So, it’s Summertime and you have a couple months of freedom.
It can be difficult to stay occupied whilst also keeping your bank balance happy so here’s a few ideas of free things to do in summer with friends (or family, or alone).
In England, summertime is very unpredictable. If it’s sunny and hot today, it could rain all day tomorrow. I’ve included things you can do both outdoors and indoors because the struggle is real when it comes to making plans based on the weather.
Check out the video version of this blog post from sister blog Save Like A Bear or read on:
Here’s a list of 8 FREE things to do this summer:
1. Nature walks / hikes
It’s obvious but overlooked. A walk or hike doesn’t have to be boring and tiring, it can be really adventurous and fun if you plan it out beforehand and you have some sort of aim to it – Where do you want to go? What do you want to see or do along the way?
Maybe you’d like to explore the local area and see what’s around, that’s where the Walking Britain website comes in handy, you can search for walking trails near you. If going off the beaten track and woodlands is more your thing then check out the Woodland Trust website.
Finding a walking trail recommended by the National Trust is always a good choice if you don’t have any interesting local walks. They even have a list of pub walks!
2. Beach trips
If it’s a nice day, get out and enjoy some vitamin sea…(haha).
This is only free if you live near the beach and don’t have to spend money on travel, but if you live close enough you can do a quick search online for free shuttle buses, cheap park & ride buses or walking trails that lead you straight there.
We don’t usually get many days of hot weather in England so make the most of it!
3. Photoshoot
Remember in year 7 when you’d have a “photoshoot” with your friends? *cringe*
If you know how to work your angles, you could have a photoshoot whilst doing activities 1 or 2 mentioned above. This is one of the most fun and productive free things to do in summer because you can spend quality time with friends/family whilst feeling confident and getting photos for your Instagram if that’s where your creativity lies. You don’t need a professional camera either; a smartphone will do just fine.
Want to share this blog post with someone you know? Or send them a Cliff Notes video? Well, what do you know…someone has conveniently put a 10 second video here for you to send them!
4. Make money
Summer is a great time to get your finances in gear, ready for the next academic year or latter half of the year in general. Check out the make money archive on the blog for loads of ways to make extra money this summer whilst you have time off.
You could even do my free email course ‘Improve your bank balance in just 3 days’ as a way to kickstart making or saving money. Simply sign up via the form below.
5. Museums and games
Unless you’re into that sort of thing, the idea of going to a museum sounds horrendously boring and this would be the last place you’d visit with friends.
Well, let the games begin!
Here’s a few suggestions of games that you can play whilst visiting a museum to make it more interesting:
- Do it for the ‘Gram – copy poses of statues and upload them to Instagram. You could even get your followers involved by running a poll on your story asking whose pose is better.
- Birth Year – go round and find as many artefacts that were discovered, made, created or published in the year you were born and whoever finds the most wins.
- Innuendo Bingo – have a look at some of the artefacts’ descriptions and you’ll realise that some phrases can be quite interesting. Note down or take a photo of as many as possible and that’ll give you something to giggle about on the way home!
Most museums are free for EU citizens (you might have to bring ID so check this online before you go). The Money Saving Expert has a huge list of museums and art galleries you can visit free of charge.
6. Plan a holiday
This is a lot more fun than it sounds, I promise!
If you have nothing to do, why not plan a holiday (but not actually go)? You have scope to plan your dream holiday worth thousands or create a strict budget and see what deals you can find. Then, use your new-found holiday hunting skills when booking your next real holiday!
I’ve listed some great flight, hotel and holiday deal websites below for you:
7. Party
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right?
Drink responsibly obviously if you’ve got leftover alcohol, or perhaps you’ve gone alcohol free? My alcohol free faves are mentioned in the video at the top of this page (they’re not free to buy if you’ve run out, but when it’s time to replenish your stocks, you might make a saving if you alternate tasty 0% drinks with your booze. Do what makes you feel your best!)
8. Cupboard clearout picnic
Perfect for those of you moving house for the next academic year, there’s so many people in the same position as you and of course you’ll want new food in your new kitchen. Only using the leftover food you have between you, create a picnic of homemade nibbles and meals to enjoy in a park on a sunny day, on a break from a hike like mentioned in activity 1 or even just sat indoors if it’s raining.
If you haven’t discovered the joys of Shopmium yet, find out in this blog post how to get free food via the app.
MyFridgeFood is a site where you put in your leftover ingredients when you have no idea how to turn them into something edible. Simply select what food you have and it will give you recipe ideas.
If you’re London-based or visiting this summer, then check out the archive on free things to do in London by Laura from Thrifty Londoner.
Read more about Saving Money on Student Skint.
Great post, nice to see some activities that don’t cost for once, normally it’s all about money, money, money. As a student money is the last thing we have!! Nice post!
Thanks Louis! Yes exactly, you don’t need money to enjoy your friends’ company 🙂