Cheap Days Out Find top deals for the theatre, free TV audience tickets, cinema & more

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This is a regularly-updated list of vouchers, 2for1 deals, and offers on days out.

We aim to ensure all the vouchers in this section can be used by everyone and are checked with the company's press office where possible (unless stated).

For more days out offers, see Cheap Theme Parks, Free Museums & Galleries and Free UK Festivals.

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Day trips and activities

Kids go 'free' to West End shows in AugustBook online or over the phone for a free child ticket with full paying adult

London
From Tue 18 Jun, go via the Kids Week link to get a 'free' child's ticket (for under-16s) to any one of 34 London theatre shows in August when you buy a full-priced adult ticket (which can cost around £50). In addition, you can get 50% off for up to two more children.

You'll go through to Ticketmaster where you can search for participating shows. Choose your seat and select the free child ticket. Shows include:

  • Wicked
  • Billy Elliot The Musical
  • War Horse
  • Horrible Histories
  • We Will Rock You
  • The Sound of Music

You could save £10-£65 depending on the show and performance you choose. The offer runs till Sat 31 Aug, though it's best to book at least two days in advance as it's subject to availability.

Warning! There may be cheaper theatre tickets available if you're looking just for adults, see our Cheap Tickets guide for techniques.

More info
There are no credit, booking or postage fees. You can also book by calling 0844 248 5151 (5p p/m from BT landlines). The Society of London Theatre has confirmed there will be over 70,000 tickets available for the launch, but more could be added.

'Free' cinema ticket with £4 worth of promotional sweetsWith promotional packs (now half price)

142 days left
You can get a 'free' cinema ticket valid on Sundays at participating cinemas - which include Cineworlds - when you buy 4 x big bags of promotional chocolates with "Sweet Sundays" written on the bag by 8 Nov 2013. Better still, the bags are on sale at around £1 in some places.

Once you have all four promo packs of sweets, follow these steps:

  1. Find the codes inside the bags (they're at the bottom).
  2. Register online at Sweet Sundays and enter the codes.
  3. Find your nearest participating cinema (Cineworld, Showcase, Apollo and Movie House).
  4. You'll be sent a voucher via SMS, email or post. Cineworld cinemas are only able to send vouchers by email or text.

What you need to look for:

Galaxy Counters 140g, Revels 140g, M&Ms 185g, Maltesers Standard or White 135/130g, Minstrels 170g and Magic Stars 130g.

How much they cost

All the packs above are £1 at Tesco until Tue 2 Jul and £1.04 at Morrisons until Sun 7 Jul. We've heard they're £1 at the B&M chain too, but don't yet have official confirmation.

In other supermarkets they're £1.50 or £2.09 at Asda (pack depending), £2 at Waitrose and Tesco, £2.09 at Sainsbury's.

MSE Charlotte says:

As I like to go the extra mile at work, I went in our local Morrisons to pick up a bag (or four) of chocolates to try this out. Be warned, the bags were mixed in with non-promotional packs - so really keep an eye out.

It's also useful to know you can get two tickets per Sweet Sundays account, so unless you're going to the movies solo it's probably worth picking up eight packs so two of you can go - although after eight bags of sweets, you'd probably feel too sick to enjoy the film.

More info
Valid on 2D screenings on Sundays only. Max two free cinema tickets per person. Tickets must be used by 24 Nov 2013. 16+ only. Excludes premieres, 3D films, previews and premium seats. Can't be used with any other offer.

£10 The Card Shark Show tix (RRP £35)Performances in Jun, Jul & Aug. Book online or by phone

London
We've blagged MoneySavers rear tickets for The Card Shark Show, an interactive magic show all about classic card tricks, cheats and scams throughout the ages, at London's Royal Institution, for all performances until Fri 23 Aug.

To get £10 tickets, enter the code MSE10 online via this special Ticket Factory link, or call 0844 338 8000 (calls cost up to 10p/min from a BT landline) and quote "MoneySavingExpert £10 offer". Tickets for these seats usually cost £35 plus booking fees, but you'll get them for £10 all-in.
MSE Charlotte says:

I was pretty excited when I went to The Card Shark Show in April, as I love all things ‘magic’. Steve Truglia amazes with his close-up magic, as he takes the audience through the history of classic card scams and had us all 'oohing' and 'aahing'. Plus, the Royal Institution is probably my favourite building in London, so it was great to see a show there. I definitely think it's worth a tenner.

More info
There are 109 seats available per performance, all of which are available at the discounted rate. Plus, the producers have said that if these seats sell out, the box office will upgrade customers to more expensive seats without any extra charge. There's no max per customer.

2for1 cinema tickets to Iron Man 3 at VueValid on 2D and 3D screenings when you sign up or sign in

Every day
Register or sign into Vue cinemas to get a 2for1 voucher for Iron Man 3 valid any day, anytime (subject to availability) till Wed 19 Jun, including Father's Day. It's valid on 2D and 3D screenings at participating cinemas (we've not been able to get a full list but have been told it's nationwide, but it's best to call your local to check).
More info
The screening is classed as 12A so 12-year-olds can go as long as they're accompanied by an adult. Only valid for standard seating and excludes special viewings. It's not valid for online or advanced bookings, only in person for the screening on the same day. Both tickets must be for the same screening.

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1,000 free pairs of Southern Homebuilding Show tixRegister and print tickets for Sat 29 or Sun 30 Jun

1,000 pairs
Register online at The Southern Homebuilding & Renovating Show and select one or two tickets for entry on either Sat 29 Jun or Sun 30 Jun at Sandown Park Racecourse, Surrey. Tickets usually cost £12 on the door or £8 in advance. The offer's available before 1,000 pairs go or until Thu 27 Jun, whichever's sooner.
More info
Max two tickets per transaction. Each person must print out a separate ticket and bring it on the day. The show's open from 10am-5pm on the Saturday and from 10am-4.30pm on the Sunday. Under 16s go free.

Southern Homebuilding & Renovating Show visitors will be able to attend free seminars led by experts within the industry on topics such as design, self-builds, extensions, remodelling, renewable technologies, budgets and legal issues.

£8 kids' summer day camps (RRP £35-£40)80 locations nationwide from Jul-Aug

Mon-Fri
We've blagged a code to get an £8 one-day taster session for children aged 5-18 at Activate Sport summer camps (usually £35-£40). There are 25 discounted places per camp every weekday from Mon 1 Jul-Fri 30 Aug at 80 locations nationwide (see the full list).

To book, choose one of the eight programmes and a location then call 0115 973 1676 (calls are charged at the standard rate) and quote MSE 2013. The booking charge is £3, but this is included this in the £8 price. You can book up to one week before the start of the camp.

Activate Sport (sponsored by the Co-op) provides sports, activity and adventure camps for girls and boys aged 5-16 years old in 80 locations nationwide. The eight programmes available are:

  • Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy
  • Gold Medal Academy
  • Multi-Sport & Activity Camp
  • Brendan Cole Dance Academy
  • Hockey Masterclass
  • Everything 4 Rugby
  • International Netball Roadshow
More info
First come, first served. One taster day per child. Valid for new bookings only.

£50 adventure holiday for 16 & 17-yr-oldsGovernment-backed scheme for young people in England

England
A Government-backed scheme called the National Citizen Service has released thousands of places for 16 and 17-year-olds across England to go on a two-week residential course (but can vary). It includes activities like canoeing, climbing and hiking followed by a team project to help their community. The residential part usually lasts around two weeks, then there's 30 hours of social action projects in your local community.

Enter your details on the National Citizen Service page (parents, get your child to do it) to take part. The cost is capped at £50 (some will be less) and includes food, transport and equipment. There's also a bursary scheme which will enable some people to go free.

You must have turned 16 or 17 by 31 Aug 2013 and it doesn't matter if you're at school or not. There's no official end date, but NCS recommends you book as soon as possible as places are limited. For full info on how the scheme works, check out the FAQs section of the NCS website.
MSE Deborah says:

This has been popular with MoneySavers. Here's some feedback from previous years:

"Yes, my son did the national citizenship (1 week outdoor pursuits 1 week learning life skills and 2 weeks volunteering) last year and had an excellent time and learnt many new skills. It also helps them to work as part of a team which always looks good on any CV for future employers." - Rachel

"Highly recommend it, stops the kids being bored too." - Ann

"All food, activities, accommodation & equipment included, great value & a fantastic experience!" - Jeanette
"My son took part last year and it was well worth it!!! He had 2 residential trips and did community work at a day centre painting and gardening. He is applying to be an ambassador this year!!" - Trudy
You can also find feedback on the NCS Facebook page.

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40% off kids' YHA summer campsFor Jul-Aug, ONLY if you qualify for free school meals

150 places
YHA is awarding 200 bursaries (25 per location), which get 40% off the price of its summer camps to children in receipt of free school meals. There are still 150 available, so to apply, complete the booking form and return it to YHA with proof of your income support at least one week before the start of the camp you're booking. Places are awarded on a first come, first served basis.
MSE Debs says:

The four-day, five-night camps are being run from Sun 28 Jul until Fri 30 Aug at seven YHA locations throughout England, including London, Gloucestershire, Cornwall, the Lake District, the Midlands and the Peak District, and range in price from £201-£237 (after discount). For more details on activities included and age ranges, see YHA Summer Camps.

More info
There's no limit on the number of children each parent can apply on behalf of, so long as they meet the criteria of the bursary. Applicants will hear within one week if they've been successful. The bursary can be used in conjunction with the interest-free monthly payment plan.

2for1 entry to 89 attractions in ScotlandClick 'n' print voucher. Incl Scone Palace & Glamis Castle

Scotland
Click and print the voucher from Visit Scotland to get 2for1 entry to 89 venues in Scotland. Either one adult or one child gets in free per full-paying adult. Most expire on 31 Oct 2013, but check individual attractions’ expiry dates on the voucher. See the full T&Cs.
MSE Debs says:

Venues include Scone Palace near Perth, Glamis Castle near Dundee and the Edinburgh Dungeon. See the full list.

More info
One voucher per two visitors. You can visit as many of the attractions using a voucher as you like, but you'll need to print a new voucher for each one.

FREE tennis coaching & court usageFind your nearest court and book online. Ongoing promotion

UK-wide
Find your nearest participating tennis court and just turn up. Slots may be subject to availability. Courts are free at all times (unless otherwise stated), whilst free coaching sessions run during weekends and are suitable for anyone aged 5 or over, with equipment also provided for free. Free weekly 2hr coaching sessions exclude Christmas and New Year.

2for1 Alton Towers, London Eye & more with £2ish cerealFind an 'adults go free' voucher on selected Kellogg's cereals

29 attractions
Find an 'adult goes free' voucher on promotional packs of Kellogg's cereal, valid at 29 Merlin attractions, incl Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Sea Life Centres & Madame Tussauds. There are 43 attractions (the others are independents) in total to choose from.

You must buy a full-price child or adult ticket to get the free adult entry. You'll find the voucher on Rice Krispies, Coco Pops, Crunchy Nut, Frosties and more on packs available in most supermarkets till Wed 31 Jul.
More info
Valid at the London Eye by 31 May 2013 and the others by 31 Jul 2014. See the voucher for date restrictions at each venue. It's not valid with any other offer or concession. One voucher per person, per transaction.

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FREE Spamalot tix for 'knights'Dress as a knight to get in free

London
The producers of Monty Python's Spamalot are giving FREE tickets to theatre-goers who turn up to the show dressed as a knight, as well as anyone who has been knighted until 2 Nov 2013, subject to seat availability.

Just arrive at The Playhouse Theatre, London at least one hour before the show starts in all your Arthurian finery, which must include FOUR of the following knightly articles:

A helmet, a hood, chainmail, armour, a tabard, a tunic, a cape, gauntlets, a shield.

However, Spamalot-style costumes will also be considered and judged on their individual merit, so if your costume's convincing enough, you could still get a free ticket.
MSE Debs says:

Even if you get there early, if all seats have gone, you won't get in. You can try calling ahead, but bear in mind there's always a chance you won't get a free ticket.

More info
Free tickets are only available at the box office on the day and are subject to availability. If you've been knighted, you must bring ID. No maximum group size, though there's no guaranteed entry, so larger groups go at their own risk.

75% off days out with Tesco ClubcardConvert Tesco points into rewards

UK-wide
Spend your Clubcard points on days out from Tesco's Deals Brochure and you get up to four times the vouchers' face value, eg, £22 worth of Clubcard vouchers gets you an annual Legoland pass worth £110. You can get up to 75% off at Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Madame Tussauds and nearly 200 other days out offers.
MSE Steve says:

For a full list of ways to maximise Clubcard points, check out the Loyalty Schemes guide.

Cinema

Vue Cinema weekend/school holiday £1.75 ticketsWeekend & school holiday mornings

Kids' deal
Children aged 2-12 can get £1.75 tickets with the Kids AM offer to some weekends and school holidays morning movies. What's more, accompanying adults get in for £1.75 too. 3D films are £3. You can buy tickets on the day, but seats can sell out, so go early if possible. To be safe, book online or over the phone, though you'll pay a 60p booking fee (90p for phone bookings).

Current films include Ice Age Continental Drift and The Princess Bride, but it depends on location. See full listings and cinema details for all the info.

Cineworld 90p/£1 tix on Sat/Sun morningsBook online or at box office

Kids' deal
Pay 90p (online) or £1 at kiosks for Movies for Juniors screenings on Sat/Sun mornings. It's for children aged 14 and under, and accompanying adults can also get in for £1 each. Each adult must be accompanied by a child. Current films include A Monster in Paris, Ice Age 4, Madagascar 3 and The Lorax, depending on Cineworld location.
More info
Though you can buy £1 tickets at the box office on the day, you may want to book as these tickets can go quickly. As it's only for selected screenings in selected cinemas, check your local Cineworld's participating before you go.

Odeon kids' screenings for £2.50Weekend & school holiday offer

Kids' deal
On weekends and holiday mornings, for selected films, adult and kids tickets at Odeon cinemas are £2.50. The following cinemas are the exclusions; Worcester tickets are £1, Dundee, Bristol and Belfast £1.50, Weston-Super-Mare £2, Dunfermline and Muswell Hill, London £3.

You can either just turn up at the cinema on the day and trust there'll be seats available or book online (though you'll pay 50p booking fee per ticket).
More info
Screenings are obviously aimed at a younger audience (kids are classed as 12 and under), so you won't find anything above PG certificate. Recent films include Kids and Parental Guidance.

See new films for free with screening codesFree preview cinema tickets

UK-wide
Sign up to film preview websites and get screening codes to see selected new films for free. Enter the code it sends you on its website to see if your local cinema is participating. Sign up to sites such as Show Film First, See Film First, Momentum Pictures and Disney Screenings. Recent films shown for free include, Oz the Great and Powerful, Safe Haven and Robot & Frank.

Take a look at the Free Cinema Tickets forum and Free Cinema Tickets discussion threads, for codes and more info.
More info
Free tickets are given away to spread the word. Agencies are hired by studios to get people talking about new films, possibly with the hope that if you've seen a film for free you're more likely to give it good reviews. On occasion, they may request feedback via email or text message.

Only selected films have previews, and participating cinemas nationwide vary per showing, so there may not be any near you. Often there's more than one screening, with times/cinemas changing, so be quick to snag a seat!

The screenings are at less busy timeslots (so not weekend evenings), usually early on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

Carers get 2for1 cinema tickets with a CEA cardBuy one, get one free for the person you care for

UK-wide
Carers and the person they care for can get 2for1 cinema tickets at 500+ cinemas nationwide with the CEA card. The card costs £5.50, and is valid for as many films as you like for one year. See 'More info' for how to apply for the card.
More info
The person being cared for must apply, and to be in be in receipt of either Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, or be registered blind.

Fill out the CEA card application form and post it together with a passport-sized photo, proof of eligibility (examples given on application form) and £5.50 (cheque or postal order - no cash). Alternatively, pick up an application from participating national cinema chains.

It will take roughly three weeks to receive the card. Then you can check for your nearest participating cinema and simply show the CEA card at the box office when you go. The person in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or who is registered blind must buy one full price ticket, enabling their carer (who can be a parent, family member, friend, care worker etc.) to get in for free.

Theatre tickets

Free arts tickets in Northern IrelandFree tickets to selected events, incl theatre, comedy and cinema

Belfast
Northern Ireland residents over 18 can get guest tickets to arts events across Belfast as part of the Test Drive The Arts programme, funded by Belfast City Council and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The tickets are available for selected theatre, music, dance, cinema, comedy, family events and festivals.
More info
Tickets will be available a minimum of three weeks before the show, and must be booked at least seven days in advance. There’s a limit of one show per person, and you’ll be asked to fill out a short survey the day after and the following year to provide feedback.

You must not have attended a live performance at chosen venue in the past 3 years as the offer is about trying something new.

Royal Opera House £10 student standby ticketsStudents can get unsold tickets (can cost £200) for a tenner

London
Students that register with the Royal Opera House are put on a list for £10 standby tickets to The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera. When tickets (generally £25 - £200) go unsold you're emailed a code and link to a booking website (sent a minimum of 24 hrs before the performance). If you’re interested, you’ll need to move fast as they’re snapped up quick.
More info
There's a maximum of ten tickets per student and each ticket holder needs valid student ID.

Comedy

We don't have any of these vouchers at the moment, but we'll update this as soon as we do.

Free TV audience tickets

Free tickets to TV shows, including...

  • Take Me Out, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway and others via Applause Store.
  • Deal Or No Deal via its website.
  • Live at the Electric and Russell Howard's Good News via TV Recordings.
  • Alan Carr's Chatty Man, The Graham Norton Show, Pointless, Would I Lie To You and others by registering with SRO Audiences and Lost in TV.

Get BBC TV and radio show tickets by registering at the BBC website.

More info
A lot of these shows tend to overbook, so make sure you arrive at least one hour before the show is due to start to ensure you get a seat. Often, if you are refused entry due to overbooking, organisers will try to arrange for you to get priority seating for another time.

Regional days out

Cadbury World 25% offPrint voucher for attraction

Birmingham

Get 25% off entry to Cadbury World for up to six people (adults, kids and concessions) bringing the price of adult tickets down to £11.21 (usually £14.95), kids' tickets down to £8.21 (usually £10.95) and concessions down to £8.48 (usually £11.30).

Just print the Cadbury World 25% off voucher and take it with you on the day of your visit. You must book in advance by calling 0844 880 7667 (call charges apply) and quote "Visit the Heart".

More info
Excludes Sat 16 - Sun 24 Feb and Sat 26 Oct - Sun 3 Nov 2013. Can't be used with any other offers. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
2for1 to loads of London attractions including Madame Tussauds and the London Zoo. Choose your offer online from the Days Out Guide, register 'n' print the voucher, and take it on the day, along with your two National Rail train tickets (sadly Oyster cards and London Underground tickets aren't accepted). A valid ticket will have the double-arrow (or 'crows-foot') National Rail logo on it and must be for travel on the day of your visit to your chosen attraction.

The key here is you need to print a voucher AND have a valid rail ticket for the same day. It’s still often worth doing this even if you’re not travelling by train since a cheap single ticket is available for a couple of quid, often far cheaper than the entry ticket price.
More info
National Rail states that while the destination of your train ticket must either be to a central London station for a London 2for1 or to the attraction's nearest station for attractions outside London, there's nothing in the T&Cs about the journey origin, which means you could get a ticket from one stop away, super cheap, and it would still be valid.

A one-way ticket from a London station to a central London station - e.g. Clapham Junction to London Bridge - is £2.80 and both visitors must have a rail ticket. Entry to the Tower of London is £19, so with £5.60 spent on a train fare you save £13.40. Even if you don't use your train ticket for travel and even if the journey was only one stop, so long as the destination is a central London station for London attractions or the nearest to the attraction for other UK 2for1s, it should be valid.

If you're travelling to one of the London attractions outside central London, e.g. Wembley for Tussauds or Kew Gardens, then the attraction will accept rail tickets for travel to the nearest National Rail station. You can print as many vouchers as you like; check the individual offer pages for full terms.

We've been told that each venue has the right to deny 2for1 entry if it "has cause to believe that a customer is gaming the offer (e.g. by having the cheapest possible ticket to a destination that is not within the vicinity of the attraction)", though since there's no minimum fare or journey origin stated in the T&Cs, you shouldn't have a problem.

Bowlplex 3 games for £7Valid Mon-Fri before 6pm. Excl bank/school hols

Eng, Scot, Wales
Get three games for £7 per person at Bowlplex. No need for any vouchers, simply walk in before 6pm, Mon-Fri for this ongoing offer. Games must be paid for and played consecutively. Games usually costs £6 per adult (£5 per child).
More info
Not valid with other offers.

2for1 Shakespeare HousesPrintable voucher for five locations, unlimited entry for 12 mths

Warwickshire
Get 2for1 tickets for any of Shakespeare's houses including Shakespeare's Birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Nash's House & New Place, Hall's Croft and Mary Arden's Farm. Simply use this Shakespeare Houses voucher before Tue 31 Dec 2013 and you could save up to £21.50.
MSE Debs says:

An adult all-rounder ticket for all houses costs £21.50, a birthplace ticket (3 town houses) costs £14, a ticket to Anne Hathaway's cottage £9 and to Mary Arden's Farm £9.50. For children it's £13.50, £9, £5.00 and £6.50 respectively. So, if you're planning to visit more than one house then it's cheaper to get the all-rounder ticket.

More info
Excludes Family Ticket, special events/exhibitions and isn't valid with any other offer.

Section 75

If you know of a deal we've missed, then please post it in the discussion and we'll add it to the list above.


As well as the deals above, there are tons of permanent ways to cut the cost of family fun.

Take a stroll

There’s an innovative free exercise system which involves advancing the feet alternately in bipedal locomotion: walking. Great British country walks are among the best bargain days out, as well as being a great excuse for refuelling with a pub lunch or an afternoon tea. There’re loads of free walking ideas and trail maps on the sites nationaltrail.co.uk, ramblers.org.uk and walkingbritain.com.

Free high-tech treasure hunts

If you’ve a GPS navigation device, geocaching.com is a fun free way to put a smile on kids’ faces. It’s a giant high-tech treasure hunt, where you hunt for ‘geocaches’, tupperware boxes filled with tiny treasures, hidden by other geocach fans (we’re talking plastic kids’ toys, not iPods).

Just go to the website, type in your postcode and a map pops up with all the geocaches near you. Then enter the coordinates of the geocache you want to find on your GPS, and off you go. The treasures are hidden at spots like waterfalls and parks.

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You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. Plus the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by these links. We aim to look at all available products. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the top deal, it is still included in exactly the same way, just with a non-paying link. For more details, read How This Site Is Financed.

For the sake of transparency, so you can check there’s no difference, here are duplicate versions of the * links that don’t help MoneySavingExpert.com: none currently.

 

Cheap Travel Money

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