Savvy mum shares her October half term hacks – from £1 trains to bagging free food
SCHOOL holidays can be stressful for parents but there are ways to keep the kids entertained without going broke.
With October half-term upon us, there’s no better time to start planning, and this money-saving mum has some tips.
Emma Farrell, 44, from Wrexham, North Wales, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: “I have been booking plenty of activities in advance to ensure there’s at least one to take the kids on each day.
“I’ve been able to save over £100 by planning my schedule at least a week beforehand.
“I’ve been able to keep it varied with days out playing crazy golf and plans to visit restaurants on the cheap!”
Here are Emma’s money-saving activities which will keep the kids, and your wallet, happy.
Visit Morrisons Cafe
It might not be everyone’s first thought when it comes to entertaining the kids, but thanks to Morrison’s ‘kids eat free’ meal deal, it’s a perfect day out for families.
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“If you head to Morrisons Cafe you can save on the price of a kids meal by getting it for free if you purchase an adult meal worth £4.50 or more, Emma explained.
“Each kids meal includes a piece of fruit and a drink, and it can be either a meal from the kids menu or a chilled kids snack pack. I like to go here after doing a quick shop, or on the way back from a day out.”
Buy Train Tickets For Just £5 Per Adult & £1 Per Child
“Greater Anglia is running an Autumn Hare Fares Deal which includes a major giveaway – 50,000 seats to and from London are on offer for £5 one way, booked in advance online,” Emma said.
What’s more, kids tickets only cost £1 one way, so Emma has already made some “massive savings” by booking some tickets in advance.
Book A Hotel For £29 Or Less
Whether you’re planning a getaway or just looking for a fun staycation idea, the money-saving mum suggests looking at Travelodge.
She said: “There are over 40,000 rooms available for £29 or less, making it much easier to book a trip away. By booking in advance, we managed to book a room near Hull for just £32.99 to stay in on the way back from Flamingoland.”
There are loads of locations available too such as Newcastle, Nottingham, and Manchester, so there’s plenty to choose for everyone.
Enjoy A Day Out For Under £30
These days it seems impossible to take the family out for less than £30, particularly when it comes to fun things like paintballing, bowling and more.
But thanks to BuyAGift you can as Emma revealed you can have an action-packed day out for two adults and two kids for just £29.
She said: “Families can choose activities in over 200 locations, and choices include tickets to animal parks, paintballing, escape rooms, bowling, sightseeing tours and more. I have booked the kids in for a day of crazy golf as they loved it last time we went.”
Save £20 On Legoland Tickets
According to Emma, you can often save money by booking tickets in advance and that’s the case for Legoland.
“If you plan ahead, those wanting to take the kids to Legoland over half term can book their ticket online at least a week in advance to save £20. If you go for the Brick or Treat Online Saver, you can save up to 30% and pay £39 instead of £56 on the day,” she said.
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What’s more, the deal includes an extra visit in 2022 free of charge, meaning you get a 2 for 1 offer.
“The kids have been desperate to go and now that coronavirus restrictions have eased enough, I can make the trip possible,” she said.
Discounts at Flamingoland, Madame Tussauds, London Eye And More
Families of four can also enjoy other fun days out simply by paying in advance.
For Flamingoland in Yorkshire, parents can save over 25% of the cost just by booking online a week earlier.
Emma said: “I will be combining this trip with an overnight stay in a hotel on the cheap so the kids can have a change of scenery.”
But a day in London can be cheap too with loads of two for one offers available.
In addition to the £1 train journeys with Greater Anglia, you can save as much as £44.95 on activities such as the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, The London Dungeon and Wembley Stadium Tour.
Emma said: “For our family of four, we only had to pay half of the price for tickets to Madame Tussauds – an activity which has been on the bucket list for a while!”
Get Breakfast At Beefeater For Free
Emma has arranged to have breakfast at Beefeater where two kids under 16 eat for free during the breakfast buffet whenever an adult meal worth £9.50 is purchased.
She said: “The offer is available every day until 10:30am, and there’s no limit to the amount of free food kids can eat! I’ll definitely be keeping this offer in mind if we drive past one during our trip to Flamingoland.”
Play Ten Pin Bowling 2 For 1 Deal
“Tenpin is offering plenty of deals for families on the hunt for October half term activities,” Emma revealed.
“Their main offer is a 2 For 1 deal where you can get 2 games of bowling in for the price of 1.”
But food is on offer too with a burger meal for just £3.50.
“You can pick your location using the drop-down menu to see specific offers available for your area,” she added. ” I will give this activity a go if we get rainy weather during half term.”
Grab A Pizza Hut Buffet For Under £6
Pizza is always a good idea and luckily families can make the most of the Pizza Hut Buffet where kids eat for just £5.99.
“Every hut offers the lunch buffet on weekdays until 3pm, and it’s unlimited,” Emma said.
“Adults can join in for just £8.99 per person. The kids always love going to Pizza Hut so I will be sure to keep this bargain up my sleeve!”
Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said: “It can be daunting to think about a whole week where kids will be at a loose end unless you come up with plans for them, but Emma has proven that there are loads of deals to snap up – especially if you book online in advance.
“Members of our community are always looking out for deals which are shared on our website, and in recent weeks we’ve had some great half term offers coming in – plus, it’s not too late to book and grab a bargain!”
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