Entertaining the Kids in January

January has come around quickly, much to the dismay of many cash-strapped parents around the UK. December is always going to be an expensive month, what with overspending on Christmas presents, food and general overindulgence. Our bank accounts are exhausted yet the little ones still need entertaining- even though you spent a small fortune on toys, games consoles and other items which were meant to entertain them until at least February. If your little ones are demanding but your wallet is officially on strike, take heed of these ideas to keep the kids busy in January without breaking the bank…

Eat In

Instead of going out to eat, order in. This will mean you won’t have to pay over the odds for drinks and deserts and it will eradicate any service charge. Kids love pizzas, and with an abundance of Dominos vouchers and Pizza Hut offers available you’ll be able to make some big savings. You can often get even bigger discounts if you go and pick up your pizzas yourself as you’re not using any of their services (apart from their pizza ovens of course!).

Have Movie Nights

Fed up of High School Musical and Glee? Educate the kids on the films that you used to love that they won’t have seen before. Introduce them to movies like The Goonies, Bill and Ted, Grease or Star Wars- whatever films you loved as a child. This is a fantastic way to broaden their horizons as well as being a trip down memory lane for you. It’s also a frugal activity as you’ll more than likely already have these films in your movie collection.

Host a Sleepover

Instead of being hit with the bill of taking your kids out for the evening, why not invite a few of their friends around for a sleepover? Just invite one or two- any more could get too stressful, especially if you have twins or multiples! Get sleeping bags, some popcorn and a few movies and leave them to their own devices (if old enough), and this will provide entertainment for them as well as give you some peace. Hopefully the favour will be reciprocated by the kid’s parents, giving them another night out for absolutely nothing.

Days Out for Less

If you feel up to braving the cold and having a day out, aim to do something that won’t cost much. Go for a drive, take the dogs for a walk on the beach or go foraging in the forest, weather permitting! Alternatively, you can always see if you can get vouchers for a day out that could cut the price in half. Moneysupermarket.com have loads of brilliant discount vouchers so you can enjoy cheap days out with the kids for less.

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