10 Cheap Summer Activities for Adults
For all 18-and-above-year-olds, drinking is a key part of the English summer. From rooftop rosé’s to beer garden brews, there’s no denying that Brits love a good drink. But with drinks prices going up our beloved pub plans are becoming a costly part of summer.
If you’re feeling like the “let’s go to the pub" text is predictable and the local pub staff know you by your order, here are some genuinely fun, budget-friendly summer activities for adults that have all the vibes with none of the hangover potential.
Sunset picnic with games
Why it’s fun: Golden hour lighting, tanning potential and homemade food!
Why it’s cheaper: Ask everyone to contribute a tupperware and their favourite game: that’s one small food receipt per head, free entertainment, and no entry fees.
Extra tips: Craft a comfy sitting surface from home (like a yoga mat, cushion, or thrifted palettes like in the example pic below) because the grass gets uncomfortable after a while! Having a stable surface also means you have a surface on which to play board games. If you're low on outdoor game ideas, Argos lawn games start from just £6, and we have discount codes for Argos here.
Picnic pics from colleagues
Outdoor cinema night
Why it’s fun: All the best films have a drive-in movie scene (whether you’re there with your T-Birds, your Pink Ladies, or your Danny Zuko). Outdoor film screenings are romantic and a great way to enjoy the warm-but-not-boiling weather the UK summer provides once the sun goes down.
Why it’s cheaper: Pop-up outdoor cinemas can be pricey, but if you are lucky you’ll find options that charge entry on a donation basis. Alternately, the DIY version is totally free if you have a projector, sheet and a garden or balcony!
Extra tips:
- Overall, you'll only need to host one movie night for two people to break even on your outdoor cinema experience (based on an average cinema ticket cost of £10).
- Microwave-at-home popcorn was by far the cheapest popcorn I found; £2.15 for a box of three (just under 72p per popcorn bag, as opposed to pre-popped which is £1-£2.20).
- The cheapest non-fitted white double sheet we found was at Dunelm for £14 (browse Dunelm discounts to see if you can get an extra % off), or a slightly smaller but much cheaper white tablecloth from Sainsbury's for £2.50 (extra savings using Sainsbury's codes can be found here).
- Portable smart phone projectors at Amazon start at £7, which was the lowest price I found.
Cold water swim
Why it’s fun: Primarily the adrenaline! Secondly, bragging rights, and thirdly, it's likely the only reason you’ll want a cuppa in 30-degree weather.
Why it’s cheaper: Lidos and paid pools are often under £10. Wild swimming locations that are maintained will likely charge a small fee to help them keep up the maintenance. And anywhere else is free game (literally).
Tip: Take a look at the Wild Swim UK website to find your closest outdoor swimming spot!
Your essential outdoor swimming checklist:
- Microfibre towel (the cheapest I found were £3 at Tesco and £3.99 at Decathlon.)
- Portable speaker (make more savings on a quality JBL speaker when you use a code.
- Drinks flask (prices at Go Outdoors start from £30, not including any savings from a Go Outdoors discount code) as you'll want a warm drink to help you warm up afterwards!
Scenic bike ride
Why it’s fun: the lovely breeze on a stifling day really can’t be beat! Your route can be customised to suit your group size, skill level and scenic requirements.
Why it’s cheaper: even if you have to rent a bike, the rest of the day has no price tag (if you pack a lunch).
Tip: research your route first; if you need to get a train to reach your starting point, check that the service allows bicycles on peak and off-peak trains.
Beachcombing or foraging walk
Why it’s fun: you’ll get to explore your local area in detail you may not have before, and it’s surprisingly calming. Download a free local guide to listen to on your way, or listen to the guide beforehand and then host a foraging tour for your friends!
Why it’s cheaper: not only is it free to do, if you find something edible (with caution) you’ve gained a free ingredient or two for the night’s dinner!
Tip: Look up the foraging rules for your local area: you may not be able to take shells from a beach or flowers from a nature reserve, for example.
A forager's checklist:
- Foraging book guide (find cheap secondhand guides on World of Books)
- Plastic tubs
- Large capacity backpack (to fit all the plastic tubs!)
Foraging for petals to make natural fabric dye
I collect petals once the flowers are dead but still have their colour. Then, I use them in combination with water and white vinegar to create a natural dye for fabric! It's environmentally friendly and a great way to upcycle old clothing. You can use bleach to print flowers and leaves onto clothing, too.
There are plenty more ways to get creative in nature like this. Keep an eye out for crafting opportunities while you're out walking: like pine cones for a natural bird feeder, leaves to go in a flower press, or take a digital cam and then later turn the photos into a collage.
Ruby Lizon-Walker, Savoo Money-Saving Expert
Click on the still image below: this TikTok video link was inspiring and provides a step-by-step guide on how flower printing can look on a plain tote bag.
Take a free online creative class
Why it’s fun: pick a class with your friends and learn together. Get some of the bits in beforehand (air dry clay, needle and thread and a t-shirt, or the like). You’ve got a day’s worth of entertainment and a skill for life!
Why it’s cheaper: there are hundreds of free and easy-to-follow tutorials online: we recommend checking Youtube and TikTok for yours. Dress up your space nicely to heighten the experience, you can do this for free simply by doing a deep clean, clearing away clutter, and laying out some glasses and a jug of iced water.
Tip: choose a creative skill you can utilise to save yourself money in the future. Some examples are propagation, dish making, brewing cordial, or darning.
Outdoor yoga or exercise session
Why it’s fun: it's one of the most main character things you can do in the park! Plus, you’ll feel great after thanks to the endorphins.
Why it’s cheaper: these can be low-cost or totally free, especially if you take a yoga mat and host it yourself. Ask everyone joining to send five songs they listen to to get pumped up and create a shared playlist. You can play it on a speaker and give everyone the link so they can listen again and again!
Tip(s): If hosting the event yourself, find a spot with low foot traffic in case you have any wallflowers joining you! Try a shaded area away from paths or local attractions. On a really hot day, host the event outside the key UV and temperature hours: before 10am or after 4pm.
Your outdoor workout checklist:
- Affordable yoga mat
- Cute workout clothes (Gym Shark runs a fantastic creator programme: if you log on to Instagram and find their sponsors you'll usually be able to get a Gym Shark influencer code. If not, Sports Direct and JD Sports are two favourites of mine for basics, and we have codes for both retailers on Savoo UK)
- Large capacity water bottle (starting from just £3.99 at Mountain Warehouse, £6.99 at TK Maxx, and £7.99 at Bulk for a gigantic 2.2L capacity bottle).
See the art at an Open Studios
Why it’s fun: with hundreds of artists under one roof, you'll get to see a larger variety of uncurated art. There is often the chance to speak with the artist themselves and you get to see the entire studio set up including the materials used (instead of finished pieces and plain gallery walls).
Why it’s cheaper: Open Studios are an annual event where artists allow people in to see where the art is made, with an open doors policy. There is no pressure to purchase art (although you often can) and there'll likely be a place to spend just a few pounds on a tea or coffee, or make a donation if you feel inclined! Find out when your local artists' studios is hosting theirs.
Tip: Look out for pop-up galleries in your area and free open air exhibitions (like the one on Tottenham Court Road in London).
Host a summer skill swap
Why it’s fun: You’ll be entertained by the chaos and will likely be surprised by your friends' hidden talents! I've heard of people running this as both a talent show and a tutorial.
Why it’s cheaper: since everyone will bring items they already own, no one needs to spend any extra!
Tip: turn it into a talent show with a little fanfare! Use a lamp as a spotlight, create a stage area, and give everyone a ballot sheet for scoring at the end (all you need is a Canva account and a printer). An example my colleague gave me below: ask your friend who's good at drawing to bring some extra paper and graphite pencils, and get the group to copy pre-drawn sketches by your expert. Hilarity is sure to ensue!
Funny skill swap talent show my colleague attended
Volunteering
Why it’s fun: if you're stuck for things to do, helping others is a great and rewarding way to fill your time.
Why it’s cheaper: you don’t get charged for volunteering (of course): it’s completely free!
Tip: here at Savoo we love working with charities as fundraising is one of the pillars of what we do. We have a huge catalogue of charities that welcome volunteers, applications are usually placed by filling out a form provided on the charity's website.
We stood on the street with collection buckets. It rained, naturally since this is the UK, but that made it all the more fun! People stopped to chat to us about the (slightly ridiculous) volunteering hats, and we had a lot of very funny conversations. We probably raised even more because people felt sorry for us, and finding out the total raised for Marie Curie nurses at the end of the day made it all worth it.
Charlotte Amadis, Savoo France Money-Saving Expert
Here are some charities we work with and the sort of volunteers they accept:
- Marie Curie: collection buckets
- Make-A-Wish: being a wish collector
- Crisis: activities volunteer
- Marine Conservation Society: beach clean
- National Trust: beach clean
- Trussell Trust: foodbank volunteer
- Age UK: "befriending activities" including coffee mornings
The Savoo team volunteering for Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Campaign