How to save money on entertainment

Most cinemas offer family tickets at a great discount, so check out their website before you head. Or try out Mini Mornings at Vue cinemas or Odeon Kids tickets, from £2.49 - for accompanying adults too.

Odeon cinemas' Screen Unseen lets you preview new releases for £5, although you won't know what you're seeing until the film starts. And, over-55s can take advantage of the Odeon Silver Cinema screenings and view selected movies for £3.

If you're within reach of London's West End, join the WhatsOnStage Theatre Club (£3.50 per month; £30 for a year). This offers heavily disounted tickets to West End shows, plays and opera to help fill empty sears. Also, many cinemas across the UK offer live screenings of theatre, opera and ballet performance from £15.

If you can't wait to watch your favourite show on the telly, get free tickets to be part of the audience. Register with Applause Store to watch recordings for shows such as Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor. Admission isn't guaranteed, as organisers offer more tickets than there are seats in order to guarantee a full house, so arrive early!

Use Tesco Clubcard points to pay for entry to theme parks, zoos and other destinations, or put them towards the cost of a standard Merlin Annual Pass. For every 50p of Clubcard points, you'll get £1.50 towards entry or the cost a pass, which gives you a discount of two-thirds off the full price of entry at top UK attractions.

Kindle Unlimited gives you, like it says on the tin, unlimited access to 1 million-plus e-books, as well as audiobooks and magazines, for £7.99 a month. Amazon Prime members can choose unlimited books and mags from the smaller Prime Reading catalogue. Both services can be used on tablets other than Kindle.