I’m a money-saving mum – 12 high street buys you need to keep your kids entertained this summer – plus, they’re under £5
IF you’re struggling to keep your little ones entertained and are looking for cheap and cheerful ways to ensure they stay busy during the holidays, we’ve got just what you need.
Days out can often work out to be extremely expensive and if you’ve not got loads of cash to spare, fear not, as we spoke to Gemma Bird, also known as the Money Saving Mum, to get her recommendations for the brilliant high-street buys that will keep your little ones busy this summer.
Best of all, these buys are all £5 or under, so not only will they promise endless hours of fun, but you won’t need to break the bank in the process.
The 40-year-old mum-of-two, who lives in Billericay, Essex, lives mortgage-free in a four-bedroom detached house, drives a Range Rover and jets off on multiple holidays a year to plush resorts in Mexico, Lapland and Dubai.
But Gemma isn’t an heiress or a lottery winner – no, she’s achieved this comfortable life despite never earning more than £25k a year.
The money-saver previously told Fabulous: “I’ve never earned more than £25,000 a year. I live and breathe deals. I don’t care how much money you have, people always love a bargain.
“I’ve saved every solitary penny since the age of seven. I once managed to save almost £10,000 on a £12,000 salary thanks to my must-know hacks.”
Gemma has a whopping 2359k Instagram fans and has now shared her super-saver wisdom with Fabulous.
The money-saving expert counts Stacey Solomon as a fan and told us about the bargain buys you need for your kids this summer.
Gemma explained that you don’t need to spend hundreds of pounds on fancy days out and instead, should check out the cheap buys in Dunelm, The Range, B&M, Home Bargains and Poundland.
DUNELM
Cricket set – £5
The first item that Gemma recommends is Dunelm’s cricket set.
Gemma explained: “Cricket is really good for getting the kids outside.
“It’s good for kids’ mental health to be outside and is brilliant for encouraging exercise.
“Not only this, but it’s portable so you can take it to loads of different places.”
Football and cone set – £2.50
Gemma also encouraged parents with football-loving kids to check out Dunelm’s football and cone set.
She added: “For £2.50, this is great.
“It’s portable so you can take it anywhere. You can take it to a friend’s house, use it in the garden or take it to a field.
“You can set up obstacle courses with it and can play with it at the park too.”
Grow your own strawberries set – £2.50
If you are looking for a slightly more unique way to keep your kids entertained, how about this grow your own strawberries set?
The money-saving mum explained: “This is fantastic. It’s encouraging children of the next generation to grow their own food, in a fun way.
“With rising food costs in the UK, anything we can do to keep those costs lower is amazing.”
THE RANGE
Extendable nets – £1.99
If you’ve got a trip to a lake or the beach planned, you’ll need to check out these extendable nets from The Range.
Gemma said: “I think these are brilliant because you can take it to a lake and go fishing with it, you can go crabbing with it at the sea.
“If you’ve got a swimming pool you can have fun with them there or you can get a paddling pool and use it for activities there too.”
Butterfly kite – £2.99
Gemma also stressed the nostalgic element of The Range’s butterfly kite.
She noted: “I think this is something you can do that’s quite nostalgic.
“It’s something I used to do with my parents when I was younger and I really remember those memories. It’s something you can do at the park and all ages will enjoy it.
“My son is 10 and Bronte is four and both of them would love that.”
HOME BARGAINS
Jumbo playing cards – £3.49
Why have a pack of cards when you could have a jumbo pack of cards from Home Bargains?!
Gemma shared: “Playing cards are a great one for parents and grandparents to join in.
“Especially if you aren’t particularly mobile, it’s a game you can sit down and still join in, without needing to be physical.
“You can take these on long car journeys or kids can take them to keep busy on an aeroplane.”
Inflatable paddling pool – £4.99
Hopefully we do get some sun this summer, but if we do, what’s bound to keep your kids entertained more than a paddling pool?
Gemma continued: “This is really good and a great price.
“I can’t be bothered at the end of the year to clean a massive pool and put it all away. Also you do find that you get little holes in pools and then have to throw them away.
“I’ve spent £30/£40 on pools and have had to throw them away, so these are brilliant.
“You can use them again and again and if they do burst, at least you haven’t spent a fortune.”
Light-up bubble gun – £3.99
If your child loves bubbles, this light-up bubble gun is worth nabbing.
Gemma revealed: “This is brilliant for summer. It’s fun to take it to a friend’s house or even work well for a cheap gift.
“It’s cheap and it’s fun. Small kids absolutely love bubbles.
“And the fact that it lights up – you could use it in summer evenings, and if you aren’t going away, activities outside would be fun instead.”
POUNDLAND
Coloured card – £1
If your kids are into arts and crafts, you’ll want to stock up on this 100 pack of coloured card.
Gemma shared: “Card for just £1 is great. You could use these for anything, they could be reward cards, they could be used to teach things to children.
“The kids can write things on them, they can be used for multiple things.”
Wax crayons – £1
Alongside the card, you’ll need something to use, right? Gemma recommended this pack of wax crayons, containing 80 for just £1.
She added: “Wax crayons are brilliant because you can have an arts and crafts afternoon with them.
“These are especially good if it’s raining. Rather than paying out to go to an indoor play area, you can stay inside and keep the kids busy with an arts and crafts afternoon.”
B&M
Bucket and spade set – £3.50
Alongside your fishing net, a bucket and spade is a staple for a trip to the beach.
Gemma highlighted: “Kids love a sand pit so with this bucket and spade, they are bound to have hours of fun.
“You can drive to your local seaside, take a packed lunch with sandwiches with you, and have a pretty much a free day, aside from petrol and parking, with endless hours of fun, just for the cost of the bucket and spade.”
Giant chalk – £3.99
Finally, giant chalk is a brilliant way to keep kids occupied, without having to splash too much cash.
Gemma concluded: “Chalk is great because you can use it on the patio and it will easily wash away.
“The kids can do their own murals and then you can wash it off, or just wait for the rain to wash it away.”
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