Summer Sizzlers including £4 paddling pools, £12 BBQs, Pimm's round-up and cheap fans
There's a glimmer of summer for most of us this week (and this year, we'll take any warm-ish, non-rainy weather we can get!). So, with an abundance of optimism, we've rounded up the hottest summer and outdoor offers. Scorching deals include 5* UVA sun cream from £2.50, £3 fans, cheap BBQs and more.
In bright weather even in the UK you should be wearing sun cream. Staying safe needn’t cost the earth though. If you’re willing to ditch the brands you know, you could downshift and save with sun cream from £2.50 without giving up five star UVA protection.
It sounds too good to be true, yet we've found a number of products available for around £3-£4.50 rather than the usual £5.50-£7 branded products will set you back. You can find the cheap sun cream below, after the important safety info. For more information, check out MSE Rhiannon's suncream downshifting blog.
Are they safe?
We've been in touch with the British Skin Foundation (BSF) charity and the Cosmetic Toiletry & Perfumery Association (CTPA) trade body. Both say people shouldn't be put off by low prices, as long as they check packaging for the UVA and SPF number.
The BSF says: "When choosing a sunscreen look for a high protection SPF (SPF 30 or more) to protect against UVB, and the UVA circle logo and/or 4 or 5 UVA stars to protect against UVA."
The UVA rating
This tells you how much protection the product is giving you from harmful long-wave ultra-violet UVA rays. Some bottles have a star rating (the BSF recommends four or more stars) – while others don't, they should at least contain a circle with the letters UVA inside, as this indicates the minimum level of UVA protection. Here are the logos you should be looking for...
The SPF number
This stands for sun protection factor. The higher the number, the greater the level of protection against harmful medium-wave ultra-violet UVB rays. The label should also tell you whether the product provides "low", "medium", "high" or "very high" protection against UVB. See the CTPA's section on sun protection for more info.
You might be a bit sceptical about cheaper sun cream, we always are too, but we’re trusting that these big companies have done their own independent checks to ensure these sun creams are fully tested and are legit.
Important. As with any product, if you have sensitive skin it’s important to do a patch test before using any new skin care or hair care product and sun cream is no exception.
Note: Some sun creams can contain chemicals that hurt coral reefs and a few island countries ban them, so if you want to protect the environment and avoid them, watch out for ingredients such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. You can see the full list of 10 chemicals on the International Coral Reef Initiative's website.
-
Don't automatically chuck old sun creams away – check how long they last
How long will it last?
![]()
The period after opening (PAO) number should also be included on the bottle. This will be displayed as an 'open jar' symbol with a number inside indicating how many months the product will be safe for after opening, providing it is stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Most of the cheap sun creams we found are good to use for at least 12 months from the date of opening, so don't throw away your excess sun cream, check the PAO as it's likely you can use it again the next time you need it.
At MSE we're always trying to get you to think about downshifting, so we've had a look for the cheapest own-branded sun creams on offer, all under a fiver.
| Retailer/product | Price | UVA rating |
| Aldi - Lacura sun lotion SPF 30, 200ml | £2.49 |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Tesco* - Soleil sun lotion SPF 30, 200ml | £2.80 |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Superdrug - Solait SPF 30, 200ml | £3.59 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Morrisons* - Sun lotion SPF 30, 200ml | £4 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Sainsbury's - Sun protect SPF50, 200ml |
£4.50 |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Boots* - Soltan SPF 30, 200ml | £4.50 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Prices checked on Tuesday 2 July
Other low-cost branded sun creams
For those who just can't ditch a brand they know and trust, we've also compiled a list of the cheapest prices we found on some of the most popular products.
It's worth remembering that sprays and special formulations (eg, clear/coloured/sensitive) usually cost more, so check to see if your chosen cream could be cheaper in a different bottle.
| Product | Price | Next cheapest |
| Piz Buin moisturising lotion SPF 50, 200ml | £4.63 at Justmylook | £5.49 at Savers |
| Nivea Sun protection lotion SPF 30, 200ml | £5.95 at Justmylook | £6.49 at B&M |
| Garnier Ambre Solaire ultra-hydrating sun cream SPF 30, 200ml | £5.99 at B&M and Superdrug | £6 at Asda and Boots* |
| Garnier Ambre Solaire kids advanced sun spray SPF 50, 150ml | £6 at Lookfantastic* | £6 at Boots* |
| Hawaiian Tropic silk hydration sun lotion SPF 30, 180ml | £6.31 at Superdrug | £6.80 at Sainsbury's |
Prices checked on Tuesday 2 July
As soon as a heatwave hits, we start seeing fans flying off the shelves. While it may not be necessary this year, pop one away for future summers if you can get your hands on one of the offers below. If you're wondering how much it costs to run an electric fan, see our Energy mythbusting guide where we've done the maths on this.
Here's our round-up of the four main types of fan...
Mini desk fans (4in)
These small fans are a good size to sit on your desk or table. They're usually powered by USB. Here's our round-up of the best prices from big retailers:
| Retailer | Price |
| The Range* | £2.99 (on sale) |
| Home Bargains | £2.99 |
| Amazon | £4.99 |
| Asda | £5 |
| Wickes* | £6 (in-store only) |
Small desk fans (6-7in)
These small fans are a good size to sit on your desk or table. They're usually powered by USB. In 2020 we saw B&M sell these cheapest for £7.99, with the most expensive being around £10. However, we've not spotted any that cheap yet this year. Here's our round-up of the best prices from big retailers:
| Retailer | Price |
| The Range* | £9.99 |
| Currys* | £9.99 |
| Argos | £10.05 |
| Amazon | £13.99 |
Medium desk fans (11-12in)
This is probably one of the most common size fans, but also probably the ones that sell out the quickest. On the whole however, prices have gone up on previous years:
| Retailer | Price |
| Screwfix | £14.99 |
| Tool Station | £16.49 |
| Wickes* | £17 |
| John Lewis | £20 |
Large pedestal/standing fans (16in)
In 2020, we saw Home Bargains selling the cheapest pedestal fan for £14.99, and this year it's cheapest again at £17.99. Generally, prices are more expensive this year than they have been previously.
Tower fans (32in)
Tower fans have become popular in the last few years, as they're more space saving and more exact with their breeze, so we've included them in our round up.
| Retailer | Price |
| Sports Direct | £19.99 |
| Homebase* | £30 |
| Dunelm | £32 |
| Wickes* | £32 |
.jpg.rendition.320.320.jpg)
Always popular with the kids (even if it's not that warm) grab one for the summer bank holiday weekend, and you'll have stolen a march on next summer too. We've rounded up the cheapest paddling pools we could find on Monday 24 June – although we haven't included delivery costs, so remember to factor these in.
Small paddling pools
These paddling pools are the typical three-ring, circular pools, usually about 3ft-4ft wide and can only fit one or two small children at a time (or a dog).
Medium-sized paddling pools
These paddling pools are about 7ft in length, hold 400-450 litres of water and can fit two or three small children, or a couple of adults.
| Retailer | Price |
| Argos 7ft | £10 (was £20) |
| Sainsbury's 7ft | £20 |
| Asda 7ft | £20 |
Family-sized paddling pools
These paddling pools are 10ft in length and can be found in rectangular or circular shapes. You could fit two adults and two children in these pools.
We've also rounded up the cheapest barbecue deals we could find, including BBQs from £5 and 5kg bags of charcoal from £5.
Portable reusable barbecues from £11.75
These barbecues are usually about 13 inches in diameter and are good for transporting around if you'd like to barbecue outside of your garden, such as camping. Alternatively, if you don't barbecue a lot, these can be an alternative to disposable barbecues they're easier to store or move than a standard-sized barbecue. Here are a few we've spotted:
Standard-sized charcoal reusable barbecues from £21.25
These are your standard, around 16 to 17-inch kettle-style charcoal barbecues, which should do the job if you're cooking for a family of four. These can vary a lot in price, but here are a few of the cheapest ones we've spotted:
5kg charcoal from £7
The hottest deals we found on 5kg bags of charcoal, which are sure to get you sizzling, include:
Instant lighting charcoal bags
If you don't want family members barbe-queuing up for a sausage whilst you're still trying to light the grill, then you might want to opt for the easier option of instant lighting charcoal bags. We checked the prices at these retailers:
| Retailer | Price |
| Sainsbury's | £6 for 2kg |
| The Range* |
£6.49 for 4kg |
Now you've got your cheap BBQ...what are you grilling on it?
Cheapest beef burgers (four)
| Retailer | Price |
| Morrisons* | £1.75 |
| Asda | £1.75 |
| Sainsbury's | £1.90 (for 8) |
| Aldi | £1.99 (for 6) |
| Tesco* | £2 |
| Waitrose* | £2.30 (out of stock) |
| Lidl | £2.49 |
Cheapest sausages (eight)
| Retailer | Price |
| Tesco* | £1.50 |
| Asda | £1.50 |
| Sainsbury's | £1.50 |
| Co-op* | £1.70 |
| Morrisons* | £1.75 |
| Waitrose* | £1.75 |
| Aldi | £1.79 |
| M&S (via Ocado) | £1.90 |
Supermarkets' cheapest prosecco
| Retailer | Price |
| Aldi | £5.49 |
| Tesco* | £5.49 |
| Asda | £5.75 |
| Sainsbury's | £6 |
| M&S | £7 |
| Waitrose* | £7.99 |
| Morrisons* | £8 |
| Co-op* | £9 |
Pimm's is often seen as the drink of the summer, and can often be found on sale at the supermarkets over the summer. As well as the branded version, many supermarkets also have their own version to try and beat the brand on taste and price. Whichever you prefer, here's the best prices we found on Tuesday 2 July.
Please remember to be Drinkaware.
1L Pimm's
| Retailer | Price |
| Sainsburys | £10 (with Nectar card, otherwise £22) |
| Tesco* | £10 (with Clubcard, otherwise £23) |
| Asda | £13 |
| Amazon* | £13 |
| Morrisons* | £13 |
Own brand version 70cl
-
50+ West End showsTheatre lovers can get £10 to £60 tickets for 50+ London West End shows including biggies such as Disney's The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Mean Girls, Les Misérables, and Wicked via Official London Theatre's See It Live promotion – check 'More info' below for the full list of participating shows.
Official London Theatre wouldn't tell us exactly how many tickets are available, but it did say it's thousands. It's best to go quick, as in previous years seats for popular shows have sold out fast. You can book until 11.59pm on Friday 31 January, while tickets last.
The discounted tickets are for performances throughout 2025, not just January and February as it was in previous years when it was known as the Official London Theatre New Year Sale. It includes a mixture of matinée, evening, and weekend performances.
The saving you get varies per show and per seat. £10 tickets will usually be the cheapest normal-priced seats in the theatre, and £60 tickets will be the top-priced (non-premium) seats. Though do note, not all shows will offer £10 tickets in this sale.
For other ways to save at the theatre, see our Cheap theatre tickets guide.
See all deals: London Theatre (1 deal) -
Convert Tesco Clubcard points into Tesco Reward Partners vouchers* and on many attractions you get two-times the vouchers' face value to use on tickets, for example £5 in points converts into £10-worth of vouchers. They can be used at theme parks, wildlife parks and more.
Here are some of the popular theme parks you can choose:
- Alton Towers
- Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort
- Chessington
- Drayton Manor
- Legoland Windsor
- Thorpe Park
And some of the other attractions:
- Eden Project
- Blackpool Zoo
- Longleat Safari
- National Sea Life, Birmingham
- Cadbury World
For how to fully maximise Clubcard points, see our Boost Tesco Clubcard guide.
See all deals: Tesco Clubcard (10 deals)
3 December 2024
-
The truth about credit scores
Martin's need-knows
-
Compare+ Home Insurance
New MSE tool
-
Christmas consumer rights
12 must-knows
-
5.18% easy-access savings
Up to £20,000
-
50p photocard delivered
From Card Factory
-
Christmas light running costs
We've crunched the numbers
-
Coupons: 'Free' £2 crisps
Plus £2 off pizza
-
Read the full email
For all the latest deals, guides and loopholes simply sign up today – it's spam-free!
Recent Blogs
-
15 minutes of fame – how to boost your chances of getting on and winning TV game shows
7 November 2024![]()
We all can shout out the answers on the couch at home, but being in the studio doing it for real is very different. Take it from me – I’ve been on a TV game show recently as well as auditioned for others, and it’s not easy. What is easier than you’d think though, is getting ON...
Blog Topics
Martin's Money Mantras
Before spending
If you answer 'NO' to any of the following questions, don't buy.
Skint? Ask:
- Do I need it?
- Can I afford it?
Not skint? Ask:
- Will I use it?
- Is it worth it?
Want more great deals?
Visit our Deals & Vouchers section to ensure you don't miss out on the best deals.