Doing staycations the Much More With Less way

On the Much More With Less blog and Instagram page you'll find loads of valuable advice on how to make the absolute most out of each pound you spend and how to approach home and family life, cooking, fitness and even gardening with frugality in mind.

Faith Archer, who runs the Much More with Less blog, has a background as a personal finance journalist. She has a wealth of experience on how to save money and has recently done a staycation with her own family. That's why we reached out to her to ask how to have a fantastic staycation that stretches your money further.

The big question - is it possible to save money on a staycation?

Definitely! Whether you strip it right back to a holiday in your own home, head out camping, go on mini break or stay in a holiday cottage, there are loads of ways to save. Fundamentally, by going on holiday in this country, you can just pack up the car and leave – no expenses for flights or ferries, hold luggage, car hire, passports or even travel insurance. If you take the train, see if you can save using a Family & Friends railcard, which normally costs £30 for a year but chops a third off adult tickets and 60% off tickets for children. - Faith Archer

How to go about planning for a staycation

Staycations give you a lot of control about your accommodation, activities and amenities, along with the associated expenses, which is great if you want to do a staycation on a budget. Accommodation and food costs can creep up rather quickly, so Faith gave us these money-saving tips.

1. Consider the accommodation that's the best fit for you

Camping is a great budget option, especially if you have the gear, and the kids love it. Otherwise you can book self-catering cottages, which saves loads compared to eating out all the time. Accommodation during school holidays isn’t cheap, but you can use Snaptrip.com to find last minute UK holiday accommodation with a discount, plus the chance to bag cashback if you click through from TopCashback or Quidco before booking.

Dog friendly accommodation is also easier to find for staycations compared to overseas travel. It might cost slightly more in cleaning costs or a damage deposit but means you can bring your much-loved pet and don’t have to pay kennel or dog-sitter costs.

2. Eating out or self-catering?

It's no secret that eating out can really increase your food costs, especially on a vacation where you may not have cooking facilities. However, there are ways to work around this. Self-catering or taking picnics for most meals means you can indulge in a few treats for the kids like ice cream on sunny days or hot chocolate on grey days. Another helpful tip is to use supermarket loyalty points or vouchers from cereal packets to cut the cost of tickets to the local aquarium or theme park.

Essential items to make your staycation fantastic

Essential items to make your staycation fantastic You may have wondered what, if anything, you might need to take for an enjoyable, fun and frugal staycation. Generally, the rule here is to keep it simple, but cover all the bases you may need. If you're staycationing in sunny weather or heading to the beach, obviously sun protection items will be important. If you’re camping for your staycation, consider portable cooking appliances and utensils, camping gear and picnic equipment.

9 Great staycation items

• Sun tops
• Sun cream
• Beach toys
• Water shoes
• A sharp knife for cooking
• Camping gear (including a tent, sleeping bags, and roll mats)
• Cooler bags
• Re-fillable water bottles
• Camping stove

Staycation activities to entertain everyone!

Simplicity is the name of the game here, particularly the great outdoors. The UK is filled with wonderful national parks, beaches, historic sites and other attractions that people of all ages can enjoy. Faith had several recommendations for staycations in the UK that almost anyone can do, regardless of where they live.

Britain has some beautiful beaches, and if you bring your own beach toys and picnic it needn’t cost more than parking and a bit of petrol.

We take walking boots so we can enjoy exploring the countryside, and liven it up for the kids with geocaching apps. We’re also members of the National Trust and English Heritage, which bring free access and free parking at historic locations and beauty spots up and down the country. Just remember to check opening hours during coronavirus, and see if you need to book timed tickets. - Faith Archer

You may of course be thinking - well, what if it's rainy or the weather is not ideal for outdoor activities? Fret not, as there are always entertaining alternatives for the whole family if the weather takes a turn for the worse during your staycation. National museums, art exhibitions or cinemas that screen films for kids can be lifesavers. It all helps get out exploring during your staycation, which is time better spent than on the sofa!