Given the pretty miserable weather we have been having of late you could be forgiven for thinking that summer is still a long way off. But it is upon us now and while the months ahead will not be as cruel on our wallets as the Christmas season, it is still likely to be a pretty expensive time what with summer holidays overseas, kids camps and all the rest.
But there are still ways you can exploit the season to save a few bob while taking advantage of the (comparatively) good weather that we can look forward to over the next 12 weeks or so. Here are just 16 of the steps you can take to make sure you have fun while keeping the costs to a minimum.
1 Modern day parents frequently tie themselves in anxiety-filled knots over smartphones and how they are being used by their children. And with good reason – the devices can be a complete menace in the wrong hands – and we are not just talking about small hands, but the hands of the many adults who would do well to use their phones just a little bit less. And yes we include ourselves in this cohort.
But smartphones don't have to be the enemy and there are ways to make them work smarter which will make the summer more fun at virtually no cost. We're not talking about mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook or playing games with them, but about using them as a force for creative good and for making memories.
There are apps which can be downloaded for buttons that will allow you to shoot funny home videos in ridiculously high-definition of your children being adorable or annoying. As they get older you can get them involved in the cinematic process by encouraging them to write short films staring themselves which they can direct and shoot. It is much easier than it sounds and all you need is a bit of space, a few still props and some time. The best thing is that whatever they create will be a joy to have when they are older.
2 We have said it before on this page and we will say it again – libraries are both a great and a ridiculously cheap way to pass them time – and we love the way they marry the pleasingly old-school with the surprisingly modern. It is quite likely that many adults will not have set foot inside such an establishment since back when they were in love with Aunt Fanny and terrified of Uncle Quentin in equal measure. But libraries have grown up too and they are ideal places to find free entertainment on days when the sun's not shining. There are readings, workshops, classes, free wifi, DVDs and box sets. Oh and they have the odd book for rent too. And they have only recently scrapped the fine system which means there is something less you have to worry about.
3 A long, long time ago Irish children were reared on a summer diet made up almost exclusively of hang sangwidges, TK red lemonade and Tayto crisps. We were only ever allowed to see the inside of a restaurant when we were making our communion or confirmation, or as an afterthought at a family wedding. And it did not do us any harm. But then Ireland got rich, or at least it thought it did, and suddenly taking children to restaurants on a more routine basis became a norm rather than a social oddity. While the notion of Ireland's children eating smashed avocado for brunch and sushi for dinner has a certain appeal, it comes with a certain cost. And it is a high one.
If you take two children to restaurants once a week between now and back-to-school time, then it is likely to cost more than €500. But that is money that does not have to be spent. Over the course of the summer, it might be worth returning to your yesterdays at least while the weather’s not entirely miserable. We promise it will save you money and make your life less complicated. A picnic for four will set you back no more than a tenner, and it doesn’t have to be fancy. That is less than a quarter of the price of a disappointing lunch in a restaurant and as an added bonus when you are dining al fresco you don’t have to police your children quite so carefully, which makes the experience a lot more relaxing for them and for you.
4 When it comes to complaining about rip-offs and high prices, Pricewatch is rarely found wanting. But we are also happy to acknowledge that Ireland is surprisingly well-served by free attractions, most notably our national museums. There are family drop-in activities, tours and workshops throughout the summer in all four branches of our National Museum network. If you haven't visited one for a while, then make this summer the time to change that. In case you have forgotten, the themes of the four branches are archaeology (Kildare Street); decorative arts and history (Collins Barracks); natural history (Merrion Street) and country life (Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo). You can find a full programme of events at each, and more besides, at museum.ie.
5 And while we are on the topic of august institutions, don't abandon the galleries. Last year the National Gallery of Ireland topped the list of "free to enter" attractions in Ireland with more than one million people walking through its doors. It is a lovely space for a visit and the cafe has some splendid treats too. The second most popular free site in Ireland last year was Castletown House Parklands while Glendalough, the Botanic Gardens and DLR LexIcon rounded out the top five free spots. Throw in a trip to Farmleigh and the Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin, as well as visits to Newbridge Silverware in Kildare and the Chester Beatty Library, complete with a picnic and you will have a full week of days out for virtually no cost.
6 Speaking of no cost, organise a treasure hunt in your local park. It will take a few minutes to organise, but if done well, it will provide children – and adults – with hours of fun for free. And it is worth doing it well because a badly organised treasure hunt will be no fun and could see you spending an unexpected fortune when you have to take all those involved to the cinema to make up for the disappointment.
The key things are to plan the route in advance and make sure there isn’t any more than five minutes walking separating the clues. Don’t make the clues too easy or too hard to find and put them in numbered envelopes. If you are planning a treasure hunt in your neighbourhood, mix it up by having some clues in parks and some in other spaces in the area – you might need to get some buy in from your local shops.
Put the clues in waterproof bags in case it rains and make sure to have extra copies of the clues in case they are stolen by wolves before they are found by your children. Hide some treats with some of the clues. And make sure you go on the treasure hunt too. We know that all sounds like a lot of work but it will give children of a certain age a couple of hours of fun and cost you virtually nothing.
7 Keep an eye on Lidl and Aldi for the tools for cheap summer fun. The German discounters sell all sorts of eclectic and summer-themed stuff from paddling pools to blow up waterparks (sort of) to wet suits and the prices are almost always good.
8 We're happy enough to lather ourselves in high-priced creams and lotions when overseas but when the sun shines at home we forget all about it which is why, at the end of a nice summer day in Ireland, the heat coming off the burned people would be sufficient to generate enough electricity to see us through the winter. Remember, there is no need to be hung up on fancy brands either – most supermarkets stock their own creams and oils for not much more than a fiver, which is a fraction of the price you'll pay elsewhere and, according to consumer magazine Which?, they're just as good as all the rest.
9 Before you buy this year's batch of sun creams, have a look at what you have left over from last year. The shelf life of sun screens is surprisingly long and an open bottle can last up to two years. The bottles have the information you need on them, although it is not easy to find. You will find a "period after opening" number in small print on the back of a bottle. It will say either 24 months or 12 months.
10 The deal sites that were once the flavour of the month have mostly passed their sell-by date, but they can have real value during the summer months. Pay particular attention to the discounts on activities and restaurants and when you see something that takes your fancy, buy, stow it away and redeem it during the long hot summer that surely lies ahead.
11 Swimming in the sea is both brilliant and free. And while it is a bit cold in June and July it warms up as the summer drags on. And if you are really struggling with how cold it is you could buy yourself or your little ones a wet suit. They can be bought for half nothing and will allow you to stay in the water for hours without dying of hypothermia. If you are going swimming make sure you do it in a place that is well-populated and don't take any risks.
12 We are big fans of annual passes and if used in the right way they can be big money savers over the course of a summer. Take Dublin Zoo. An adult ticket is €19.50 if bought at the entrance or €17.50 if bought online, and a child's admission is €14 when bought at the entrance or €13 if bought online. So, two adults and four kids going to the zoo who buy their tickets at the door will have to shell out €62 on a family ticket. Compare that to the cost of an annual membership. An individual annual pass costs €125 while an annual family pass costs €185 – the same prices as last year, incidentally.
The individual pass allows the pass-holder and an adult or two children to visit, while the family pass covers the pass-holder, two adults and two children, or the pass-holder and up to six children. The same holds true for places like Airfield, Tayto Park and Fota Park and many other places around the country. While the initial investment might be high, if you visit these places just three times over the course of a summer you are saving money. Not only that, but when you visit regularly, you can do it in a much more leisurely way.
13 Pricewatch frequently marvels at the magnet that is Beshoff's Fish and Chip shop in Howth. On any given weekend, at almost any time of the year, there are queues out the door of the place for hours. The reason there are such big queues is because it sells freshly cooked fish and chips which are both excellent and great value. Beshoff's are not alone and there are many more amazing chippers across the country. And while we are not suggesting you eat them every night of the week, a big bag of chips on a summer's evening can make for a memorable and incredibly cheap dinner.
14 Marvelling at the heavens does not cost a cent. The next times the clouds clear and the evening is warm go somewhere remote – ideally on a bike – to watch the sun go down. Then wait for the stars to come out. If you haven't a clue what you're looking at, there's an app for that. The Sky Guide app shows where all the constellations, planets and satellites are and all you have to do is point your phone towards the sky. There is a free version, but the enhanced app is much better and costs just €3.49.
15 Take more public transport. You can drive to Bray, Howth or wherever for the day but it can be cheaper and more craic to take the dart. You won't have to worry about traffic jams or finding a place to park.
16 Find a walking tour happening in your city and join it. We googled "Free Walking Tour Dublin" and the great oracle almost instantly gave us more than a dozen matches. We have no idea how good or bad the tours are, but were you to do a bit of research and look through the Trip Advisor reviews we reckon you could find one that was pretty good. And let's face it, if it costs nothing it's money well spent no matter how bad it is.
