Keeping kids busy during the summer holidays can be expensive.
OLIVIA MARSHALL of Sun Money explains how to find cheap—or even free—days, meals, and fun activities that don’t compromise family finances.
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FREE DAYS
Getting the kids out doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Children under 17 can see a West End show for free in August, including & Juliet and Jersey Boys, when an adult purchases a full-price ticket.
Read more on official londontheatre.com/kids-week.
You can also visit a number of National Trust and English Heritage sites around the country for free, although you may have to pay for parking.
With a Blue Peter badge, your kids get free entry to attractions such as HMS Belfast and Whitby Abbey. Request a badge via bbc.co.uk.
Do you have a Tesco Club Card? Parents can redeem vouchers for up to three times their value to purchase tickets to Alton Towers, Legoland, Chessington World Of Adventures and more.
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FREE MONEY
IF you’re experiencing financial difficulties this summer, check with charities to see if help is available.
Many offer grants to help with household bills, clothing, and even vacations. Martin Lewis and his Money Saving Expert team recommend using online tools to find grants you may qualify for.
National charity Turn2Us (turn2us.org.uk) has a grant search feature on its website where you can see what support is available to you.
The Family Holiday Charity helps families get away together during the school holidays, but a social worker or teacher should refer you.
FREE OR £1 MEALS
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KIDS eat free all day at Morrisons Cafes when adults buy a meal that costs £4.99 or more.
Dobbies Garden Centers and Yo! Sushi also offer a free kid’s meal when their parents go out for a main course.
Spend £9.50 on an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast in the Brewers Fayre, Table Table or Beefeater pubs and two children under 16 eat for free.
Asda and Bella Italia both have £1 meal deals for children.
Families visiting Ikea can get a meal from the children’s menu in the cafes for between 95 pence and £1.50.
If your child receives free school meals during the school year, they are entitled to vouchers that you can spend in the supermarket.
Parents can usually claim between £15 and £30, but this can vary depending on where you live.
Check with your municipality, because it can be a kind of postcode lottery.
You can register via the municipality’s website or via your child’s school.
£500 FOR CHILD CARE
OVER a million families could qualify for help to cover childcare costs during the summer holidays.
Tax free childcare gives families up to £500 per child every three months. The money can be used for holiday clubs, before and after school care, childminders and nurseries.
You can get up to £1,000 if your child is disabled.
For every £8 you put into a tax-free online childcare account, you get an extra £2 topped up by the government. It is available for children up to 11 years old, or 17 years old for disabled children.
There are rules that determine whether you will receive tax-free child benefit. It depends on whether you work, how much you earn, your child’s age and your immigration status.
You can usually get tax-free childcare if you or your spouse are working, on sick or annual leave, or on shared parental, maternity, paternity, or adoption leave. You may also qualify if you are not working, as long as your partner is.
You must also be entitled to a disability benefit, a serious disability benefit, a health care benefit or a contribution-based employment and support benefit.
You can find more information at: www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare.
FREE ACTIVITIES
PARENTS can save a few pounds and keep the kids fit during the holidays by taking advantage of their community’s free swimming, cycling and gym classes.
The boroughs of Brighton and Oxford offer these deals and you can see what your borough has to offer by referring to the website.
Also, join your local library so kids can read books and use the computers for free.
If you want to keep the kids occupied at home and stimulate their brains at the same time, Amazon Study can come in handy.
There are a lot of free resources, such as math and science workbooks for kids ages 5 to 16. You can take a look at what’s available online at Amazon Study.
Is your little one inspired by Wimbledon?
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) organizes free tennis sessions or coaching in over 100 venues in England, Scotland and Wales.
SWITCH TO HSBC OR NATIONWIDE FOR CASH CASH GIFT
FREEBIE hunters have until midnight tomorrow to grab £170 by transferring their bank account to HSBC Advance.
After that, the bank abolishes its reward to new entrants, which was the most generous deal offered for months.
To get the money, you must be a new customer who has not had an account with HSBC or First Direct as of January 2019.
Grab your free money by going to the HSBC website and filling out the form to switch checking accounts.
To be accepted for the Advance account, you must be eligible for an optional overdraft of £1,000.
The account does not require you to pay a minimum monthly fee, but you must deposit a minimum of £1,500 within the first 60 days to receive your bonus.
You must also transfer at least two direct debits or standing orders. Nationwide Building Society is also offering £100 to new customers who switch to its FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus accounts.
If you already have a savings account or mortgage with Nationwide, you can get a higher bonus of £125. You must move at least two direct debits.
With the FlexDirect account you can also receive an interest of 5 percent in the first year on a balance of a maximum of € 1,500 if you pay at least € 1,000 per month. MoneySavingExpert.com has found a loophole that allows you to get the full £125 bonus – even if you’re not yet a Nationwide member. To do this, open one of the three accounts that offer the bonus, but do not ask to switch from your existing current account.
Instead, wait until a day after you receive confirmation that your new account has been opened. You cannot get the bonus by switching from one Nationwide current account to another.
But if you already have a Nationwide current account and an account with another bank, you can transfer the other one to Nationwide to get the £125.
Rachel Springall, financial expert at comparison site Moneyfacts, said: “Switching is easy, but it’s essential to compare all the benefits and costs to make sure it fits the customer’s needs.”