As soon as the sun starts shining, our wallets take a hit - from the cost of keeping cool to having a staycation, it all adds up. 
Key takeaways:
- Keeping cool during a heatwave can quickly push up household bills, with running a fan overnight costing around £5.67 a week and portable air conditioning averaging £15.56 a week.
- Summer extras at home can soon add up, from filling a paddling pool (£6.55) to watering the garden and hosting a BBQ, so it’s worth budgeting ahead.
- UK summer fun doesn’t have to break the bank - with camping from £15 a night, budget holiday parks from £150, and beach days potentially costing next to nothing if you plan ahead.
- Family days out can be one of the biggest expenses, with attractions like Alton Towers costing from £125 for a family of four if booked in advance - but almost double if left until the day.
In this guide I’ll cover the cost of enjoying summer at home when temperatures soar - from running a fan overnight to hosting a BBQ and even watering the garden.
I’ll also take a look at the cost of enjoying the summer in the UK, from staycations to popular family days out.
The aim is to help you budget so that you can enjoy the summer holidays without having to worry about finances.
The cost of enjoying summer at home
How much does it cost to…
Run a fan overnight?
When temperatures soar, it can get REALLY uncomfortable at night when you’re trying to sleep - but how much does it cost to keep your fan on all night? Costs vary based on the fan you’re using, how much you pay for your electricity and how long you leave it on.
For example, the cost of using a desk fan for nine hours a night is on average £5.67 per week, according to Uswitch.
Run air conditioning?
Searches for portable air-conditioning units soar during hot weather spells. Most homes in the UK are not fitted with AC, so a portable unit could help. To use one, you need to have a window where you can put a hose to get rid of any heat and moisture from the room.
You might worry that running them could be expensive, but they cost around £15.56 per week to use on average, based on using them nine hours a day, according to Uswitch.
Leaving your appliance on standby can also push up your bills; read our guide on vampire appliances to turn off this summer.
Fill up a paddling pool?
The cost will vary based on how big your pool is and how you pay for your water.
If you’re on an unmetered contract, then it won’t cost anything extra to fill up, but if you have a meter, it will cost more.
Swimming pools come in lots of different sizes, but the standard one is 6 ft wide, which holds up to 3,000 litres of water.
This costs around £6.55 to fill up, according to Uswitch.
Host a BBQ?
When it’s sunny and hot, there’s no way anyone is turning on an oven. If you’re planning on hosting a BBQ for friends and family, then the cost can really add up.
Firstly, you’ll need a BBQ. If you don’t have one already, then you’ll need to buy one. You can get a small round charcoal one for £25 from Argos - but bigger ones cost more.
You may opt for a gas BBQ, which starts from around £100. You’ll have to buy a gas cylinder separately too, these cost between £25 to £60 depending on the size, and you'll have to pay a deposit of around £40 the first time you buy one.
Now it’s time to think about the cost of what you’re planning to eat and drink. The amount will vary based on the number of people that you’re catering for, their dietary requirements and how fancy you want your BBQ to be.
Try to set a budget and stick to it. It’s so tempting to overbuy - but no one wants 10 extra hot dog rolls to eat up as leftovers.
You could even agree with the people coming to your BBQ that they contribute by bringing a dish - such as a salad - so that you can spread out the cost.
Netmums reckon you can keep costs under £30, as long as you plan ahead before you hit the shops.
You should also check for discounts at the supermarket and consider whether you could use loyalty points if you’re really trying to save money.
Water the garden?
Just like with a paddling pool, the cost of your water bill will only go up if you’re on a water meter. It will then vary depending on the size of your garden and how long you use it for. Watering once a day will be cheaper than an irrigation system.
Using 500 litres of water would cost around £1.50 per hour, based on average rates from United Utilities. Monthly that adds up to £18. In reality, it means leaving the sprinkler on for an afternoon could add £10 to your next bill.
You should also check whether your water company has put a hosepipe ban in place. South East Water has announced from July 3 there will be one in place for Kent. This means no watering the garden with a hose.
The cost of enjoying summer in the UK
From enjoying a UK staycation to taking the family out to Alton Towers or the London Eye, we take a look at the cost of enjoying summer in the UK.
How much does it cost too…
Have a UK staycation
The cost varies based on where you go, when and how long you go for.
The type of accommodation that you pick also has an impact on the cost, for example, you could go camping in the UK from £15 per night, based on a family of four.
While staying in a caravan costs from £45, budget holiday parks charge from £150 per night.
You could also look at staying in self-catered accommodation, such as Airbnb or doing a houseswap.
Take the family for a day out
First, you need to pick your location. As part of our guide to how much will the VAT cut help families, we pulled together some research on how much it costs to take a family of four to top attractions across the UK.
For example, a day out for a family of four to Alton Towers starts from £125 this summer when you take the VAT cut in advance. That price is for booking in advance, if you leave it until the day, you will pay almost £234. Children under 90cm are free.
You also need to factor in the cost of travel and food, which can add hundreds of pounds on to the cost of a day out. Other tips to save money include using your loyalty points to buy tickets.
Spend the day at the beach
Once you’ve picked your beach, you’ll need to work out how to travel there, whether it’s by car, train or bus. Compare prices and work out the cheapest way.
Driving to the beach is normally the easiest, as you can then load up the car with all your stuff and bring food and drinks, which will save you money while you’re there.
It’s worth factoring in a few inevitable treats such as ice creams and cold drinks, and depending on the journey, you may have to get dinner before driving home.
But if you’re super frugal, you could keep the cost down to £0 and just take food and drink from home and not spend a penny while you’re there.
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