Families spend £200 a year on days out

PARENTS are spending more than £200 a year to entertain their children during school holidays, with trips to venues such as zoos and theme parks, a survey has shown. One in ten said taking their children out costs them as much as £400 a year.

As a result, more than three-quarters of parents admit to cutting back on the number of day trips due to the associated costs, according to Lloyds TSB Duo Avios credit cards.

Mark Powys, head of credit cards at Lloyds TSB, said: “Entertaining the kids during the school holidays can be expensive, and with household budgets feeling the squeeze, it can be hard to find that spare cash to fund these outings.”