The school summer holidays are upon us - most secondary schools closed last week, with the exception of Junior Cert and Leaving Cert students - with primary schools shutting down in the coming weeks.

And for many parents and families, this may be a good time to start saving up, because having the kids at home all day can mean a lot more money spent on food, entertainment and childcare.

In fact, research by life insurance broker Reassured in the UK found that parents can pay an average of more than £1,000 (€1,186) extra per week during the school holidays on things like food, entertainment, childcare, summer camps and holidays.

And while that a week may seem excessive, there’s no doubt that the costs can really mount up, and that parents need to be prepared for extra expenses.

“The school holidays are a particular challenge when surrounded by bored and fractious children who need to be entertained and fed during the week as well as at the weekend,” says finance expert Jasmine Birtles, founder of the UK financial advice site MoneyMagpie.

“But with a bit of knowledge and some creativity, you can give the kids a fun time without going into debt.”

And Louise Hill, founder and CEO of the children’s money app GoHenry, points out that careful budgeting over the summer holidays can also be a great........

© Evening Echo