Cut the cost of your summer

Top tips on how to cut the costs of BBQs, parties, outdoor sport, summer festivals, UK holidays and gardening this summer!

We're odds on for a barbeque summer this year, apparently. According to the Met Office, temperatures across the UK are going to be warmer than usual in the coming months.

Even better, rainfall is likely to be below average. And according to the Met Office's chief meteorologist, we can even expect temperatures to rise above 30 degrees Celsius. Whoo-hoo!

Mind you, I always think there's an air of Michael Fish about these optimistic long-range forecasts. But still, wouldn't it be rather lovely? Warm breezes... the smell of flowers... not having to carry a brolly everywhere...

Living in hope, here's my guide to enjoying the British summer - in frugal style.

Barbeques and garden parties

There's nothing like cucumber sandwiches and a jug of Pimms to make things go with a swing. Whether you're planning a lively barbeque or genteel garden party, there are plenty of things you can do to cut your costs:

Check out the seasonal deals at deep discounters Aldi, Lidl and Netto. As summer approaches, they often sell picnic and party food at much-reduced prices.

At the moment, for example, you can get two baguettes for 39p, 19p jelly, 36p lemonade and 20 sausages for £1 at Lidl.

Before you fork out for a pricy barbeque, garden furniture set or gazebo, see what you can get for nothing.

Many people use community freebie sites like Freecycle and SnaffleUp to give away items they no long want (I've already seen a couple of barbeques offered this year). The freebies section of your local Gumtree network is also worth a look.

Here are more tips on how to have a cheap summer party.

Outdoor sport

If you fancy yourself a bit of a Tiger Tim, check out the Tennis for Free website. This campaign aims to make all publicly-managed UK tennis courts free for everyone to play on.

You can find a free public court near you using this search tool.

If you want to keep the kids entertained outdoors, have a look into the free football skills sessions run by Tesco during the holidays. Asda's free sport for kids initiative is also worth checking out.

And finally, investigate what's on offer from your local authority. Most UK councils will have a section of their website dedicated to free or cheap activities for families and/or children. You can find all the contacts for your own council using this A-Z directory of local councils.

Summer festivals

Some music, arts and literary festivals cost an arm and a leg these days. Thankfully, others are still free or very cheap to attend.

If you're going to be in or around London this summer, have a look at this free summer festivals guide.

Don't live in London? I recommend you browse this extremely long and comprehensive list of nationwide festivals, which details hundreds of free events all over the UK.

Holiday in the UK

What with the credit crunch, the weak pound and swine flu, holidaying in the UK probably seems like a pretty good idea. The promise of lovely weather just puts the icing on the cake.

If you're planning a UK break, Credit crunch holidays with a difference will point you towards some interesting and inexpensive possibilities. And if you're planning to travel by train, read How to get cheaper train travel to knock pounds off the price of your ticket.

If you fancy a day trip somewhere nice, check out the low fares offered by Megabus and its sister site, Megatrain. Book far enough in advance and you should be able to a bag a £1 fare (plus 50p booking fee) to one of dozens of UK destinations.

At the moment, National Express is also offering a similar £1 deal. Of course the downside of advance booking is, you can't wait and see what the weather's like before you make your decision.

You could always sidestep public transport entirely and get on your bike. The National Trails website is an excellent resource for finding long-distance trails for walking, cycling and horse riding through England and Wales (in Scotland similar trails are known as Long Distance Routes).

On the Waterscape website, you'll find guides to the UK's canals, rivers and lakes, information on boating and fishing opportunities, and waterway walking and cycling routes.

Still stuck for inspiration? Have a look at the things to see and do section of the Visit Britain website.

Get green-fingered

Finally, if you're rather enjoy the sunshine in the privacy of your own back yard, why not try a spot of gardening. This can be an enjoyable, free way to up your fitness levels too (but remember that ride-on lawnmower won't help...).

If you're just starting out, read How to garden on a shoestring. She shows you how to make your own compost, get free seeds and plants and get the kids involved.

There are also lots of things you can do to attract the butterflies and bees as the summer hots up. The BBC Gardening website shows you how to build the perfect garden for bumblebees. And here's a conservation guide to making your patch popular with butterflies.

Right - I'm off to dust down that deckchair...

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