For many of us in the UK, the summertime is one of the most exciting – a time to spend outdoors, to make new experiences with the family while children are on holiday, and when the weather is at its sweetest. With all these new experiences we’re eager to engage in, also comes the thought of: “how are we going to budget for all of this?” It’s easy to get carried away and not realize how much you’re spending on summer activities. But, not to worry. If you have some budgeting tips in mind, you don’t need to sacrifice your savings for fun. In this blog, we’ll breakdown our five tips for how to pay less this summer for leisure, food and more, so that you can feel good about what’s left in your wallet, and your memories!
Tip #1: Take Advantage of Seasonal Promotions
Many retailers host special summer promotions in-store and online. Because their seasonal inventory is limited, they want to make as many sales as possible through that season. Regardless, whatever doesn’t get sold in the beginning of the summer will go on sale at the end of the summer, which can help you save on seasonal items such as swimsuits, garden furniture, travel accessories and more, that you’ll be able to get at a cheaper price and use for the following summers to come. Our recommendation is to have a list of retailers you love to shop for most saved on your computer or phone and sign up for their promotional newsletter so that you can be the first to know when they are hosting a new sale and shop for those items at a discounted price. You can also check the Home & Garden section on the Complete Savings website to find more retailers to shop through.
Tip #2: Book and Budget for Summer Holidays in Advance
Why? Because you’ll almost always get a cheaper deal on train tickets, flights, and accommodations the further away you decide to plan. There’s also a benefit to this as well – From paying far in advance for your holidays, you have a better chance of planning other activities ahead that you may participate in – allowing you to understand how much of a budget you want to establish, and how much you’ll use so that you can take better control of your spending habits, knowing what you’ve already spent so far. Not only this, but you’re able to enjoy more of a selection of activities – booking too late comes with higher costs and les seats or excursions to do, and that’s the last thing you want to limit yourself to when on holiday!
Tip #3: Attend Free Festivals and Events in the UK
The great part about summertime, is that that there are lots of free outdoor festivals, events, and activities to take part in, which gives you the chance to save more and create fun, memorable experiences with family and friends. There are all sorts of these events happening in the UK throughout the summer months, and one of the best places to find them is by visiting Eventbrite which lists all the different events you can attend: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom–london/free–festivals/
Tip #4: Host Your Own Backyard Events
There is nothing better than hosting your own events, if you’ve got the outdoor space to do it. This allows you to make the most of your home and the outdoors in the summertime, while saving money. Although you’re still buying food /drinks/other activities for your event, the best part is that by inviting people over, everyone can contribute something to the event, lightening costs and in turn, share more together. It also allows you to make the most of your investment on any new garden or patio furniture that you’ve purchased, while giving an incentive for people to host YOU next time! Consider having some events on the long weekends and when the sun is shining so that you can choose the best days of the summer when it’s not raining. Some examples of stores that offer these promotions and provide you with everything you need to have a great backyard event include Argos, Dunelm, habitat, Homebase, and more.
Tip #5: Maximize Cashback For Big Ticket Items
Making bigger purchases online, such as flights and hotels, can take a sizeable chunk out of your summer budget. However, the benefit is that using cashback programs, you will often end up receiving a higher amount of cashback into your account when purchasing through merchants. It will help lighten the burden and allow for you to have more of your budget to spend towards other things – such as experiences, concerts, food, drinks, and more.
On Complete Savings, we have a wide variety of merchants that allow you to book high-ticket trips all in one go, such as VRBO, Expedia, Qatar Airways and more. Just think of how much you could save, if you were to spend £500 on a flight and hotel room combined, and your cashback was 10%. That would mean that you would be getting approximately £50 back, which can either be saved or put towards another dinner out! The best way to keep up to date with all our latest premium cashback offerings is to follow our social media channels, where we will often share 12%+ cashback deals on socials and on our blog! If you have any questions about how to claim your cashback, you can visit our FAQ.
Why Choose Complete Savings?
At Complete Savings, our mission is to help you get more value from your everyday spending. Our cashback offers are designed to put money back into your pocket, giving you more freedom to enjoy the things you love. By shopping through our platform, you can take advantage of these amazing deals and more.