large units out of town. They remind me a bit of the big American mega stores. There is a loyalty card that you can get and if you have it, they will send you discount vouchers. Matalan has an online store which is fairly well stocked and when you buy, you can get money off at TopCashBack.
I needed some pyjamas …
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Free and low cost ideas for February half term
Half term is looming, so while sitting the kids in front of a screen is the easy option, here are some ideas for keeping them amused without emptying your purse.
Get crafty with Hobbycraft
In Hobbycraft stores nationwide there will be a range of activity for children to do every day between 11pm and 3pm. The activity in store is free, and includes things such as Foam Shape Decorating, Face Painting, Pom-Pom animals and decorations, Making Sessions and a few others. Find your local store here: http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/storefinder
Cheap films at Vue cinemas
The Vue Kids AM offer which is normally over weekend mornings will be extended during the week days in half term to every morning, in selected Vue cinemas. Tickets cost from just £1.75 for 2D films and from £3 for 3D films, for …
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Men’s and boy’s haircut for £5 – Kings Barbers
I get miffed that haircuts for my boys cost £10.25 at weekends and £8.75 on week days, so today we popped into Kings on the High Street in Solihull.
They are doing all cuts for £5. Of course, it’s an introductory offer, but for boys it goes up to £7 when the offer finishes, so that is still a nice cheap haircut. The barber didn’t know when the £5 offer will finish, but it got me through the door and was half what I would pay normally, so I was happy enough.
There was a family in there with three boys and a dad so that must cost a bit every month, so Kings must be welcome on the high street for them and many others.
The barbers is open and airy with five stations. …
