Latest news with #KidsPass
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
The 9 little-known discount apps to save YOU £100s this summer – slash cost of petrol, parking & food… & get free stuff
You can also bag a free weekly snack at Greggs, plus huge theme park, zoo and clothing discounts I-SAVED! The 9 little-known discount apps to save YOU £100s this summer – slash cost of petrol, parking & food… & get free stuff Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SUMMER is when you want to splash out on fun in the sun – so make your money go further. There are loads of apps to help you get the best bang for your buck, including cheap food and takeaways, free trips to the cinema, thrifty days out, and even low-cost petrol. 13 Grab your phone and download these need-to-know apps to save a fortune this summer Credit: Getty 13 Check out Three+ for discounted coffee and cinema trips 13 Sky's official app has loads of rewards including free cinema tickets Credit: Sky #1 – YOUR REWARDS APPS Chances are, you're paying for a phone bill – and maybe a telly subscription, too. Well the rewards apps linked to those services should be your first port of call. The Three+ app gets you £1 coffees, £3 Cineworld tickets, and 15% off at River Island right now. Vodafone customers can use VeryMe Rewards to get Adventure Days (with 50% off zoos, theme parks, and attractions via Kids Pass). O2 Priority gives you a load of rewards, such as a free weekly snack from Greggs, discounted Disney+, and two Vue cinema tickets for £9. If you're signed up to Sky TV, you can claim a free movie from the Sky Store by going into the MySky app and looking for your VIP rewards. And if you're paying for Sky Cinema too, you'll be able to get a pair of free Vue cinema tickets every single month. That could save you and a pal £240 a year alone. #2 – CHEAP FOOD (AND THAT'S NOT ALL) The average weekly food shop - without any booze - is around £103, up around 18% from two years ago. One way Brits are dodging the price hikes is with Too Good to Go. It's a food waste app where shops, cafes, bakeries and restaurants can flog their surplus food at discounted prices instead of binning them. How to save on your supermarket shop THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop. You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced. If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time. Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket. Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too. This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines. Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect. For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50. If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too. Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund. You're throwing away money on Netflix – I found three common mistakes sending your bill soaring but the fixes are easy You'll usually pay less than half price for the grub – and you're doing a good thing, because it would've just ended up in the bin. Just download the app and you'll be able to "rescue" food near you. Simply pick a location, confirm the choice, reserve the food, pay in the app, then go collect it at the specified time. Another similar app is called Olio, which is a free giveaway app. 13 Too Good To Go can get you extremely cheap food Credit: Too Good To Go 13 Olio is a great way to get your hands on freebies locally – including fresh food Credit: Olio Maybe someone bought too many biscuits for a birthday party, and has loads of packs spare – so they're giving them away. You might bag yourself free bread, tins of beans, or bits and bobs for baking. It's not just food either. There's a whole non-food section that could see you scooping up, car seats, lamps, pots and pans, or unwanted books. The app is meant for local community giveaways so you shouldn't need to travel far. And you won't pay a penny, which makes the deal even sweeter. #3 – NATURE NEAR YOU There's nothing cheaper than Mother Nature, but it's hard to know where to start. That's what AllTrails is for. It's basically a giant guide to great walks near you, and it previously won Apple's App of the Year award. You just look for where you are (or where you're going) on the map, and you'll be able to see brilliant walks that people have planned. 13 AllTrails is a cheap and easy way to find amazing nature near you Credit: AllTrails It'll show pictures of the walk, how difficult it is, and how long it'll take you – plus it helps you navigate once you get started. And a reviews section will reveal if it's actually any good. Plus people will often post about conditions ("it's muddy, so bring boots!") to save you from making a clothing error. It's a great way to explore an area you don't know, or find a hidden gem of a walk near you. It also warns you if you've taken a wrong turn, which is obviously very handy. And if you want to make your stroll a bit more exciting, consider downloading the Merlin app. This listens out for bird noises as you walk along, and it'll pick out the species in real-time. It's shockingly accurate, and even flags when you've picked out something rare. It's fun for kids to try to spot the birds – and the family can compete to see who can clock up the most rare species on a stroll. It's just like Pokémon, but in real life. 13 Merlin can turn almost any walk into a fun game for the family Credit: Merlin #4 – FAIRER HOLIDAY BILLS You know when you go on holiday with pals or family members, and it feels like you end up paying for everything? Sometimes it's nice to be generous, but you don't want the difficulty of splitting bills over a whole holiday to leave you out of pocket – while your mates get a free ride. Think about using Splitwise, which is a simple free tool that lets a group track bills and shared expenses. You all add bills, who paid what, and then at the end of the holiday, you hit Settle Up and it'll work out who owes what to whom. 13 Splitwise makes it easier to share bills, especially on holiday – and it'll help you dodge arguments too Credit: Splitwise It's a free app, and could keep you out of the red on a big group trip. For summer stags and hens, it's an absolute must. #5 – FREE DELIVERY ON TAKEAWAYS Here's one for Amazon Prime members: you can get cheap takeaways. A lot of you have Amazon Prime. The member count for Britain is about 13 million, so chances are that someone in your home has it. 13 Millions of Brits are owed a free year of Deliveroo Silver Plus Credit: Amazon / Deliveroo Other hidden Amazon Prime perks Here's some advice from The Sun's Tech Editor Sean Keach... If you're forking out £8.99 a month for Amazon Prime, you better get your money's worth. Yes, you can get a free year of Deliveroo Silver Plus worth just shy of £42 – but that's not all. Gamers can bag free titles every month through Prime Gaming – the May 2025 lot was worth nearly £400! Another little-known Prime perk cuts 15% off new clothes, toiletries, and food. You just have to buy at least four items from the secret Buy More & Save store. Prime members can also claim a pair of cinema tickets at Odeon for just £10. Or you can pay £15 to upgrade to posh Luxe seats. And you can also get a shipping discount for HelloFresh. That's the meal kit service that sees fresh ingredients and recipe cards sent to your doorstep. That'll save you about £60 if you ordered one box each month for a year. Picture Credit: Sean Keach And with Prime, you're entitled to a full year of Deliveroo Silver Plus free of charge. That'll nab you free delivery on takeaways if you spend more than £15 at loads of restaurants. Normally this would cost you £3.49 a month, so you're getting a £42 membership free of charge. #6 – BARGAIN PARKING Just weeks ago, I wrote a rave review for JustPark. I still stand by it. 13 JustPark unlocks discounted parking – and can even help you to earn some money Credit: JustPark The app lets people rent their driveways out for quick cash – or even long-term, which is great for commuters. So you could certainly use it for that as a side-hustle. You can earn up to £1,000 tax-free this way. But it's also a great way to dodge paying for pricey car parks. I recently revealed how I used it to find £6 full-day parking in London on a weekday. If you're off to a big sports event at a stadium, or a gig at an arena, have a look at JustPark first and see if you could plonk your car on someone's driveway for way less than a commercial lot would charge you. #7 – CHEAPEST PETROL Of course you won't be able to get to a car park if you don't have any fuel – and that's hardly cheap either. One way to shrink your fuel bills is with PetrolPrices. It's a fairly simple concept, so you'll kick yourself for not installing earlier. As the name suggests, it shows you all of the prices for petrol in your local area. 13 Slash your petrol prices by shopping around – without having to actually drive all over the place Credit: PetrolPrices So you can sort by the cheapest to find out where has the best bargains. It'll show you when the price was updated, and lets you sort by fuel type and brand. #8 – SUPERMARKET SAVINGS Just like PetrolPrices lets you compare the cost of petrol across different locations, Trolley does much the same for your groceries. It compares prices for groceries across all of the major UK supermarkets. 13 Trolley is an easy way to compare grocery prices without having to visit 16 different shops (or websites) yourself Credit: Trolley The list includes: Asda Sainsburys Aldi Home Bargains Morrisons Tesco Boots Wilko Coop Waitrose Superdrug B&M Ocado Iceland Savers Poundland The app promises savings of up to 30% on your weekly shop, but your own bill reduction will depend on what you're buying, the size of your shop, and where you're going. You can quickly make shopping lists for multiple stores, and then plan your weekly shop for maximum savings. And there's also a barcode scanning feature to see if another supermarket is flogging at item for less, right there on the spot. #9 – DISCOUNTED PHONE BILLS AirTime is a cashback-style app that lets you trim your phone bills. You link your card, and then the app tracks your spending. And if you spend at certain locations, you'll get cashback that is then knocked off your monthly mobile phone bill. 13 If you're planning to do some shopping, see if it can trim your phone bill Credit: Airtime It works with major phone networks including O2, EE, Three, Vodafone, and giffgaff. The app boasts that it has paid out over £40 million across four million members. Cashback will range between 1% and 15% (though most are between 3% and 5%), and more than 200 retailers are on board. That includes Deliveroo, Asos, Aldi, Tesco, Argos, New Look, and Selfridges. It's not a bad way to save some money on your phone bill if you're already making those purchase. Just be careful not to fall into the trap of spending more to earn extra cashback – you'll just be undoing your own hard work.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
The 9 little-known discount apps to save YOU £100s this summer – slash cost of petrol, parking & food… & get free stuff
SUMMER is when you want to splash out on fun in the sun – so make your money go further. There are loads of apps to help you get the best bang for your buck , including cheap food and takeaways, free trips to the cinema, thrifty days out, and even low-cost petrol. 13 Grab your phone and download these need-to-know apps to save a fortune this summer Credit: Getty 13 Check out Three+ for discounted coffee and cinema trips 13 Sky's official app has loads of rewards including free cinema tickets Credit: Sky #1 – YOUR REWARDS APPS Chances are, you're paying for a phone bill – and maybe a telly subscription, too. Well the The Three+ app gets you £1 coffees, £3 Cineworld tickets, and 15% off at River Island right now. Vodafone customers can use VeryMe Rewards to get Adventure Days (with 50% off zoos, theme parks, and attractions via Kids Pass). O2 Priority gives you a load of rewards, such as a free weekly snack from Greggs, discounted Disney+, and two Vue cinema tickets for £9. If you're signed up to Sky TV, you can claim a free movie from the Sky Store by going into the MySky app and looking for your VIP rewards. And if you're paying for Sky Cinema too, you'll be able to get a pair of #2 – CHEAP FOOD (AND THAT'S NOT ALL) The average weekly food shop - without any booze - is around £103, up around 18% from two years ago. One way Brits are dodging the price hikes is with . It's a food waste app where shops, cafes, bakeries and restaurants can flog their surplus food at discounted prices instead of binning them. How to save on your supermarket shop THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop. You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced. If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time. Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket. Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too. This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines. Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect. For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50. If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too. Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund. You're throwing away money on Netflix – I found three common mistakes sending your bill soaring but the fixes are easy You'll usually pay less than half price for the grub – and you're doing a good thing, because it would've just ended up in the bin. Just download the app and you'll be able to "rescue" food near you. Simply pick a location, confirm the choice, reserve the food, pay in the app, then go collect it at the specified time. Another similar app is called Olio , which is a free giveaway app. 13 Too Good To Go can get you extremely cheap food Credit: Too Good To Go 13 Olio is a great way to get your hands on freebies locally – including fresh food Credit: Olio Maybe someone bought too many biscuits for a birthday party, and has loads of packs spare – so they're giving them away. You might bag yourself free bread, tins of beans, or bits and bobs for baking. It's not just food either. There's a whole non-food section that could see you scooping up, car seats, lamps, pots and pans, or unwanted books. The app is meant for local community giveaways so you shouldn't need to travel far. And you won't pay a penny, which makes the deal even sweeter. #3 – NATURE NEAR YOU There's nothing cheaper than Mother Nature, but it's hard to know where to start. That's what AllTrails is for. It's basically a giant guide to great walks near you, and it previously won Apple's App of the Year award. You just look for where you are (or where you're going) on the map, and you'll be able to see brilliant walks that people have planned. 13 AllTrails is a cheap and easy way to find amazing nature near you Credit: AllTrails It'll show pictures of the walk, how difficult it is, and how long it'll take you – plus it helps you navigate once you get started. And a reviews section will reveal if it's actually any good. Plus people will often post about conditions ("it's muddy, so bring boots !") to save you from making a clothing error. It's a great way to explore an area you don't know, or find a hidden gem of a walk near you. It also warns you if you've taken a wrong turn, which is obviously very handy. And if you want to make your stroll a bit more exciting, consider downloading the Merlin app. This listens out for bird noises as you walk along, and it'll pick out the species in real-time. It's shockingly accurate, and even flags when you've picked out something rare. It's fun for kids to try to spot the birds – and the family can compete to see who can clock up the most rare species on a stroll. It's just like Pokémon, but in real life . 13 Merlin can turn almost any walk into a fun game for the family Credit: Merlin #4 – FAIRER HOLIDAY BILLS You know when you go on holiday with pals or family members, and it feels like you end up paying for everything? Sometimes it's nice to be generous, but you don't want the difficulty of splitting bills over a whole holiday to leave you out of pocket – while your mates get a free ride. Think about using Splitwise , which is a simple free tool that lets a group track bills and shared expenses. You all add bills, who paid what, and then at the end of the holiday , you hit Settle Up and it'll work out who owes what to whom. 13 Splitwise makes it easier to share bills, especially on holiday – and it'll help you dodge arguments too Credit: Splitwise It's a free app, and could keep you out of the red on a big group trip. For summer stags and hens, it's an absolute must. #5 – FREE DELIVERY ON TAKEAWAYS Here's one for Amazon Prime members: you can get cheap takeaways. A lot of you have Amazon Prime. The member count for Britain is about 13 million, so chances are that someone in your home has it. 13 Millions of Brits are owed a free year of Deliveroo Silver Plus Credit: Amazon / Deliveroo Other hidden Amazon Prime perks Here's some advice from The Sun's Tech Editor If you're forking out £8.99 a month for Amazon Prime, you better get your money's worth. Yes, you can get a free year of Deliveroo Silver Plus worth just shy of £42 – but that's not all. Gamers can bag free titles every month through Prime Gaming – Another little-known Prime perk cuts 15% off new clothes, toiletries, and food. You just have to buy at least four items from the Prime members can also claim Or you can pay £15 to upgrade to posh Luxe seats. And you can also get That's the meal kit service that sees fresh ingredients and recipe cards sent to your doorstep. That'll save you about £60 if you ordered one box each month for a year. Picture Credit: Sean Keach And with Prime, you're entitled to a That'll nab you free delivery on takeaways if you spend more than £15 at loads of restaurants. Normally this would cost you £3.49 a month, so you're getting a £42 membership free of charge. #6 – BARGAIN PARKING Just weeks ago, I wrote a rave review for JustPark . I still stand by it. 13 JustPark unlocks discounted parking – and can even help you to earn some money Credit: JustPark The app lets people rent their driveways out for quick cash – or even long-term, which is great for commuters. So you could certainly use it for that as a side-hustle. You can earn up to £1,000 tax-free this way. But it's also a great way to dodge paying for pricey car parks. I recently revealed how I used it to find £6 full-day parking in London on a weekday. If you're off to a big sports event at a stadium, or a gig at an arena, have a look at JustPark first and see if you could plonk your car on someone's driveway for way less than a commercial lot would charge you. #7 – CHEAPEST PETROL Of course you won't be able to get to a car park if you don't have any fuel – and that's hardly cheap either. One way to shrink your fuel bills is with PetrolPrices . It's a fairly simple concept, so you'll kick yourself for not installing earlier. As the name suggests, it shows you all of the prices for petrol in your local area. 13 Slash your petrol prices by shopping around – without having to actually drive all over the place Credit: PetrolPrices So you can sort by the cheapest to find out where has the best bargains. It'll show you when the price was updated, and lets you sort by fuel type and brand. #8 – SUPERMARKET SAVINGS Just like PetrolPrices lets you compare the cost of petrol across different locations, Trolley does much the same for your groceries. It compares prices for groceries across all of the major UK supermarkets. 13 Trolley is an easy way to compare grocery prices without having to visit 16 different shops (or websites) yourself Credit: Trolley The list includes: Asda Sainsburys Aldi Home Bargains Morrisons Tesco Boots Wilko Coop Waitrose Superdrug B&M Ocado Iceland Savers Poundland The app promises savings of up to 30% on your weekly shop, but your own bill reduction will depend on what you're buying, the size of your shop, and where you're going. You can quickly make shopping lists for multiple stores, and then plan your weekly shop for maximum savings. And there's also a barcode scanning feature to see if another supermarket is flogging at item for less, right there on the spot. #9 – DISCOUNTED PHONE BILLS AirTime is a cashback-style app that lets you trim your phone bills. You link your card, and then the app tracks your spending. And if you spend at certain locations, you'll get cashback that is then knocked off your monthly mobile phone bill. 13 If you're planning to do some shopping, see if it can trim your phone bill Credit: Airtime It works with major phone networks including O2, EE, Three, Vodafone, and giffgaff. The app boasts that it has paid out over £40 million across four million members. Cashback will range between 1% and 15% (though most are between 3% and 5%), and more than 200 retailers are on board. That includes Deliveroo, Asos, Aldi, Tesco, Argos, New Look, and Selfridges. It's not a bad way to save some money on your phone bill if you're already making those purchase. Just be careful not to fall into the trap of spending more to earn extra cashback – you'll just be undoing your own hard work. How to save on your mobile phone bill NOT happy with your current mobile phone deal? If you're outside the minimum term of your contract then you won't need to pay a cancellation fee - and you might be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere. But don't just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you're currently paying. Take a look at how many minutes and texts, as well as how much data you're using, to find out which deal is best for you. For example, if you're a heavy internet user it's worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don't end up spending extra on bundles or add-ons each month. Also note that if you're still in your contract period, you might be charged an exit fee. Ready to look elsewhere? Pay-as-you-go deals are better for people who don't regularly use their phone, while monthly contracts usually work out cheaper for those who do. It's worth using comparison websites, such as MoneySupermarket and to compare tariffs and phone prices. Billmonitor also matches buyers to the best pay-monthly deal based on their previous three months of bills. It only works if you're a customer of EE, O2, Three, Vodafone or Tesco Mobile and you'll need to log in with your online account details. There's also MobilePhoneChecker, which has a bill monitoring feature that recommends a tariff based on your monthly usage. If you're happy with your provider then it might be worth using your research to haggle a better deal.
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Parents spend almost £5k keeping 'bored' children entertained
A poll of 2,000 mums and dads with kids aged 17 and under found they'll spend an eye-watering amount of money taking them to theme parks and museums, or going to sports clubs The average parent forks out nearly £4,600 per year to keep each of their children entertained, according to a survey of 2,000 parents with children aged 17 and under. They're likely to spend on outings to theme parks (£124), museum visits (£127), and sports clubs (£455). Additional costs include holiday camps (£136), cinema outings (£143), and toys and games (£152), all contributing to the substantial yearly total. However, 45% find it challenging to keep their children entertained, with a significant 62% feeling pressured to overspend. This pressure might explain why almost all respondents (96%) rely on special offers and discounts to save money. The research was commissioned by electric car manufacturer Leapmotor, which is offering four-year discount passes via Kids Pass, an app that saves families an average of £400 annually on days out, with the purchase of its C10 family SUV. Nearly half (47%) of parents share planning responsibilities with their children, while 39% mostly let their kids decide. A mere 10% of parents make decisions without any input from their children. Those surveyed believe their children's favourite activities away from home include going to the cinema, swimming, and visiting theme parks. Other popular activities are attending birthday parties, dining out, and participating in sports clubs. But 80% of mums and dads prefer activities which will educate their kids in some way. The study also found they typically get inspiration for things to do from friends and family, followed by social media , and TV. On average, those with children of talking age – generally aged three or above – will hear their kids utter those dreaded words "I'm bored" 128 times annually. Carried out through OnePoll, the study found 62% 'always' or 'often' rely on their car to get their kids where they need to be for the purposes of keeping them entertained and those who rely on a car, travel 727 miles a year doing so. Damien Dally, managing director, Leapmotor UK, added: "We understand parents are under constant pressure to find ways to keep their kids entertained. "And our mission is about helping our customers get the best value possible be that from their car or their everyday adventures. We all have fond memories of those family days out traveling in the car." COST OF KEEPING KIDS ENTERTAINED ANNUALLY:. Museum – £126.89 Theme parks – £123.61 Throwing birthday parties – £176.62 Toys and games – £152.43 Clothes and accessories – £211.91 Visiting amusement arcades – £109.38 Visiting holiday camps – £136.26 Videogaming – £128.37 Visiting petting farms or zoos – £103.64 Visiting indoor trampoline or climbing parks – £130.86 Cinema trips – £143.46 Soft play – £122.52 Attending workshops or educational classes – £133.24 Dining out – £193.28 Attending sports clubs or activities – £454.68 Streaming services or subscriptions – £418.44 Attending music or dance classes – £384.36 Visiting swimming pools or leisure centres – £412.80 Day trips (not including museums theme parks, amusement arcades, holiday camps, petting farms or zoos) – £520.80 Books and magazines – £392.28
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Brit parents spend £4,600 a year keeping kids entertained with theme parks, parties & toys top of the list, survey finds
Scroll down to find out the full list of expenditures by parents YOU'RE KIDDING Brit parents spend £4,600 a year keeping kids entertained with theme parks, parties & toys top of the list, survey finds THE average parent spends almost £4,600 a year per child keeping them entertained. A poll of 2,000 mums and dads with kids aged 17 and under found they'll splash the cash taking them to theme parks (£124), visiting museums (£127), or going to sports clubs (£455), a study has found. 2 Families could save £400 a year on days out thanks to Leapmotor's new partnership with Kids Pass Credit: Alex Morton/PinPep 2 The Kids Pass is now included free with every Leapmotor C10 Credit: Alex Morton/PinPep With holiday camps (£136), cinema trips (£143), and toys and games (£152) also contributing to the hefty annual sum. On average, they'll enjoy around four family trips a month - 45 a year. However, 45 per cent 'struggle' to keep their kids entertained – and as many as 62 per cent feel pressure to spend beyond what they want or can doing so. And this might explain why almost everyone polled (96 per cent) has depended on special offers and coupons to save money. The study was commissioned by electric car brand Leapmotor, which is offering four-year discount passes via Kids Pass, an app which saves families an average of £400 a year on days out, with the purchase of its C10 family SUV. When keeping their kids entertained, it emerged school holidays are when parents feel the squeeze on their finances the most. More than a quarter (26 per cent) consider half-term to be the costliest time of the year in this respect, with the summer (60 per cent) and Christmas (60 per cent) holidays most expensive. Almost half (47 per cent) will split the planning between themselves and their children, while 39 per cent will largely let their kids choose. Just 10 per cent of parents will decide what to do without any say from their kids. Regardless, those polled believe their children's favourite activity to do away from the home is go to the cinema (28 per cent), with swimming (22 per cent) and theme parks (20 per cent) also popular. So to are attending birthday parties (17 per cent), dining out (17 per cent), and going to sports clubs (14 per cent). But 80 per cent of mums and dads prefer pursuits which will educate their kids in some way. The study also found they typically get inspiration for things to do from friends and family (52 per cent), followed by social media (51 per cent), and TV (31 per cent). On average, those with children of talking age – generally aged three or above – will hear their kids utter those dreaded words 'I'm bored' 128 times annually. Carried out through OnePoll, the study found 62 per cent 'always' or 'often' rely on their car to get their kids where they need to be for the purposes keeping them entertained. And those who rely on a car, travel 727 miles a year doing so. Damien Dally, managing director, Leapmotor UK, added: 'We understand parents are under constant pressure to find ways to keep their kids entertained. 'And our mission is about helping our customers get the best value possible be that from their car or their everyday adventures. 'We all have fond memories of those family days out travelling in the car.'
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Brit parents spend £4,600 a year keeping kids entertained with theme parks, parties & toys top of the list, survey finds
THE average parent spends almost £4,600 a year per child keeping them entertained. A poll of 2,000 mums and dads with kids aged 17 and under found they'll splash the cash taking them to theme parks (£124), visiting museums (£127), or going to sports clubs (£455), a study has found. 2 2 With holiday camps (£136), cinema trips (£143), and toys and games (£152) also contributing to the hefty annual sum. On average, they'll enjoy around four family trips a month - 45 a year. However, 45 per cent 'struggle' to keep their kids entertained – and as many as 62 per cent feel pressure to spend beyond what they want or can doing so. And this might explain why almost everyone polled (96 per cent) has depended on special offers and coupons to save money. The study was commissioned by electric car brand Leapmotor, which is offering four-year discount passes via Kids Pass, an app which saves families an average of £400 a year on days out, with the purchase of its C10 family SUV. When keeping their kids entertained, it emerged school holidays are when parents feel the squeeze on their finances the most. More than a quarter (26 per cent) consider half-term to be the costliest time of the year in this respect, with the summer (60 per cent) and Christmas (60 per cent) holidays most expensive. Almost half (47 per cent) will split the planning between themselves and their children, while 39 per cent will largely let their kids choose. Just 10 per cent of parents will decide what to do without any say from their kids. Regardless, those polled believe their children's favourite activity to do away from the home is go to the cinema (28 per cent), with swimming (22 per cent) and theme parks (20 per cent) also popular. So to are attending birthday parties (17 per cent), dining out (17 per cent), and going to sports clubs (14 per cent). But 80 per cent of mums and dads prefer pursuits which will educate their kids in some way. The study also found they typically get inspiration for things to do from friends and family (52 per cent), followed by social media (51 per cent), and TV (31 per cent). On average, those with children of talking age – generally aged three or above – will hear their kids utter those dreaded words 'I'm bored' 128 times annually. Carried out through OnePoll, the study found 62 per cent 'always' or 'often' rely on their car to get their kids where they need to be for the purposes keeping them entertained. And those who rely on a car, travel 727 miles a year doing so. Damien Dally, managing director, Leapmotor UK, added: 'We understand parents are under constant pressure to find ways to keep their kids entertained. 'And our mission is about helping our customers get the best value possible be that from their car or their everyday adventures. 'We all have fond memories of those family days out travelling in the car.' COST OF KEEPING KIDS ENTERTAINED ANNUALLY: Museum – £126.89 Theme parks – £123.61 Throwing birthday parties – £176.62 Toys and games – £152.43 Clothes and accessories – £211.91 Visiting amusement arcades – £109.38 Visiting holiday camps – £136.26 Videogaming – £128.37 Visiting petting farms or zoos – £103.64 Visiting indoor trampoline or climbing parks – £130.86 Cinema trips – £143.46 Soft play – £122.52 Attending workshops or educational classes – £133.24 Dining out – £193.28 Attending sports clubs or activities – £454.68 Streaming services or subscriptions – £418.44 Attending music or dance classes – £384.36 Visiting swimming pools or leisure centres – £412.80 Day trips (not including museums theme parks, amusement arcades, holiday camps, petting farms or zoos) – £520.80 Books and magazines – £392.28
