As retirement approaches, you may be thinking of ways to slash spending so you can save more into your pension. Once you stop work, you’ll want that pot to stretch as far as it can, too. As the weather gets warmer, here are three great ways to spend less on days out.
There are plenty of schemes that cut the cost of travel when you’re older. For instance, Greater Anglia’s Club 50 offers 20% savings on off-peak and advance train fares online (10% if bought at the station) for £20 per month. The ScotRail Club 50 card offers the same discounts and costs £15 a year.
Other rail networks have their own offers, so check online to see what’s available. Once you hit 60, you can get a Senior Railcard. This costs just £30 a year and gives you third off fares country wide. National Express also has a Senior Coachcard for over-60s, which costs just £10 a year.
Odeon’s Silver Cinema has tickets from £3.50 for over-60s and the price includes tea, coffee, and biscuits served before the film. Vue, Everyman and Cineworld also offer discounts for seniors if you bring ID. Most theatres have concessions too, typically starting for over-60s, though some are available from a younger age.
National Trust membership gives you entry to over 500 sites, free parking, and the National Trust magazine three times a year, so it can be a cost-effective way to enjoy loads of days out. Individuals pay just £6.40 a month or £76.80 a year. There are good discounts for couples and families, which make it cheaper per person overall. It’s worth bearing in mind that The National Trust offers a 25% discount to over-60s, with almost a million members benefitting so far. To qualify, you need to have held membership for at least five of the last ten years. English Heritage also offers discounts for members aged 65 and over.
If you save money this summer, you could use it to top up your pension or reduce the amount you draw each year if you’ve retired already. You can increase the amount you pay into your pension each month by making changes in your Retirement Savings Account, or filling in an AVC form in the resource centre to make one-off payments. Don’t worry, you can always reduce contributions again if your circumstances change.