Have (Tea) Bags of Fun on a FREE Day Out

Tetley Tea are currently running a promotion whereby you can exchange vouchers for free days out at some of the country's top attractions, including Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park.

Inside every 'Free Fun For Everyone' labeled packet of tea you'll find either a two-for-one voucher for a theme park or a code that can be redeemed against a range of days out, leisure and sport activities, or holidays. When you consider that the gate price for both Thorpe Park and Chessington is over £30 for adults and £20 for kids, a two-for-one voucher is a serious saving.

Take Your Cheeky Monkeys to the Zoo for FREE

While looking for those special packs of tea, also keep an eye out for the latest deal from Kellogg's. The cereal maker is currently offering free entry to zoos and aquariums for anyone when accompanied by a fully paying adult.

The offer is good at 40 wildlife attractions nationwide, including zoos in London, Bristol and Edinburgh. A full list of participating attractions, plus full offer details, can be found here, and you'll need the unique 'cereal' (geddit?) number from promotional packs to register.

Slay a Dragon or Two on St George’s Day

If you're English, there'll be plenty of local events laid on to celebrate your patron saint. St George's Day falls on April 23rd, but the majority of celebrations will be taking place either the weekend before or after - check local council websites for events and timings.

In Birmingham, for example, you'll find free bouncy castles and face painting for the kids, and folk music, brass bands, a Beatles tribute act, and morris dancing (you've gotta have morris dancing) for the grown ups. Head to Victoria and Chamberlain Squares on Saturday April 26th to find the fun.

So get out and celebrate St George - it's an excuse to wear your England tops with pride because, let's face it, you won't have any excuse to wear them during June's Euro 2008.

Musical Mumbles

From one dragon to another - though Wales' fire breather will be mellowing out to mellifluous tunes rather than receiving acupuncture from St George. The Mumbles Mostly Jazz and Blues Festival takes place over the May 2nd - May 5th Bank Holiday and is held at various venues in and around Mumbles. Acts include the BBC Big Band and the excellently named Buena Risca Social Club, and some festival gigs are free. Here's a tip: spend the days taking in the stunning Gower coastline scenery before chilling to the music as the sun goes down.

Easy Pickings for Culture Vultures

Liverpool will be hosting scores of free and paid-for events throughout 2008 as the European Capital of Culture. There's a diverse programme of performances and happenings running throughout April and May, highlights of which are:

• 1 May - Sir Paul McCartney's first piece of choral music at Liverpool Cathedral
• 3 - 5 May - Tate Liverpool's 20th birthday bash at the Albert Dock
• 6 - 12 May - the British Open Squash Championship

Don't Want to Leave Home?

If you've spent the winter longing to spend some time in the garden, Confused.com has some great ideas…

Bouncy Castle with Slide

We'll say this one's for the kids but what adult is going to resist having a sneaky go? The Mega Bounce and Slide will keep nippers (aged five and over) happy in the back garden for hours. You won't have to puff yourself out either as the castle inflates in a minute and stays that way thanks to a continuous flow fan. Normal price is £299 but Woolworths are currently selling them for £129.99. But don't forget - it's shoes off first or you may also need a puncture repair kit.

In The Dog House

Treat Rover to one of these and he'll be your pedigree chum for (a dog's) life. The imaginatively named 'Dog House' does exactly what it says on the tin, i.e. it's a dog house. This easy-to-assemble pooch palace was £69.99 but can be had for a barking-mad £39.99. Your four-legged pal will be so happy, just to please you it'll enter dog shows and winalot. Time for the next tip before I run out of dog puns'

A Greenhouse that's Really Green

Fancy a spot of 'grow your own' but don't want to splash out on an expensive greenhouse? Then here's an ingenious way to save money and help save the planet by re-using plastic bottles. The Greenspace Education Project in Moray, Scotland, has a step-by-step guide to building your own greenhouse using recycled materials. You can download the instructions here and you'll need Adobe Reader to view it. Start saving those plastic bottles now.

Build the Best Shed in the World

OK, in no way can this be construed a money-saving tip but what the hey! Be the envy of your neighbours (and the dog if he lives in a 'Dog House') by erecting a Helsinki Log Cabin in your back garden. This 'shed on steroids' has double-glazing, three downstairs rooms and a cosy upstairs hideaway. There's also a small room for a toilet and you can even upgrade this timber retreat with guttering and under-floor heating. If you actually want to get one of these it will set you back around £10k, though check with your local Council first to see if planning permission is required.

Note: don't forget to check that your home insurance covers items that will be left in the garden

Follow this link to get a car or home insurance quote, and loads of other great goodies besides!