A GRAND DAY OUT

As a parent, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fund childcare costs and entertain the children during the long summer holidays. The credit crunch will not have eased the financial burden faced by many parents as “household” items of expenditure have increased, such as groceries, utility bills and petrol prices.

In addition, the number of personal insolvencies recorded by The Insolvency Service in the first quarter of 2008 has increased by 1.7% in comparison to those figures recorded in the final quarter of 2007.

A bankrupt may be required to make monthly income contributions from their surplus income under an Income Payments Order. However, such contributions usually constitute only 70% of a bankrupt’s surplus income after allowing for all essential monthly payments, such as mortgage repayments, food and groceries, utilities, TV licence, for example. Individuals, who have entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement, or IVA, are more commonly required to make monthly income contributions for the benefit of their creditors, based on the full amount of their surplus income. There is usually little room for manoeuvre with regards to how much you can spend on each item of expenditure listed in your income and expenditure schedule and it can be frustrating to justify expenditure on unplanned items or expenditure on children, who many feel should not be made to suffer as a result of the insolvency proceedings against the parents.

According to an article on the Money section of MSN, the six-week summer holiday can cost parents an average of £600 per child, half of this sum going on childcare costs.

If you are feeling the pinch for whatever reason, below are some suggestions on how to keep your children entertained during the summer holiday without it having to cost the earth.

Emma-Lou Montgomery, reporting for MSN, suggests that forward planning is the key. In her article, she describes six ways in which parents can entertain their children on a budget or for free. (Read the full article at http://money.uk.msn.com/guides/holiday-money/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8822356).

· The local park or city farm is usually free. Emma-Lou advises taking a picnic with you as it is cheaper than eating out and you can ensure your children are eating healthily.
· Museums or art galleries may not appeal at first glance, but entry is usually free and many offer free activities for children. You will be pleasantly surprised at how interesting and entertaining museums such as the British Museum (London), Leeds Art Gallery or Glasgow Botanic Gardens are. The Botanic Gardens in Glasgow have a particularly good Cactus house.
· You should see what is on offer in your local area and your local council or library may be a good starting point. While not all advertised events will be free, the involvement of the local council may mean that they are subsidised.
· Try to schedule your holidays to fit in with your children. Working couples could take it in turns to take time off. Alternatively, if you have friends who are parents, perhaps you could all get together and look after each other’s children on different days.
· Pay a visit to Grandma and Grandad, as they might be able to look after their grandchildren for a few hours.
· Keep your eyes peeled for deals and offers such as money-off vouchers, or “kids go free”.

If you simply can’t afford to take the time off work, and you don’t have access to a network of friends and family who can look after your children, childcare costs do pose a particular challenge for some parents. Some employers have a crèche at work for employees, while others operate a flexible benefits scheme whereby employees are allocated a budget which they can spend on benefits such as subsidised gym membership, travel insurance or childcare vouchers. If your employer does not offer the above, the Government provides some assistance for working parents.

If the ideas above aren’t sufficient food for thought to help you keep your children occupied and engaged, here are a few more specific suggestions:

- Party in the park – free pop concert at Temple Newsam, Leeds (this year it takes place on 27 July 2008 so tickets may no longer be available, but they usually go on release in June each year at local libraries around Leeds, as well as at the Town Hall)
- Dig up fossils at Lyme Regis and Whitby
- National sea life centres, Birmingham, Blackpool, Bray, Brighton, Chessington, Great Yarmouth, Lock Lomond, Scarborough, Weymouth – children under 3 go free
- National Media Museum, Bradford – free entry for all
- Avebury, Wiltshire - World-famous stone circle at the heart of a prehistoric landscape
- The Manchester Museum – Science for Life, Zoology, Geology and Mineralogy, Archaeology, and Egyptology, entry is free
- ‘Kids go free’ week in London
- Cook with your children by involving them with what you are doing or by taking the time to cook something special together
- Go swimming together, or go to the park and play tennis or football together
- The Forbidden Corner children’s attraction - a unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created in a 4-acre garden in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.