A MUM-of-two who has racked up tens of thousands of followers with her money-saving tips has revealed her ultimate summer saving tips.
From 200 free attractions to Universal Credit discounts, Lianne Macfarlane, who posts under @mortgagefreeleigh, has shared how you don’t have to break the bank this summer.
Lianne Macfarlan, who runs the ‘mortgage-free mum’ account, share her ultimate summer saving tips[/caption]
With a following of 46,000, the 39-year-old mum-of-two, from the North West, began her budgeting journey after getting pregnant with her first child.
She shared with Fabulous: “I knew I wanted to take the full 12 months maternity leave entitlement from my job as a public sector worker which meant three months with ZERO pay.
“So, I started to teach myself about budgeting and ways to make and save money.
“I soon realised there were loads of ways I could put money to more use and I set a goal of mortgage freedom.
“Since 2020 I’ve overpaid our mortgage by over £22,000.”
Leigh set up an Instagram account to share her experiences and as well as money saving advice, she also helps demystify government schemes like maternity leave to help working parents with the cost of childcare.
She added: “It’s totally possible to have an amazing summer on very little budget.”
Here are her top tips for saving this summer…
CHILDCARE COSTS
Plenty of parents work over the whole summer which always throws up issues with childcare.
Don’t forget tax free childcare doesn’t end when your child leaves nursery.
It can be used to pay for ‘approved childcare’ which can include some holiday clubs for children up to the age of 11.
You could end up saving as much as 20 per cent of your summer childcare bill.
DAYS OUT
I love to take the kids on days out in the school break but the costs can quickly add up. There are so many things you can do to keep costs down though.
Beaches, parks and your local forest are great low-cost days out and there are many museums which are completely free or by donation entry – including the Natural History Museum in London and the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.
The Money Saving Expert site has a list of 200 free attractions here.
Many days out – such as the Natural History Museum – are completely free[/caption]
CHECK OUT FREE ACTIVITIES
Do check what free and low-cost activities your local authority and local libraries are running.
There are often completely free camps, drop-in crafting sessions, Lego clubs and other activities on offer.
Be warned, these can be hugely popular and may be means tested depending on your area.
SPEND WISELY
If it is a big family day out you’re looking for, there are still plenty of ways to bring down the cost.
Look for local attractions that offer free return visits with the price of your one admission.
Some will offer a free second visit within seven days but the best value for money are those offering a whole year of entry.
Some examples include The Deep which is a Sealife conservation project based in Hull and Eureka which has sites in Halifax and The Wirral.
Be sure to get your annual pass set up during your first visit so you can make use of that initial spend for the rest of the year.
CHECK DISCOUNT ENTITLEMENT
You could visit London Zoo from £3 if you are on Universal Credit[/caption]
Families in receipt of universal credit and some other benefits/credits can take advantage of heavily discounted tickets to various attractions nationwide.
These include London Zoo entry from just £3 and £1 entry to various RHS gardens.
You will need to provide proof of entitlement and may need to book online in advance.
MAKE THE MOST OF VOUCHERS
If you have your heart set on a particular venue and you’re struggling to find a discount you can check for promotional packets of cereal, chocolate and handwash for 2 for 1 offers.
You can get cashback on attraction tickets and if all else fails – Try KidsPass!
It’s a paid subscription service offering discounts on nationwide local attractions.
They currently have an offer to try your first month for just 99p and I saved much more than that by signing up.
CHEAP CINEMA TICKETS
Visit Vue’s Mighty Mornings with tickets from £2.49 per person[/caption]
The unreliable British weather may have you planning a cinema visit and there are a couple of ways to cut the cost of the big screen.
The first is to use discounted child screenings such as Mighty Mornings from Vue with tickets from £2.49 per person, Movies 4 Juniors at Cineworld and Odeon Kids all at much lower prices than a standard ticket.
These can be popular so book in advance.
If it’s a new release that is on your summer bucket list, check your mobile provider, some paid for bank accounts and utilities providers to see if you can take advantage of any offers. O2 priority currently offer 2 VUE tickets for £9 or 4 for £18 whilst Vodafone customers can claim 2 Odeon tickets for £8 or 4 for £16.
You might even be able to get completely free tickets depending on what offers you have available.
DON’T FALL FOR FOOD ‘DEALS’
Asda’s Kids Eat for £1 offer doesn’t require a minimum adult spend[/caption]
Through the school holidays we hear a lot about places where ‘Kids Eat Free’ however it’s often attached to a large adult minimum spend and so it’s only really a good deal if you were already going to be eating there.
Don’t get sucked in by these offers because there are a small number of places where these deals actually are good value.
The first is Asda who extended their Kids Eat for £1 offer some time ago and it has no minimum adult spend attached.
Tesco have opened their fantastic Kids Eat Free offers for the majority of the recent school holidays so whilst it hasn’t yet been confirmed, it’s likely we’ll see this return for Summer 2025.
This sees a child eat for free with any adult purchase from the café which has historically included a piece of fresh fruit from as little as 60p on weekdays.
Ikea also offers 95p tomato pasta, a drink and piece of fruit for Ikea family card members – which is free to join and you can book kids aged 3 – 10 into one hour of FREE childcare at the Småland Creche whilst you browse the store.
Some store exclusions apply, check the Ikea website for local store details.
SHOP SMART FOR GROCERIES
When it comes to food, it’s not just eating out that’s a concern.
Many families are concerned about the increase in their grocery bills over the summer holidays.
This is where my top tip is to get cashback.
A new wave of cashback sites will give you instant cashback when you buy e-giftcards for so many retailers including grocery shops.
Simply buy an e-giftcard for your chosen store and pay on that instead of your contactless and get some of your hard earned money back in your pocket.
My favourite instant cashback sites to use for this are EverUp, Jam Doughnut and Cheddar.
Free summer holiday activites
You don’t need to spend a penny to keep your kids entertained this summer…
Museums – Some museums offer free entry to some exhibits, and also host events for kids.
Parks – Head to your local park to enjoy the playgrounds, games areas, courts and splash pads. Some even have trails for kids to enjoy.
Beach – It doesn’t have to be sunny to enjoy the beach, you can go rock pooling, crabbing, make sandcastles, or enjoy a walk along the headland.
Library – If the weather is awful, head indoors and borrow books, audiobooks, dvds.
Cooking – Have your own mini bake-off, or Come Dine With Me challenge.
Playdates – Invite friends over for an afternoon of socialising.
Boardgames – Enjoy a little sibling rivalry with rounds of Monopoly or stretch your brain with Scrabble.
