Summer is coming – like you didn’t know – and it might be hard to find ways to save money on family fun this year. Gas prices and unemployment are crunching family budgets like crazy. It can make you feel guilty if you don’t have the money to continually rent video games, take them to costly kid-friendly places, and shell out big bucks for full fare activities.

Even during the school year, it’s important to be able to get out of the house with the kids and do something that won’t break the bank. This is where season passes come in handy. If you live in or near a big city, you can pay once for full, year-round access to a wide variety of entertainment hot spots.

Lets look at ways to save money on family fun around town

The zoo is a great place to save money with a season pass. A season pass to a zoo not only gets you in the door without paying again all year, but you usually get free parking, too.

Zoo membership allows you to access certain events that other pay-per-visit patrons don’t get to attend. And if you have to spend any money at the zoo on things like food, drinks, or gift shop items, you usually get a member’s discount price. Our local Sedgwick County Zoo has live bands, ice cream socials, trick or treating, and firefighters bring the trucks out to hose off the kids during the hot summer months.

Another season pass that will save money on family fun is one for a local water park. Water parks can be horribly expensive, costing approximately $50 per person per visit in major cities. A season pass is about $20-30 more, and you and your kids can visit as many times as you want throughout the open season.

Again, your family will likely save on food, drinks, and gift shop items, but they also have member only days and free perks like rent-free rafts for patrons who prefer to pay for a year at a time.

save money on family fun

Aside from water parks, other entertainment parks like Six Flags offer season passes to families who are on a tight budget. A season pass is the only smart way to go to one of these parks, because you can’t possibly enjoy everything in a single day!

Just two visits to a park would likely pay for a season pass, so if you plan to go more than once, or just want a place that you, your spouse and kids can have fun on a year-round basis, then consider upgrading to a membership that helps you save money on family fun.

Sporting events are another place where you and your clan can sock away money by investing in season tickets. The more games you buy ahead of time, the more you usually save – and you’ll never have to hear the kids complaining that you never take them anywhere!

Season passes and memberships ensure your family will get the fun they deserve while helping you save money at the same time. And in many cases, like with the zoo or an art museum, you’re contributing to the maintenance of the exhibits, too!

So, how do you choose which season pass to pick if you are on a really low budget?

1. How much can you afford to pay upfront?

2. Which place or pass will give the most visits for the family per season?

3. How long is each season pass good for?

Once you weed through those criteria, you’ll find the best choice for your budget and your family to save money on family fun this summer.

Do you have passes? Tell me about it in the comments below. 

They have scientific research on brain fitness and have worked with prestigious institutions (schools, not nut houses), so it may well be worth checking out. They have a 7 day free trial too.

This post is a sponsored post, but the stated opinions are my own.

Shrek Brain Buster Surgery Game

This poor Shrek is suffering from nose-marble-itis. And, seeing as how Donkey doesn’t have hands capable of performing the necessary surgery, it has fallen upon your child’s shoulders to fix this ogre’s aliments. Let’s see if the kids are, in fact, little surgeons in training! Hint: There may be a dollar bill in his buck tooth!

Product Description:

• Shrek Surgery Head with Removable Pieces
• Best for Ages 6 and Up
• 2 Game Modes
• Based on Popular Shrek Movie Characters
• 7.05″ x 7.05″ x 12.01″