Easter School Hols...whats the cost?

Bothered!

Oh! dear here we go again the easter school holidays are here...just how much is this going to cost? Thought I would ask you parents out there how much you budget for Easter hols, and what brilliant ideas you have for cutting the costs ?

For me I have two sporty lads and cost are already spiralling :mad: but as I work from home for myself I think the activities and clubs which I have booked them for are cheaper than child care costs....but :doh: they will probably eat me out of house and home.

Here's my costs so far, I am going to add to it daily to get a total by end of hols (18th April)
No. 1 son Golf comps 2 days £40.00 :eek: but he is good and hopefully my retirement fund!!!! :rotfl: most of his days will be spent practicing at his home golf club which I pay annually for and I am doing him packed lunches for practice days. Should save a bit as he has a paper round and has some money put by for the hols :j

No.2 son Tennis Training 3 afternoons £30.00 :think: haven't planned anything else for him yet... probably skatepark for a few sessions and he plays golf too so might get older son to take him practicing which is within the membership already paid for. :T

I am going to do 1 big shop for eats etc and when its gone...its gone :rolleyes:

Any of you fancy keeping a running costs so far ?

wishingonastar_3

my dd is going to a sports camp run at our local sports centre whilst i'm working (basically four days each week) charge is £10 a day, runs from 8:30am to 4:30pm, they do a variety of sports, but she needs to take a pack lunch, and she has £1 a day for drink from tuck shop.

themaccas

I like this idea! My kids have 4 weeks easter hols and this week hasn't been too bad. I was going to take them swimming today but can't as DH has just come home to use my car and his is in the garage. Costs so fa this week are about £5 on sweets! I have done baking with them (younger 2) and DS1 is trying to raise £2400 for a school expedition to South America next year and we have been frantically listing on EBAY - all profits to his fund so far we have got about 29 items up!

queenofthedump

I have spent £120 already and that is just on food and havent even thought about what to do with mine yet !!!!!!!!!

pipkin71

I have to DD's age 7 + 9 and here's my running total so far:

2 x trips to the cinema [both on Wednesdays using Orange 2 for 1] £25 - taking our own sweets and pop add another £5
Ice skating £25
Gullivers kingdom [if the weather bucks up!] £60

They have 17 days off for Easter and that covers 4 of them. No idea about the other days yet, but will come back when I have further plans.
As for the food bill ????????

Pipkin xxxxx

mintymoneysaver

I'm just amazed at how long your children have off for Easter! I'm a teacher and I'm only getting 10 days! Do you have shorter holidays at some other time of the year?
I will try not to spend too much with mine.I think we are going ice skating, and I want to see Shaggy Dog at the cinema, but apart from that we will just visit friends so hopefully it won't be too bad...

pipkin71

my girls break up on the 7th and go back on 25th inc 1 teacher training day [24th] so I've included the weekends.

Total added up so far: £115 not inc food

will also be visiting my parents - £20 and a couple of days swimming [thankfully girls qualify for free swimming so three days will cost no more than £5!]

New total £140 eek!

Pipkin

Bothered!

Shopping trip tomorrow for the food, looking out for plenty of BOGOF offers!
:search:

Anyone know of any theme park offers (in the south east) for the hols ? haven't seen many about this year so far :huh:

bonnie_2

why do you have to spend a fortune taking kids out, i dont take mine out. well only to free things and visiting friends and family.
we go on holiday twice a year and they go to dancing, scouts and girls brigade and all their trips but thats it.
there is plenty you can do at home baking, arts and craft, walks and picnics.
i dont remember going to all these places when i was young.
its a waste of money. why people feel the need that their kids have to go to all these fancy things every day of the holidays.is beyond me.

shellsuit

It needn't cost much to entertain the kids!

Bikes rides - cost, couple of quid for a drink each

Day in with all the old board games out (twister/operation/monopoly/connect 4/guess who etc) - cost £0

Swimming - cost £0 (local pool has free swims for kids on school holidays at certain times and we live 2 minutes away so no need to spend out on food and drinks)

Football, tennis stuff etc at the park - cost £0 (if you make some sandwiches and juice from home)

A day of baking - cost - not much, just ingrediants for a few dozen fairy cakes

It doesn't have to cost a bomb which I've found out lately - we did the old board games thing and baking a this week, had a great laugh and the kids loved it.

Ali-OK

Childcare is my problem. He has just over 2 weeks off school.

1st week
Activity club £127.50; 8-4.30pm, packed lunch. I'll be working f/t, but fortunately company are flexible with my start/finish times to accommodate the care.

2nd week
I'm on hols from work and we are going to stay with friends Mon-Fri. Cost - petrol and contribution to food. Freebie days out if the weather is good - local parks, etc.

Childcare around here is so expensive - ranges from £135 for a childminder to £180 'Out of School Club'. We've had day offers from schoolfriends which I'd love to take up (and pay for), unfortunately this stuff had to be planned in January to get him into the club. I now have to book early May for July school hols! Madness!