Single mum-of-four slashes summer holiday costs by £650 with simple budgeting and meal planning tips

A single mum-of-four has revealed how she slashed the cost of the summer holidays by £650 – all thanks to meticulous meal planning, homemade snacks and making the most of free family activities.

Charlene Woracker, 35, used to spend around £1,000 keeping her children, aged 16, 15, eight and three, entertained during the six-week break.

But after overhauling the way she budgets, the Sheffield mum now spends around £450 across the entire holidays – saving herself more than half the cost.

Charlene says she once thought expensive attractions were the only way to keep the children occupied, with some family days out costing as much as £200.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic changed her outlook completely.

She said: "Especially before Covid I didn't really plan the summer holidays or day trips and it all added up really quickly.

"Actually, it's the little expenses that catch you out.

"Some days I would spend £200 on a day out for the family.

"I felt like it was costing me so much to entertain the kids.

"I was probably spending around £1,000 over the whole summer holidays but by changing lots of little things I've more than halved that.

"I spend more like £450 now."

Charlene now works to a strict weekly budget of around £75, allowing her to adjust plans depending on the weather while avoiding overspending.

She says food is by far the biggest expense during the school holidays, so careful meal planning has become essential.

"Food and snacks are definitely where most of the money goes," she explained.

"My kids eat me out of house and home, so I make sure I've always got plenty of snacks in.

"I plan meals really carefully and make a lot of snacks myself instead of buying pre-packaged ones."

Rather than buying expensive lunchbox favourites, Charlene creates homemade alternatives.

"Even cheesy sticks like Cheese Strings – I just cut up a block of cheese into sticks and it's much cheaper.

"Baking cookies, cupcakes and other treats costs pennies compared to buying ready-made snacks."

She also recommends making full use of free attractions instead of paying for expensive tickets.

Libraries, museums and community events have become regular fixtures in her family's holiday plans.

Charlene said: "The library has brilliant programmes for children all through the summer holidays.

"We also try to visit a museum whenever we go somewhere new.

"The best one we visited was in Edinburgh and it was completely free. We spent the whole day there."

To spread the cost across the year, Charlene sets aside £30 every month into a dedicated Monzo savings pot, meaning she has money ready when the school holidays arrive.

She says having a clear budget removes much of the financial pressure many parents feel during the six-week break.

"It really relieves the anxiety around the holidays," she said.

"Planning week by week makes everything much more manageable.

"Even if you don't stick to it exactly, having a rough plan helps you stay in control of your finances."

Charlene's top money-saving tips for the summer holidays

• Put money aside every month in a dedicated savings pot.
• Make homemade snacks instead of buying pre-packaged treats.
• Plan meals for the week before shopping.
• Budget for each week rather than the whole summer at once.
• Take advantage of free activities such as libraries, museums and local events.