The main point of the article was "the unadvertised extra costs... that add up, sending the price of the a day out spiralling." The cost of visiting attractions on their own is not, however, so crushing. If one looks hard enough, family breaks can be found for as little as 125 GBP for a family of four - which includes entry to a top theme park and a hotel stay for the night. Not a bad price to pay considering the amount of fun on offer.
The article continued to suggest that extras such as parking, petrol, lunch and souvenirs are the real crippling factor of these excursions which can be true, to a certain extent. But then again, there are always ways to avoid these expenses.
First and foremost, the issue of food: It is true that a meal for four can cost almost 100 GBP with drinks and deserts, but with the summer well on its way, why not enjoy a tasty picnic with the family. Picnics are a great way to cut the price of the trip and great fun for the kids. Get them involved in making the sandwiches and packing the basket before you leave and they will love stopping for food later in the day.
The price of petrol is ridiculously high at around 1.20 per litre (depending on your area) which can soon add up if you are travelling a long distance. This, unfortunately, cannot be helped. But in a new green age, where the emphasis is on cutting carbon emissions and using public transport, why not do your bit and catch the train? Pre-booking your rail fare can significantly reduce the price of your trip and in many areas there are group discounts available as well. In Kent, for example, you can save 50% on your rail fare when four passengers book at the same time. This means a return trip from Ashford to London can cost as little as 10 GBP per person.
Some of the charges mentioned are certainly unavoidable, and possibly classed as collateral. When you venture into theme park land, you are fully aware that you are going to have to stop and buy an ice cream for the kids. But in reality, it is almost impossible to go anywhere, even your local swimming pool without forking out for a lollipop or a ride on Bob the Builder. These expenses are laid out even before you leave the house.
The customer needs to be more savvy in these situations and realise what the expenses are likely to amount to. If you are paying 98 GBP for a family of four to visit Alton Towers, then you have probably got another ten pounds spare to buy ice creams. If you are going swimming for the afternoon, then you probably have 50p spare for a fun ride afterwards. It's not exactly rocket science, this parenting game - more common sense.
I was helping a friend push his car into a service station the other night, and as I did, I asked him why he didn't just buy a new vehicle instead of plugging more money into his beat up jalopy. He told me that there was a chance that he would be moving to a larger city in the next few months and he would not need a car, so he was waiting to see what was going to happen.
When you live in Florida, sometimes it is difficult to imagine getting around from place to place without driving in a car, however in many large urban areas that is exactly the way it is done. People use public transportation, car pools, bicycles, or even those cute little motor scooters you see more and more often. As I think about it now, I realize that there are a lot of things we can be doing in order to conserve fuel and lower the cost of travel, like biking, walking, or investing in a small electric scooter to get back and forth from work.
With gas prices so high, why not consider an alternate form of travel? Amazingly, even with the high cost of fuel, I still witness people driving their vehicles to work when they only live a few blocks away. As a country, we have gotten surprisingly lazy, and it's not only hitting us hard in the pocketbook, but it is also affecting our health. Biking or walking a few blocks to work or school everyday would certainly help both situations.
If biking or walking hurts too much, then you should consider purchasing an electric motor scooter, which is a form of transportation rapidly growing in popularity. Electric scooters are affordable, low maintenance, and can get you where you need to go faster than a bicycle. It is important to note, however, that some large cities forbid the use of motor scooters that exceed 15 mph. Also, you must be willing to invest in a quality motor scooter or you will run into costly problems. Don't buy cheap. Investigate online or head to a local retailer to check out the scooters if you decide to purchase one.
Whether you decide to bike or ride a scooter, remember to wear a helmet. Helmets are perhaps the best safety precaution invented, and they cost pennies compared to the expense of having dents hammered out of your skull at the hospital. Choose a helmet and take it with you to the bike store, or the motor scooter dealer. Pick your new form of transportation carefully, and ride away with that helmet firmly placed on your noggin.
Both Samantha Gilmartin & Gregg Hall are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Samantha Gilmartin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Culture and Society, Celebrities and Festival Guide. Samantha is an expert Research and Theatre consultant. Her current interests are UK shortbreaks including and. Samantha Gilmartin's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Gregg Hall has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lingerie, Desserts and Mortgage. Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as at. Gregg Hall's top article generates over 3350000 views. to your Favourites.