Mum's £2.50 hack to 'save hundreds' on summer holiday outings with kids

Wales Online

2 days ago

Mum's £2.50 hack to 'save hundreds' on summer holiday outings with kids
With the cost of living seemingly always on the rise, it's hard to keep the kids entertained for – but one parent has shared a genius 'hack' she claims can save you hundreds
A mum-of-two has shared a 'genius hack' for the school summer holidays (stock)
(Image: Caiaimage/Paul Bradbury via Getty Images)
With the school summer holidays now upon us, keeping children entertained for six weeks can prove challenging at the best of times – but with living costs continuing to rise, it becomes even more daunting. However, one parent has revealed a brilliant "hack" which she claims could potentially save families hundreds of pounds during days out.
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"This is one of the best money saving tips for the summer holidays," declared mum-of-two Amy Samantha in a TikTok video. "As a family of four, sometimes we're looking at £40 for lunch out – so this is what we do for the majority of our days out and it only takes about five minutes to prepare in the morning."
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Samantha Ann's clip continued as she opened a tin of hot dogs from her kitchen cupboards whilst demonstrating her technique. The mum then prepared the sausages, which cost just £2.50, at home before placing them – along with their brine - into a flask.
Not forgetting the tomato ketchup and American mustard, Samantha Ann packed them into her rucksack alongside a packet of hot dog rolls.
"It's easy to carry around like this," she explained. "No giant cool box is needed and as you can see, my kids absolutely love them.
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"It's a summer holiday winner from Ye Olde Oake [hot dog brand]," she announced as her children could be seen enjoying their meal on a picnic blanket.
One TikTok user, in response to the idea, praised it as: "Genius... I look at the insane prices charged today and just don't understand how people afford it. Growing up we always took packed lunches/picnics with us, it was a real treat to go to a cafe or restaurant. It's ironic that things have turned full circle."
Another person concurred: "Good on you your saving loads. Why give money to use expensive places when you have a winner there."
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A third added: "This is a fantastic idea thank you for sharing. Hot food in the go."
Whilst a fourth TikTok user simply stated: "Good on you, it's so expensive now for families."
Earlier this month, reports indicated that families, on average, will spend an additional £611 over the holiday period, adding strain to already tight household budgets.
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A survey commissioned by Utility Warehouse, involving 1,000 parents with children aged 5 to 14, revealed that costs can escalate even further for those booking clubs and camps, adding another £385 to the bill. Day trips are expected to cost an extra £199, while food and snacks alone could increase expenses by £401.
Steve Long, spokesperson for Utility Warehouse, commented: "With a mix of day trips, summer camps and even an increase in cost for keeping the kids fed, these additions soon add up, but there are some great ways they can save money. Shopping around for bargains and using money saving devices like rewards and cashback cards can be a big help."