With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to put pressure on many people’s finances, you may be choosing to scale back your summer holiday plans, or scrap them all together.

While an exotic escape may be off the cards, you can still enjoy the warmer months by embarking on a cheaper staycation or planning activities closer to home.

Here are seven awesome and affordable ideas to make the most of summer, even if you can’t head overseas on holiday…

1. Be a tourist in your own town

If you live in a large town or city, it can easy to overlook attractions that are right on your doorstep because they’re “too touristy”.

Think like a holiday-maker for a day and visit that castle/museum/gallery/stately home you’ve walked past a thousand times but never ventured into, or join a free walking tour. You might be surprised what you discover about your hometown.

2. Party in the park

You don’t have to be celebrating a birthday or special event to organise a fun picnic or garden party. Gather your friends or family and split the costs by allocating each person a different dish/drink to bring.

Lay down some blankets, get the tunes going (being considerate of others if you’re in a public place, of course) and arrange some fun party games for the kids (and the grown-ups).

3. Camping with your crew

One of the cheapest ways to take a staycation, camping is a great way to get back to nature and spend time with loved ones.

Load up the car with a tent, supplies and pals so you can share the petrol or car hire cost (and be more sustainable in the process).

4. Reconnect with friends

Lost touch with mates over the pandemic? Now’s the perfect time to get back in touch and suggest a summer catch-up.

Got friends in a cool city or picturesque part of the country? Offer to visit, so you can enjoy a day out or weekend away while spending time with your pals.

5. Be a culture vulture

Swap flight tickets for theatre, concert or comedy tickets at smaller venues.

Mid-week theatre tickets tend to be cheaper, and look out for comedians doing ‘work in progress’ gigs at comedy clubs – you can catch big names for a fraction of the usual price.

6. Holiday house swap

Hotels and rental properties can be extortionately expensive, especially during the school holidays. A house swap helps you secure free accommodation in a destination of your choice (some sites charge a fee) by agreeing an exchange with the homeowners.

Check out sites like Love Home Swap or Guardian Home Exchange, which have thousands of properties listed in the UK and Ireland.

7. Let the kids take charge

A Family & Friends Railcard is a brilliant way to make day trips more affordable. For £30, you get one third off fares for up to four adults and 60% off for up to four kids aged five to 15.

Instead of the grown-ups doing all the planning, why not let the kids decide where to go (or offer a few options to narrow it down). Take a packed lunch and head off to the countryside/town/seaside spot of their choosing.