13 ways to have a cheaper summer holiday with the kids

Six weeks off school. It sounds lovely until you add up the cost. Extra meals, days out, bus fares, "can we get an ice cream" — it soon runs into hundreds of pounds. And with prices still high, lots of parents are feeling the squeeze this year. The good news is there's more free and cheap stuff out there this summer than ever. Here's what's worth knowing.

1. Kids go free on buses in August

This one's new. All through August, children aged 5 to 15 travel free on local buses across England. There's no pass to apply for and nothing to sign up to - they just hop on. Some places do even better. In the West of England it covers the whole school holidays, and in the North East up to three kids under 11 go free with a paying adult. Check your local bus company before you set off, as not every route is included.

2. A VAT cut on days out - worth having, but it only goes so far

Until 1 September, the government has cut the tax on kids' meals in restaurants, children's cinema and theatre tickets, and entry to places like theme parks, zoos and soft play. The saving comes off at the till, so there's nothing to claim. Be realistic about it though — it's around £2.50 off a £20 ticket, and a big theme park day for a family of four can still run to well over £200. So treat it as a bonus on days you were already planning, not a reason to book something you can't afford. Pop your postcode into summersavings.gov.uk to see what's included near you — and remember the best-value days out this summer are further down this list, and most of them are free.

3. Free holiday clubs if your child gets free school meals

The Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) runs free holiday clubs across England for children on benefits-related free school meals. Kids get activities, sport and a proper meal, and it doesn't cost you a penny. Search your council's name and "HAF" to find what's on near you - places go fast, so book early.

4. Kids eat free (or for £1)

Loads of places do this all summer. At Asda cafés, kids eat for £1 all day with no adult spend needed. At Morrisons, kids eat free when you spend £5, and there's a free cereal breakfast for the whole family in the holidays. Tesco cafés give a free kids' meal with any adult item if you've got a Clubcard. Beefeater and Brewers Fayre do two free kids' breakfasts with one paying adult. Bella Italia, ASK Italian, TGI Fridays and YO! Sushi all have kids eat free deals running this summer too. Always check the small print before you go, as dates and rules vary. Find a full list here: All the places where kids eat for free – or nearly free – this summer

5. Turn your Clubcard points into days out

Tesco Clubcard vouchers are worth double when you swap them for days out, so £5 in vouchers becomes £10 towards places like zoos, theme parks and restaurants. If you've got points sitting there, this is the best thing to do with them.

6. Get 2-for-1 entry with a train ticket

Travel by train and the National Rail Days Out Guide gets you 2-for-1 entry at hundreds of attractions, including big London ones. Even a cheap ticket from your local station counts.

7. Grab a Blue Peter badge

Children aged 6 to 15 can earn a Blue Peter badge by sending in a drawing, a poem or an idea to the show. It gets them free entry to more than 200 attractions across the UK. It's free to apply and kids love earning it.

8. Try a Kids Pass trial

Kids Pass does cheap introductory trials and can knock up to half off theme parks, zoos and cinema tickets. Just set a reminder to cancel before the trial ends if you don't want to keep paying.

9. Do the maths on annual passes

If your kids love one place, an annual pass often pays for itself in two visits. Some attractions let you upgrade a day ticket to an annual pass on the day for a few pounds more. Ask at the till before you pay.

10. Free workshops in shops

Hobbycraft runs free and cheap kids' craft sessions in the holidays, and Dobbies garden centres do a free monthly kids' club. An hour of free entertainment and something to take home.

11. The library is your friend

The free Summer Reading Challenge runs at libraries all over the UK, with stickers and prizes for reading six books. Lots of libraries put on free holiday events too.

12. Go where it's free anyway

Parks, beaches, splash pads, nature reserves and most museums cost nothing. Pack a picnic and a football and you've got a full day out for the price of the bus - which, in August, is free too.

13. Set a holiday budget before it starts

Work out what you can afford for the whole six weeks, then split it by week. It's much easier to say no to one thing when you know there's money set aside for something else.

If the holidays are stretching you too far

Summer piles pressure on every family budget. Putting days out on credit or Buy Now Pay Later can feel like the only way not to let the kids down, but those repayments will still be there long after the summer ends. If you're borrowing to get through the holidays, or bills are starting to slip, don't wait until September to sort it. We can help in lots of different ways including looking at your budget to help you find some savings, to debt and income maximisation advice. It's always better to deal with money worries early.