PARENTS face spending on average £1,047 to entertain kids at half term – but there are easy and even FREE ways to fill the days.

From supermarket loyalty points and credit card rewards, to meal freebies, there is plenty of help.

6

Ruth Kirby Jackson shares some top tips . . . 

USE LOYALTY POINTS

6

IF you’ve saved up Tesco Clubcard or Nectar points, cash them in.

There is over £1billion worth of unused points sitting in accounts.

Tesco Clubcard points are worth double if redeemed with partner attractions such as Thorpe Park, Legoland and Longleat.

A £12 Tesco Clubcard voucher converts into up to £24 worth of entry tickets.

You can also exchange points for tickets to Cineworld, Activity World and aquariums across the UK — all great for rainy days.

For example, at the Cineworld website, book a family of four to see Mufasa: The Lion King and you pay £50 — or when choosing a payment method, select Tesco Clubcard Partner Code and use a code from the Clubcard app to get those same tickets with £25 worth of Clubcard points.

Apply for a Clubcard and you will earn one point for every £1 spent in a Tesco store or cafe, or on a Tesco mobile. You also get a point for every two litres of fuel bought at a Tesco petrol station.

Every three months your points are automatically converted into a Clubcard voucher you get either on the Tesco app or by post.

Boost your Clubcard points with a Tesco Clubcard Credit card and earn an extra point for every £4 you spend in Tesco, plus extra points on fuel and one point for every £8 you spend outside Tesco.

If you get a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card and regularly shop there, you could rack up £228 of Clubcard points to spend on days out over the year. That’s assuming you spend £300 a month in Tesco and £200 a month elsewhere on the credit card.

Nectar points can also be used to pay entertainment costs.

CREDIT CARD REWARDS

If you shop at Sainsbury’s, an American Express Nectar Credit Card can boost your rewards.

You earn three Nectar points per £1 spent in Sainsburys — up from the one point per £1 you earn with a standard Nectar loyalty card — and two points per £1 spent elsewhere. If you spend £2,000 in the first three months you get 20,000 bonus Nectar points.

Every 500 Nectar points are worth £2.50, and you can redeem them for cinema tickets, dining out or even train fares.

If you have an standard American Express card, you can convert Amex points into Nectar points to use at Sainsbury’s on picnic essentials or games. Every 500 Nectar points are worth £2.50. Scan your Nectar card at the till to pay with points.

TAKE UP FREE ACTIVITIES

6

YOU don’t need a huge loyalty point balance to enjoy free days out — many museums and galleries offer free entry

Lots also put on family-friendly exhibits and kids’ activities in the holidays. For example, The Royal Armouries in Leeds is free to enter and has a Superhero Academy at half term.

In London, the Victoria and Albert Museum is free to visit and has activities at half term including a Makers Club, Family Design Challenge and Salt Dough Statue Workshop.

Local councils and libraries often run free events at half term, from storytelling to arts and crafts workshops. Check online or visit your local community centre to see what’s available.

Outdoor adventures also don’t have to cost you a thing. Just pack a picnic and head to a country park, nature reserve or beach for a free day out.

Many parks have adventure playgrounds, wildlife trails and free guided walks during school holidays. You can find out about what’s on at national park websites such as LakeDistrict.gov.uk or RoyalParks.org.uk.

BAG A FREE MEAL

6

YOU can get complimentary kids’ meals this half term at many big-name restaurants and cafes.

Angus Steakhouses, Asda, Beefeater, Bella Italia, Bill’s, Dunelm, Hungry Horse pubs, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and TGI Fridays all let children eat for free or just £1 if an adult is eating too.

When you are doing your supermarket shop it’s also worth keeping an eye out for deals on days out that are offered by big-name food brands.

For example, Kellogg’s recently ran a deal giving you a free adult ticket for Merlin attractions — which include Alton Towers and Legoland — if you cut out the coupon on your cereal box.

PLAN AHEAD

IF you don’t have loyalty points to help you cover the cost of this half term, start planning for the next one. Applying for a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card or an Amex Nectar Credit Card can help you earn points faster.

Rob Burgess, founder and editor of headforpoints.com, a website for frequent air travellers, says: “You maximise your return from credit cards by maximising sign-up bonuses.”

He suggests couples can get the maximum out of introductory bonuses and fee waivers by applying in one person’s name — then you could cancel at the end of your free first year and reapply via your partner for a new bonus.

After a 24-month gap, you would be able to reapply yourself and get the bonus again.

If you spend £2,000 in the first three months with the Nectar American Express, you’ll receive 20,000 Nectar points worth £100.

Used wisely, these could fund your next school holiday’s activities — or a weekend away.

Just be aware that these deals only work if you can afford to pay off the balance of your credit card in full each month.

Otherwise, the interest charges may wipe out the benefits.

Electricity meter peril

HUNDREDS of homes risk having their electricity cut off, owing to a major switch-off of meters.

Regulator Ofgem is proposing new rules for energy suppliers, to manage the phasing out of old Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters.

6

Around 530,000 customers rely on these meters, which offer cheaper electricity rates at certain times of day, according to Energy UK.

But they will stop working from the end of June this year. There has been concern that this could leave some people stuck on peak rates and paying higher bills.

But Ofgem has now outlined new plans to protect households from a rise in bills.

It has proposed that when a customer with an RTS meter switches suppliers, the new firm must replace the meter within 30 working days.

Providers will also be required to make “all reasonable efforts” to replace the meters, even in challenging circumstances.

And Ofgem is asking that firms offer replacement tariffs that are just as good as existing RTS tariffs. This aims to ensure that consumers are not worse off for having their outdated meters replaced.

The regulator is currently consulting with energy suppliers on these proposals before formally bringing in the changes.

If you’re unsure whether you have this type of meter, call your supplier and ask.

JAMES FLANDERS

£30bn comp has wheels

A MAJOR update has been issued on the car finance commission scandal.

The UK’s industry is currently bracing itself for a potential multi-billion-pound compensation bill following a surge in complaints.

6

It involves a practice in the past where banks allowed car brokers to set their own interest rates on vehicle loans and take commission.

Under this arrangement, brokers had an incentive to charge customers higher interest rates as this increased their commission.

However, many buyers were unaware of the move. A landmark court ruling last year found the practice was unlawful and now customers are claiming.

The Supreme Court is now scheduled to hear an appeal about this ruling in March.

If the original decision is upheld, the bill is expected to exceed £30billion.

According to the FCA, on a typical £10,000 finance agreement, discretionary commission arrangements could have caused customers to pay an additional £1,100 in interest over a four-year term.

Complain directly to your car finance provider if you think you are affected.

You can download an email template from Money Saving Expert by visiting moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/reclaim-car-finance.

JAMES FLANDERS