Your guide to saving this summer

From free activities around the city to saving on your next barbeque – check out our hot savings tips to help keep your budget cool.

Days out for less

The summer months are a great time to get out and make the most of what our beautiful country has to offer.

Travel by train and earn two-for-one entry to attractions such as House for an Art Lover, Ghost Bus Tours Edinburgh, Sea Life Loch Lomond Aquarium, and The RSS Discovery at DaysOutGuide. (subject to COVID restrictions).

Make sure you present your valid rail tickets alongside your downloaded two-for-one voucher at the attraction’s box office.

Stay active for less

With an abundance of parks and green spaces within walking distance, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to getting out and about in Glasgow.

With 23 parks within the Glasgow city boundary, and many more within the greater G postcode area there’s no excuse for not getting some fresh air.

Or if you prefer something a bit different, did you know that several Glasgow parks (including Dawsholm, Cathkin Braes, Alexandra, Bellahouston, and Glasgow Green) offer orienteering courses?

For the hardcore fitness fans, outdoor gym equipment can be found in many of the parks too, including Queens Park, Rouken Glen, Alexandra and Bellahouston.

Laundry for less

It’s well-known that using a tumble dryer or drying clothes inside can waste energy, increase your bills and impact on your home.

But did you know that line drying your clothes outside during the summer can save on average £30 a year on your electricity bill and 90kg CO2 in emissions?

According to the Energy Savings Trust, if everyone in the UK line dried their clothes during the summer instead of using a tumble drier it would save as much as £375 million a year and cut electricity consumption by 2600 GWh!

Barbecue for less

When the weather’s nice, who wants to be inside slaving over a hot stove when you could be outside sweating over a barbecue? With the summer weather in Scotland being unpredictable at best, it can be hard to plan a barbecue, but with a little thought and our top tips, you can throw together a feast on a budget in no time!

Food bargains
Whether it’s strawberries for Wimbledon or burgers for the barbecue, stay on top of the best deals by signing up for weekly sales alerts from LoveMoney.

Invest in the right equipment
Invest in a reusable charcoal or gas barbecue rather than paying £5 for a single-use disposable one that never really cooks the food well anyway! You can pick-up a reusable charcoal BBQ for under £20 and a bag of charcoal that will last you several BBQs will set you back about £5. As long as you clean the grill and store away during bad weather, you’ll get years of use out of this.

Make your own burgers
Give it a try! Homemade burgers are cheaper, taste better and are ridiculously simple to make. All you need is mince, onion, breadcrumbs, an egg and some salt and pepper. Finely chop and fry off your onion, then put this in a large mixing bowl. Once the onion has cooled, add your mince, breadcrumbs, seasoning and the egg and mix this together. Shape into balls and flatten out into burgers and then chill in the fridge until needed.

DIY marinade
Most supermarkets and butchers will sell pre-marinated packs of meat, but they’ll charge a premium price for something that’s really simple to do yourself. You can either buy a jar of sauce or a tin of spice rub that can be re-sealed and used again for your next barbecue, or you can make your own marinade. Get experimental using the herbs and spices in your kitchen cupboards and leave the meat for around 3 hours before cooking to let the flavour develop.

Pad out the meat with cheap fillers
The most expensive part of any barbecue is the meat, so stretch your wallet and menu further by adding plenty of friendly filler food such as corn on the cob, baked potatoes, veggie kebabs and salads. And remember – don’t try to cook everything at once or you’ll end up with a load of waste! Work out how many people are coming and cook a little of each.

Look good for less

Many retailers, including H&M and Zara, have schemes that let you swap old clothes for vouchers. It’s a great way to clear the clutter for summer and save at the same time. Plus, it’s better than items go to charity or are recycled than adding to a landfill.

To help bring down your overall energy bills, consider letting your washing dry outside rather than in a tumble dryer. The sun and the breeze will do the work for you, saving you money on electricity.

Switch off your hair straighteners a couple of minutes before you finish. They’re still hot enough to carry on with and it’ll save on electricity bills.

Holiday cash for less

It might be a while before we’re able to go on a foreign holiday, but when travel is next on the cards one of the most important things is to make sure you get the cheapest cash for your holiday.

  1. Use a comparison site
    Enter how much you want to get and your postcode to see the cheapest options on sites such as CompareHolidayMoney and TravelMoneyMax.
  2. Order in advance
    The best rates, even those identified through a comparison site, will normally require you to order in advance. This locks in the rate too, so you’ll know exactly what you’re going to get for your money.
  3. Collect if you can
    The cheapest option is always to collect, but you can get prices based on delivery.
  4. Get a specialist travel money card
    A specialist travel debit or credit card is a cheap and safe way to spend when you’re abroad. Money Saving Expert has put together a handy guide to help find the best deals available.

We’re committed to working with members, local organisations,
and employers to increase financial awareness in the wider community.

For more hints and tips check out our Financial Wellbeing Hub,
which includes articles and guides covering everything from budgeting to getting onto the property ladder.

If you have any questions or would like help with any of our services, please contact us on 0141 274 9933.

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