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A personal fire, fireworks and picnic on bonfire night.

How to Have an Explosive Bonfire Night on a Budget

Instead of blowing all your cash on 5th November, use these 5 ways to save money and have a cracking Bonfire Night.

The smell of smoke in the cold air, a distant explosive bang and the crackle of a fire can only mean one thing… it’s Bonfire Night! This is always a fun event that brings together friends, family, and local communities on a chilly, Autumn night. Traditionally, Bonfire Night celebrates that the Houses of Parliament were not blown up by Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators in 1605. Due to the popularity of the occasion, it has stood the test of time and is still widely celebrated across the UK. However, increasingly extravagant celebrations have come with a rising price tag. Therefore, we’ve put together some top tips to ensure you don’t burn through all your cash this November.

01. Avoid expensive organised events

The average British family spends around £30.80 on Bonfire Night tickets. However, you don’t need to watch all your cash go up in flames to have a great time. Rather than buying expensive tickets for an event, find a high-up viewing point in your local area, take a picnic basket, and play firework spotting from there.

Try and see if there are any free, local community or charity events in your local area, rather than paying full private for private ones.

02. Build your own bonfire

Going hunting for broken branches and firewood to build your own bonfire is a fun, free activity to do with the children. However, be sure to make it controlled and safe, as having to pay for your neighbour’s new fence after you accidentally burnt it down will certainly bring your expenses up.

If you’re making a bonfire, then why not get everyone involved and have a bonfire street party to save money on food and fireworks?

03. Bonfire food

Whether you go to an organised event or host your own party, you don’t need to splash out on food. After all, Bonfire Night isn’t really about the food as all anybody wants is something to warm them up from the inside. So, keep it simple and just get some hot dogs or flasks of soup to keep everyone toastie.

In case your little ones are looking for a sweet bonfire treat, buy some marshmallows to roast. This will keep them busy and save you money as they are usually only about £2 a pack from budget supermarkets.

04. Fantastic fireworks

The average UK family spends a whopping £72.35 on throwing a Bonfire Night party, and a large chunk of this is usually spent on fireworks. So, be sure to shop around before splashing out on the most deluxe range to impress your family and friends. Many low-cost supermarkets have great ranges of fountains, rockets, and Roman candles, with prices ranging from just £1.29 to £49.99 for a display that will certainly go out with a bang.

If you are putting on a firework show, be sure to invite others round to watch and get everyone to contribute a few quid.

05. Warming drinks

On a cold November night, a hot drink is essential to warm the belly. For the adults, hot toddies are a great low-cost option, made from warm whiskey, lemon, and honey, especially is you buy own-brand alcohol from the supermarkets.

Meanwhile, for the kids, you can’t go wrong with hot chocolate and squirty cream. You can get both for about £1 each, saving you a fortune compared to buying them at the event. Alternatively, for an even cheaper option, just make a flask of hot Vimto for a tasty way to keep the little ones warm.

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Don't blow up your credit card bills

Finally, however you choose to celebrate the fact that Parliament didn’t explode 400 years ago, it’s not worth blowing up your credit card bills. If you’re worried about whether you’ll be able to keep up with expenses this month, get in touch with us today. We’ll see if you’re eligible for a debt consolidation loan to help consolidate your debts into one, affordable monthly payment. From all of us at Consolidation Express, we hope you have a cracking Bonfire Night!

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Our author Maggie

By: Maggie Elliott.

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