With the school summer holidays upon us, families across the UK are bracing for a sharp rise in household spending. New research from Utility Warehouse shows that parents will be facing a rise in outgoings of an average of over £100 extra every week during the summer holidays to keep their kids fed and entertained.

Over the six-week period this equates to an extra £611. The concern to cover the costs means that 88% of parents who were surveyed admit that they are looking for ways to help them save on spending this summer. The extra costs are spread across a variety of different necessities for the summer with mums and dads paying up to £85 for clubs and camps, up to £199 for day trips and astonishingly an extra £401 for food and snacks.

Parents are already planning on ways they could claw back these additional outgoings. The most popular ways include taking packed lunches on days out (42%), buying snacks in bulk (38%), and over a third (35%) are actively utilising cashback or reward deals on what they spend.

The research commissioned by Utility Warehouse also found 40% of those who don’t already use cashback schemes thought that it would be very useful to get cashback or rewards on shopping to help during the school holidays. Which is why UW is highlighting their unique Cashback Card, which which pays out more than £1m pounds per month to Utility Warehouse customers*.

placeholder image — Utility Warehouse Cashback Card

With the Utility Warehouse Cashback Card, customers can get up to 10% cashback at more than 55 major UK retailers and brands, including Sainsbury’s, Argos, B&Q and Alton Towers, and 1% on all other everyday spending**. Meaning those that use it to help pay for their families summer holidays could be benefiting from reducing their monthly utility bills off the back of that increased summer spending.

Over the course of the summer, parents estimate they’ll go on six day trips, with 38% also going on an international trip, and 60% a staycation.

Steve Long, Financial Services Director at Utility Warehouse, added: “It's no surprise that many families are looking to cashback to take the edge off summer spending. Our Cashback Card gives customers an easy way to supercharge their savings on spending they're already doing. With cashback coming directly off that month's utility bills, we're helping to ease the burden in real time at one of the most expensive times of the year.'

THE AVERAGE COST OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN THE UK: