Frequently heard throughout UK homes this summer will be the interminable children's statement: ?I'm bored?, which is usually followed by parents dispensing cash in order to alleviate the tedium. Thankfully, there are many ways to keep the kids entertained this summer and if you are lucky enough to be able to take them abroad for a two-week break, that will leave you with only another three or four weeks of activity to fill. But whether you go abroad or not, there are still plenty of other activities and facilities available; unfortunately most of the exciting ones cost money!

As Steve Shore, head of banking at high street lender Abbey puts it: ?Kids can be pretty demanding and it is difficult to budget for summer holiday boredom.? So, if you are beginning to tot up the cost of keeping your children entertained over summer then you will be interested in the poll by Abbey that prompted Shore's comments. Amongst its revelations is the fact that the average family expects to spend an average of ?1,300 just to keep the kids occupied over the summer. That is a massive sum of money to spend in such a short time leaving many wondering how on earth they will fund the summer holidays. For homeowners, one painless solution could be to take out a secured loan.

Secured loans are one of the cheapest methods of borrowing in the UK, and are generally less costly than the vast majority of unsecured personal loans. The price differential is because secured loans offer less risk to the lender as they are secured against property. Therefore, it is easier for the lender to recover their debt in the case of a borrower defaulting. Additionally, because the loans are secured against property, credit history is less important to lenders when they consider whether or not to grant the loans.

The Abbey survey also found that 41% of parents underestimated the cost of summer last year, suggesting that many will need to find a way to fund their spending once it has taken place. Paying for summer holiday activities by using credit cards could be a short term solution - but unless the balance is paid off in full it could prove very costly in the long run. Secured loan rates are much lower than those charged on outstanding credit card bills and they are easy to arrange. With a you can painlessly spread the cost of summer across the entire year, meaning that both you and the children can enjoy an action-packed and fulfilling summer without crippling your finances for the rest of the year.