6 Ways to Enjoy Family Time without Breaking the Bank

Anyone who has a family knows how expensive it can be to spend some quality time together. This is especially true for parents with 2, 3 or more children. But with some smart thinking there are still plenty of fun things you can do as a family without have to spend a fortune.

We’ve brainstormed some great ideas to show you 6 ways to enjoy family time without breaking the bank.

1. Go for a picnic

There are more than 27,000 parks of all shapes and sizes in the UK. That means no matter where you live there is one close by you can use to go and enjoy a lovely family picnic. Packed lunches are cheap and you can play lots of games with the children that will burn off their energy. Go for walks on trails and bring your smartphone along to take some treasured family pictures. 

2. Finding the money

Raising a family is expensive, especially if you are a single parent or on a low income. You might want to consider taking out a short term loan as way to fund your family time. Make sure you can afford the repayments and ensure the company is FCA registered. Also get the best interest rates and if you are successful, you’ll soon be able to enjoy all the fun activities you have planned. 

3. Make a family movie

Instead of spending time plonked down on the sofa watching another DVD, how about making a film starring the family? You’ll probably own a smartphone with a camera, and it’s a great opportunity for everyone to dress up in character and pretend play. Get mum’s make-up out and make it a silly fantasy story and everyone will have a great time watching it back later on.

4. Do free fun stuff

There is always pressure to take kids to expensive theme parks that cost way too much, but there are also literally thousands of free things to do all around the country. Check out websites like Hoop, which lists all the free family activities close to you that are available for kids of all ages. Simply put in your postcode and your children’s age and it will fire back a list as long as your arm!

5. Let the kids splash about

If you or any of your fellow parent friends have a garden, why not organise a little water party for them to splash around in? Getting kids into the bath to wash is one thing, but when it comes to paddling pools they can’t get enough of the water. While they splash around, the parents can keep watchful eye but also relax a little to enjoy their spare time too.

6. Go to the local zoo

Most people living in a city are close by to a city farm and kids love nothing more than getting up close to animals they usually only see on TV. Large commercial zoos are usually too expensive, but smaller, localised farms tend to be free. All you need is bus fare, packed lunch and you are good to go for the rest of the day.