Thrifty parenting.

Ok, so following on from kids not being to play out i thought id share a few thrifty tips for any other parents already pulling there hair out in the school hols.

1st - groupon

If you are hoing to one of these trampoline things get on groupon and save some dollar.  So far off there we have got;

Total ninja - saved 25% its a ninja academy assault course and includes entry, a headband and a slushy

Jump ninja - trampoline place - saved 50%  bargain!

Manchester giants game vs select usa team in sept. (3rd) saved 36% on a fsmily ticket for two adults and 3 kids

Free stuff

Check the council website and local shopping centre websites.  So far we have managed to go to an animal kingdom in eccles library where they got to hold tarantulas, snakes meerkats etc.  

Yesterday we went to the lowry for magic mike.  A wizard who does a free magic show

We are at a coding and welding thing on saturday on walkden run by a company called make stuff.  We have been to one before and my lad loved it.  Well worth a look.

Not so free but cheap

Power up at the mosi.  We are going to this tomorrow and its a couple of hours playing rare and retro games and stuff.  Computer games.  

Cinemas.  Vue have an offer on for any film in the simmer holidays its a fiver a ticket.  The light cinema in bolton i think its a fiver before 12.

We went bowling roo at the middlebrook but that was about 30quid for one game for 4 of us.  So maybe check groupon for any bowling deals.

Prize find of the holidays has to be free tickets from lost in tv for ninja warrior uk being filmed on tuesday at the gmex.

Pic of me and kammy hopefully to follow

Anyone else got any good tips or finds?

My daughter is all grown up now and money isn't as tight as it once was but when it was, one of the things I used to do was when visiting the two for one places such as Alton Towers, or Warwick Castle (both great days out if you've never been). I firstly had collected the 2 for 1 coupons from out the magazines or off a cereal packet or from wherever - but collected one for each of us.

Then when we were queueing up to go in we asked around for people who were going in paying full price and simply asked if we could walk in with them using our vouchers (so we got in for free!).  Not being completely a tight wad I always gave them a fiver or so, as a way of thank you to buy themselves an ice-cream or something inside.

No one seemed to mind, the venue did not lose out as they got the same entrance money as if we had just given one of our vouchers to someone who did not have any - ie two people got in only one paid, or 4 people got in only two paid, etc, and once inside we spent money on all sorts such as lunch, ice cream, cold drinks, souvenirs, etc, etc.

These days I'm classified as a concession myself!

Another tip that I use to this day is that if you are ever in a restaurant (it has to be a licensed premises) and you sit down and the first thing they do is send a waiter for your drinks order - ask for a glass of tap water - they have to provide that for free.

As the long suffering driver when I take the family out, I do begrudge paying three, four or even more times the cost for a soft drink from what you would pay at your local supermarket.

I grit my teeth and let the family order what they want but refuse to be ripped off myself for a simple glass of Pepsi.

It's probably saved me a small fortune over they years and certainly has been better for my health!

y2johnny wrote:Prize find of the holidays has to be free tickets from lost in tv for ninja warrior uk being filmed on tuesday at the gmex.

I've got tickets for Ninja Warrior uk on Tuesday 22nd. My 10 year old can't wait.

Bwfc1958 wrote:

y2johnny wrote:Prize find of the holidays has to be free tickets from lost in tv for ninja warrior uk being filmed on tuesday at the gmex.

I've got tickets for Ninja Warrior uk on Tuesday 22nd. My 10 year old can't wait.

Cant wait.  Ill update on tuesday if there is anything i can tell you to make it easier.  

Just been to power up at the mosi.  A couple of hours playing everything from the bbc and zx spectrum to vr and the new switch.

It was good.  Not overly busy but thatd why i booked the early slots.

Just in case you didn't know Johnny/58/anyone else -

Blackpool Air Show is back this weekend - and it's free

Blackpool's incredible air show is back this weekend - and the world famous Red Arrows will be soaring over the promenade.
The free event takes place on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13 on Blackpool Promenade, and this year looks set to be bigger than ever before.

What time does it start?
The show starts at around 1.30pm on both days, with the best viewing points on the promenade between North and Central Piers. It is set to finish at around 4.20pm.
Visitors are urged to get to the resort early though as it gets very busy.
What's on?
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which features a Spitfire, Hurricane and a Lancaster Bomber, will take part in a patriotic display and crowds will also be able to see an RAF Typhoon thunder across the horizon.

Loads more info here -

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/blackpool-air-show-2017-times-13459314

who needs all these fancy outings? Just do what we do and dump the kids at the childminders all over the holidays 

Good luck anyone wanting to get to Blackpool on the train this weekend, Bolton station is closed for 2 weeks!

Was thinking of going to the airshow but there is also a viking thing on at tatton park.  My lad loves horrible histories so is really excited for this.

both my 2 love horrible histories as well especially my 5 year old, she's a history buff already 

You should look out for the Horrible Christmas live show they do Johnny, Mrs Pig took our 2 last Christmas to the Lowry and they loved it. I think they are doing something similar this year?

Norpig wrote:both my 2 love horrible histories as well especially my 5 year old, she's a history buff already 

You should look out for the Horrible Christmas live show they do Johnny, Mrs Pig took our 2 last Christmas to the Lowry and they loved it. I think they are doing something similar this year?

My lad went to it it.  Funny if they was there at the same time

Message for 58.

Not sure if it will be a problem for you (has been for us) but ive just printed out the ninja warrior uk tickets and in the small print it says kids under 8 will not be admitted.

Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

Who looked after your kids?

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

you can play football golf there now as well, me and the youngest did it last year.

Fabians Right Peg wrote:

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

you can play football golf there now as well, me and the youngest did it last year.

We was looking at that and i really fancy it.  Would it be suitable for an 8 year old who isnt really into footy ?

Natasha Whittam wrote:

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

Who looked after your kids?

 They looked after me

y2johnny wrote:

Fabians Right Peg wrote:

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

you can play football golf there now as well, me and the youngest did it last year.

We was looking at that and i really fancy it.  Would it be suitable for an 8 year old who isnt really into footy ?

Yep, I played with the daughter, she is 12 and not into playing much so he should be fine, I think you can only do it on certain days though so you may want to check before turning up.

Fabians Right Peg wrote:

y2johnny wrote:

Fabians Right Peg wrote:

y2johnny wrote:Been to haigh hall today.  Wow.  Its great there.  Theres adventure golf, crazy golf which is a pound each, one of them tree top climbing things, a huge adventure playground and even more.  Well worth a trip out.

you can play football golf there now as well, me and the youngest did it last year.

We was looking at that and i really fancy it.  Would it be suitable for an 8 year old who isnt really into footy ?

Yep, I played with the daughter, she is 12 and not into playing much so he should be fine, I think you can only do it on certain days though so you may want to check before turning up.

Cheers Fab.  May give it a go with him then

Another message for 58!!!

Ref: ninja warrior uk.  We got there at ten past 5.  Queued for an hour and a half and we was towards the back of the queue.

Luckily ended up with decent seats near the wall.  There are zero places for snacks drinks or foods there so take snacks with you.  A bit of hanging about while they do snippets and stuff and a lot of standing and sitting. 

Foam fingers are 3 quid each or 2 for a fiver.  

Not bad though once it gets going. DONT PARK ON AN NCP CAR PARK

cost me 18 quid for the 4 and a half hours.

Yesterday we went to Ninja Warrior. I don't know about you Johnny, but by the end I couldn't wait to get out of there. We turned up at 1 o'clock and were number 170 in the queue. We walked out of there at 7pm by which time I had well and truly lost the will to live. Once you've seen a couple of contestants come past you've seen them all and it became very tedious towards the end. 

The place had practically emptied by the time the last 10 contestants had gone round. Definitely not something I'll be rushing to get tickets for again.