I remember growing up that Easter was often a time for family as well as some very tasty foods, like Easter eggs and cupcakes. It can be tough though to know what to do at Easter especially if there are many children or adults to cater for, as such I thought long and hard over things to do at Easter that are more thrifty for us all.
Getting creative in the kitchen
Emma and I both love cooking, either meals or treats we find that it is really fun and relaxing to do. There are hundreds of things that you can make for Easter, and many of them you can get the kids involved with as well to keep them amused, happy, out of trouble or saying they are bored (is that a dreaded word for a parent to hear?).
So why not give it a go? You can make your own Easter eggs, like I tried with ‘Is it cheaper to make your own Easter eggs‘, chocolate birds nests, creme egg rocky road, Easter fairy cakes and many more.
Local events
I cannot remember there being very many activities to do when I was younger but that might be because I wasn't looking for them. I lived in the middle of nowhere and that nowadays we have great community groups, like those on Facebook, and dedicated websites for events or activities that are taking place in and around your local area.
Some of these will be Free or have a small fee but a few will be more expensive.
Easter egg hunts
To be honest with you I have never done a Easter egg hunt before as a child. Have I missed out on anything? Regardless for most children a Easter egg hunt is a great and fun activity for them to do. You can often find local places holding their own Easter egg hunts or have them as part of an event day, which can be free or have a small charge.
You can hold your own however. Get the children to hunt around the garden to find some treats (make sure they are wrapped though), a great way to keep them entertained for a while.
Get crafty
Easter is meant to be bright and colourful. After all it symbolizes the resurrection and of course new life. So it is a great time to amuse kids with Easter and spring themed crafts. There are plenty of printable or ideas on the internet to try out.
Get some fresh air
There are plenty of spots around the country in which you can go for outdoor activities like walks and cycling. Many of these are free such as those maintained by The Woodland Trust and you can visit any location maintained by The National Trust and have unlimited access to their sites if you are a member, otherwise you can pay at the location if there is a charge.
This is a good way to burn off some of that excess chocolate from all those homemade and store bought Easter eggs, though you could turn it into a picnic and bring your eggs as dessert!
Jump into the past
Whilst we are talking about getting some fresh air then you can also go to historical places and enjoy time there. Like the National Trust, The English Heritage also offer unlimited access to their maintained sites for members and at some of their sites over the country offer fun interactive days over the Easter weekend, such as a meeting a character from history and going on a quest over a castle (basically sounds like to me a castle edition of a Easter egg hunt!). If you aren't a member then there will be a charge to enter which can alter depending on the area, or alternatively there could be a charge for the event rather than a regular entry fee.
Visit a museum or gallery
Many museums and galleries are free to enter, so why not head out to enjoy the past or the amazing creations of artists (even if some are confusing to understand or visualize).
For those with kids this can make a day out be educational and fun, unless that was just me as a child having fun at a museum. Some of these places do ask for any donations so if you have enjoyed yourself then you can always choose to help support them with a little donation in their box on the way out if you wish.
Spring clean/declutter
Although car boot sales and markets will have been running for a few months or even not stopped, around Easter is the time that people will start going to them in large numbers. The reason for this is simple, the weather will be nicer. As such why not do a little spring clean or declutter and head down to your local car boot sale to clear out the unwanted and earn some money. Though do check out my post ‘Car boot sale tips for sellers‘.
Cleaner and/or decluttered house and some extra money in your pocket what is there to lose. You could even get the kids involved by making it fun for them or that they can also have part of the stall for their items and they manage it, and their profits are for themselves.
Car boot sales
Speaking of car boot sales, although many will have still been running a great many will only start in late March or early April. Car boot sales are so much fun to go around, as a child and as a man-child I still love going around to see what I can find. You can find some really awesome things after all. Check out my post ‘Car boot sale tips for buyers‘.
For some however maybe you would like to give reselling a try? Start up a little eBay business and head down to your local car boot for some stock! For more check out ‘An introduction to reselling‘.
Go see a show or film
Now shows are held all over the country at differing times of the year, some of which will be free and others will have a fee. Just a quick search online came up with The Passion of Jesus in London which is a Free show held in Trafalgar Square on Good Friday.
I have written before about 5 ways to save money at the cinema, and over holidays like Easter cinemas will usually hold more films for families to go enjoy. So why not go and enjoy a film or two and unleash the big kid in you at the big screen.
Well I certainly hope that you all enjoy your Easter. Is there anything different that you do to save money at Easter or just do as a family in general?
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