With the half term holiday out the way, the countdown to the summer holidays is on. In a post-pandemic world, a lot of us are still looking closer to home for holidays and days out - and we certainly don't turn our noses up at saving money. Read on for my top ten tips to save money on your summer holiday adventures here in the UK.

The Hassan family are in the centre of the image with the older children on two small pillars with Lanercost Bridge behind them.

10 ways to save money on days out this summer

1. Sign up for a National Trust membership

If you fancy a visit to the stunning National Trust locations around the UK, signing up for a membership will be worth your while. We pay monthly for our membership, and get more than our money's worth. With multiple car parks you can use for free, as well as beautiful locations and luxury houses to enjoy, you'll never be short of ideas of places to visit this summer.

Did you know? You only need to use a National Trust membership card for parking 2-3 times a month to equal the membership cost. This means any additional days out such as when we used ours for entry to Wallington, are completely free.

Squidgy and Pickle are standing in front of a National Trust sign saying, "Welcome to Wallington". They are in matching yellow dresses with matching yellow bows in their hair.

2. Sign up for a English Heritage, Historic Scotland, or Cadw membership

If historical sites are more your thing, those owned by English Heritage, Historic Scotland or Cadw make great choices when it comes to deciding where to go for a summer holiday days out. Members can park at and enjoy these sites (including places like Carlisle Castle and Lanercost Priory in Cumbria or Warkworth Castle and Lindisfarne Priory in Northumberland) for free. Plus you can use your membership to get discounts if you visit sites of the heritage organisations in the other countries (for example our English Heritage membership will give us discounted tickets at Historic Scotland's Urquhart Castle in the Highlands.)

Did you know? Similar to National Trust, it doesn't take much to get your money's worth. You only need to use an English Heritage membership 6-8 times for entry to equal the membership cost, depending on the locations you're visiting (as they all cost different amounts.) That's not even one day out a month!

John is pushing the stroller and the 3 older children are stood around him. They are all looking at a black English Heritage sign for Brougham Castle which is attached to a brick wall.

3. Invest in annual passes

If you think you'll visit somewhere local to you enough, annual passes are a great choice to save money. These passes for locations such as The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland or Safari Zoo in the South Lakes, allow you to enjoy these days out without needed to rush about or feel any pressure to explore every part of the site. We would visit The Lake District Wildlife Park once a week or every other week when we lived in Wigton and having an annual pass made so much sense - and the children never got bored of visiting either.

Pickle is on the right of the image, wearing a blue floral dress and facing the camera smiling and sticking her tongue out. To the left is a Safari Zoo enclosure with penguins in it.

4. Choose free days out and activities

With a little bit of research you are bound to find a plethora of amazing free days out and activities to enjoy.

Have a look to find free, council-funded or charity-organised activities for children from football clubs to outdoor exploration.
Of course free days out to museums are always a winner too (especially if the weather is looking a bit rough.)
Alternatively, you can simply enjoy the amazing outdoor spaces that the UK has to offer. Hike up a fell like we did in Wasdale, or walk to a hidden gem like the day we discovered Fairy Glen in Borrowdale.
If you're on holiday in Cumbria or Scotland, why not check out my top picks for Free Days Out in the Lake District or Free Days Out in the Scottish Highlands?
If you've chosen to stay close to home, the post I wrote full of 90 ideas for #30DaysWild has plenty of activities you could try - they aren't exclusive to The Wildlife Trusts' June challenge after all.

Pickle and Munchkin are climbing a tree. Pickle is smiling at the camera and Munchkin is looking to the side. Behind them is the lakeshore and Coniston Water and the Lakeland fells beyond.

5. Use coupons and supermarket vouchers

From the 2for1 coupons found on the packs of chocolate or cereal to Clubcard points accumulated at Tesco, these are a great way to save money and get free a free ticket or two for some amazing days out, and even booking with places such as Cottages.com.

The Hassans are walking down a path amongst cherry trees at Alnwick Garden. They are surrounded by pink tulips and white daffodils.

6. Use cashback sites

I mean to be fair this one is something that applies to more than just saving money on days out. Sites such as Quidco and Top Cashback are a great way to earn as you spend. A lot of sites you probably already shop on will earn you a % cashback just for clicking through to shop via a cashback site. The cashback when available can be withdrawn as cash or vouchers (which sometimes can be greater than the cash value!)

Top tip: Check your bank, as some offer similar perks simply by using your card to pay in certain shops. Also download the Airtime Rewards app which tracks your spending on cards you add, and gives you money off your phone bill, freeing up cash to make the summer cheaper.

Munchkin is in a blue polo and green shorts and blue bucket hat. He is next to Squidgy in a yellow floral dress. They are climbing the base of a large tree.

7. Shop around for the best deal - including group bookings

Whether you're looking for tickets to a destination day out, or hoping to stay in a caravan park for a summer staycation, always shop around. Just because you think you have a good deal, doesn't mean it's the best deal available. Sometimes it's worth booking direct, too. Comparison sites and the like aren't always the best place to look - they charge commission and often will show higher prices than the places themselves will charge if you book direct.

Top tip: If you're heading out with friends, consider opting for a group booking. For example, many places offer large discounts for groups of ten or more.

The Hassan family are stood with one side of Naomi's family including her Uncle, Aunt, 3 cousins and their partners plus the family dog in a Scottish woodland surrounded by pine trees.

8. Sign up for family discount sites

Signing up for sites such as Kids Pass and Days Out with the Kids will give you the opportunity to access exclusive deals and discounts to experiences and days out including theme parks, zoos, and even hotels and holidays. Both offer you the chance to sign up for just £1 for the first month, so if it's not for you, it's super cheap to start with and you can simply cancel after your first month.

Squidgy is in a blue butterfly dress, sat next to Peanut in a blue floral dress on a grey sofa in a caravan. They have a matching headband and hair bow in. Squidgy is looking at Peanut. Peanut is looking across the room sticking her tongue out.

9. Pack a picnic

Grab a multipack of crisps, make up a handful of sandwiches, add in a snack or two, and fill up some (reusable!) bottles with drink and you're all sorted. Whilst this one doesn't help you with your ticket price, it will save your wallet a chunk of change. Let's be honest, most places make money on charging through the teeth for their food. Whether it's a single ice cream costing the same as a box of four from the supermarket, or a meal which costs the same as your usual weekly shop; eating out will always mean splashing the cash.

Did you know? Some places have a 'no picnics' rule, so be sure to check before you pack one. Thankfully these destinations are few and far between, so in most cases you'll be able to save some money and bring your own food.

The three older Hassan children are sat on a bench with their bags getting out their picnics. They are in front of a stream and woodland area at Vindolanda.

10. Change up the way you travel

With the huge rise in petrol prices recently, it's not just the days out and holidays that could end up costing a lot. Check the price of travelling by public transport instead of driving, and consider opting for a family travel card. For example, a Devon and Cornwall family rail card costs just £12 a year and you will save 1/3 on adult tickets and children travel for £1.

Munchkin is wearing a green raincoat and is sat in a classic Little Tikes yellow and red toy car. Behind him is a wooden fence.

It's as easy as that. Now you have everything you need to be able to save some money and still have fun and excitement as a family this summer.

For more posts about days out and family travel, check out my Days Out and Travel blog. If you have any ideas for saving money on travel and days out this summer, feel free to add them in the comments section below.