Bank holidays are made for relaxing, recharging, and enjoying time off. But with rising costs, planning a fun weekend can feel stressful. The August bank holiday, comes right in the middle of the long summer holidays and money may be tight. I have been thinking of ways of how to have a fun bank holiday weekend on a budget. That the whole family will enjoy.
Table of Contents
Explore the Outdoors
Obviously, this is weather dependant as we all know what the great British weather is like. This weekend so far is supposed to be dry.
- Pack a picnic and head to a local park, forest, or beach.
- Try a new walking or cycling trail.
- Organise a mini outdoor games day – have rewards for the winners
Host a BBQ
You will not be alone, in wanting to have fun but not with a huge price tag.
- Invite friends/family for a BBQ – get friends to bring contributions or have a look at my BBQ recipes for inspiration
- Set up a board game or trivia night.
- Movie marathon with popcorn and fairy lights
Look For Free Local Activities
You do not have to go far for a fun family day out
- Check local papers or Facebook groups to look for free bank holiday events, markets, or fairs.
- Look at museums, galleries, or community centres (lots have free entry days).
- Street performances or outdoor concerts can be a surprise highlight.
Cook Something New Together
If you are looking for a chilled weekend that will not cost a penny. Raid your fridge, freezer and cupboards.
- Turn the kitchen into your entertainment space. Grab a speaker and play some music
- Try a “cook-off challenge” – look what you have in already and cook a feast of something different
- Bake some treats and enjoy them with a bank holiday film
Make It About Rest & Recharge
If you are just looking forward to a long and lazy weekend. Why not enjoy some lazy days
- Have a “slow morning” with coffee and books.
- Do some DIY spa treatments at home, make your own beauty products
- Switch your phone off, start a new hobby, catch up on a series you have been wanting to watch, or have a family film marathon.
Love a bank holiday on a small or free budget, we do it often and they are were the most memories lie
I do love bank holidays and having fun and making memories and it really does not have to be about spending
We tend to have low key BH weekends. We love to catch up on our DIY!
I have been in all weekend, just sored a few things out, just doing a little bit here and there is helpful
This is such good advise! I love the idea of having a BBQ at home – it’s such a fun way to spend a day.
I do love a good BBQ so much more social than eating in doors
Sometimes the simplest activities end up being the most memorable! Definitely going to be trying some of these with my family next Bank Holiday!!
It is all about making memories as they last forever not how much you spent
We are on a pretty tight budget so I am always looking for ideas. We do a lot of park trips and woodland walks – I do like to take a flask of hot chocolate and some treats too to save even more money.
There is nothing wrong with a flask of hot chocolate and treats sounds the perfect trip out
As we’re at the end of the summer most of us will be on a tight budget so this is perfect. I love to cook with the kids and they enjoy learning to make new foods and cakes. That’s not only fun but helps them learn how to cook and prepare different things.
I have always loved cooking with the kids baking and meals as well, it does help them as they get older
always savings to be had – no need for stacks of money to have fun
Exactly some of my best memories are those that cost nothing
I hope we get some sunshine for it as it’s so nice to get outside with the family
So far the weather is showing no rain which is good
I’m a big, big fan of finding local attractions and activities on short breaks like this. There’s so much to enjoy in our own backyards that most of us don’t even know about!
I love finding free attractions as well, there is always something going on
I really enjoyed this post. Your ideas prove that you don’t need to spend a fortune to make a long weekend memorable. I love how you mixed relaxing activities with fun little adventures that anyone can enjoy. Thanks for the inspiration. This will definitely help me plan my next bank holiday wisely.
Glad to have given you some inspiration
These are the best ideas; They’re all fun and could be done with a limited budget. I love hosting BBQs with family and friends; this is my favorite activity.
Having fun on a budget can be fun, there is nothing like a good bbq with friends and family
Lovely ideas here. We are lucky enough to have lovely local beaches nearby and even if the weather is poor, it is still fun to search through the rock pools. There are also several Town carnivals throughout the summer and they are always fun to attend
You can have a lot of fun om the beach even without the sun, I would love to be able to live local to a beach
Great thanks for this,as things are too expensive at times we’re having a bbq and going on a picnic
Sounds like you have a great bank holiday planned