To mark the start o the summer holidays, Carrington Dean has launched its new Summer Holiday Survival Guide, to help parents and guardians on a tight budget find ways to have fun with their children, without the financial burden.
It comes as the Trussell Trust has reported that almost three million emergency food parcels have been provided to people in hardship over the last year.
Layla Johnson, regional manager at Carrington Dean, has listed her top tips below.
Geocaching adventures
The great outdoors is a parent’s best friend during the summer holidays. It can cost next to nothing to explore it, and Scotland is already a dream destination for young explorers to find hidden treasure.
In the last three months, there’s been a 24% increase in Google searches for “geocaching” in Scotland. Geocaching is essentially a digital treasure hunt, where kids use a GPS to discover the buried containers – known as geocaches. You then sign the log to state you found the treasure, before moving onto your next discovery. The beauty of geocaching is it not only helps kids to discover a sense of adventure, but encourages them to enjoy vital daily exercise, too.
Enjoy free deals with the National Trust
There are often a number of free admission promotions for families in the summer for the National Trust. From Glencoe National Nature Reserve to Culzean Castle and Falkland Palace, there are hundreds of beauty spots in Scotland to explore.
Check for deals regularly throughout the summer months to discover options for free family day passes to National Trust spots in your area.
Be less loyal to supermarkets
While it pays to get loyalty and membership cards to supermarkets, such as the Tesco Clubcard, Asda Rewards and Morrisons More, it can also be smart to shop around.
Write your weekly food shopping list, and don’t deviate from it. We often overspend in supermarkets when we go without a plan, and you’re far less likely to go over your budget if you stick to the items you actually need for the family this week.
If you have a number of different supermarkets nearby, consider shopping around to see if you can save – each retailer will have different offers each week.
Bake with the kids for less than £1.50
Let your kids explore their creativity, and have a real sense of achievement with an at-home baking masterclass!
Jo Middleton, author, podcaster and blogger at Slummy Single Mummy has shared her quirky recipe for a well-known jammie biscuit that parents can use to spend quality time with their children AND enjoy a tasty snack – for just 10p per cookie. You can see the full recipe in the guide.
Benefit from charity support
No matter what, parents should never feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help. There are a number of charities across Scotland whose purpose it is to help children and parents improve their wellbeing.
Many low income families in Scotland could benefit from a government scheme called The Children’s Holiday Food and Activity project, which provides a hot meal and snack to nursery, primary and secondary school pupils during holiday periods.
Children 1st also works with families in their local communities to offer practical, emotional and financial support to protect children and their families from harm.
Your Summer Holiday Survival Guide
Commenting on her tips, Layla Johnson at Carrington Dean said:
“There can be immense pressure to ‘make memories’ during the weeks the kids are off school, which may mean parents can be left feeling anxious or isolated. Costs are rising due to childcare and food supplies, especially if their children were getting free school meals.
“These tips and our Summer Holiday Survival Guide have been created to help with both free and cheap activities, but also to ensure that parents know that they do have a number of options and resources to turn to, should they feel overwhelmed.”
Click here to read Summer Holiday Survival Guide: Have Fun Without the Financial Stress.
