On May 6th 2023, the coronation of King Charles lll will be taking place and along with an extra bank holiday there will be celebrations taking place up and down the country.
You may be joining a street party or having friends and family round, or you may be looking at doing other things, but whatever you are doing and whatever your budget looks like, we have some suggestions on how to celebrate while keeping spending to a minimum.
Plan a budget and stick to it
May is full of bank holiday weekends and these need to be factored into your monthly budget, including for the Coronation. Whether you are staying home or celebrating with friends and family, make sure you are only spending what you can afford. If you cannot afford to spend anything, then don’t, and instead check out our suggestions further down on how you can enjoy the weekend spend free.
Decorations
No party is complete without a few decorations, but before you rush off to buy some Union Jack Bunting, check if you have anything left over from previous celebrations which you may have forgotten about, such as bunting and decorations from The Queen’s Jubilee, that you can reuse.
If you are certain that you have nothing stashed away in a cupboard or drawer, have a go at making your own. You can print off templates of the Union Jack to put on paper or card and if you are savvy with a sewing machine, see if you have some old bits of material that you can repurpose into bunting. This is a great eco-friendly way of doing decorations too, as you will be able to keep reusing many times.
Get your kids involved. Make paper crowns, flags and pictures to put in the window, using TikTok and Pinterest for inspiration. Use empty jam jars to make vases – just decorate with paper, or pop a tealight or fairy lights in to create pretty lighting.
If D.I.Y is really not your thing, or you are really stuck for time, shop around for decorations, don’t just buy from the first shop you see. Pound shops, supermarkets and charity shops will all have things that won’t stretch your budget too much, but make sure that you do stick to your budget and only spend what you can afford.
Food and drink
There are loads of Coronation themed foods and drinks in all of the supermarkets, but before you buy, have a look and see if you can make your own version for less, and think about whether it is something that you definitely need for your celebrations, or if it is just something that you think you want because it’s to do with the coronation and looks cute or tasty. This is where planning your party food in advance and taking a list out with you shopping can be useful – just make sure that you stick to your list!
Shop around for deals in all the supermarkets and if you are wanting to make the official Coronation Quiche recipe, Aldi and Lidl come out cheapest for ingredients, with Morrisons and Sainsbury’s next.
Sainsbury’s has also just launched a new Nectar Card initiative, where customers who have one of their cards can find hundreds of items at a cheaper price, so it may be worth checking their offers before you spend.
Reusable cups and plates are always the best option for saving money and the planet, so instead of buying disposable tableware, invest in plates, bowls and cups which you can use again. Places like pound shops, B&M and supermarkets are good places to pick up reusable party ware to suit all budgets.
If you are hosting, you don’t need to do everything and most guests wouldn’t expect you to, so to keep costs down, ask people to bring a dish and their choice of drink. This means you are mainly catering for you and yours and not the masses.
If you haven’t got a tablecloth, ask to borrow one from friends and family, or use a blanket or sheet instead.
Free things to do
Have a look on your local community boards on social media for free things in your area that are going on and if you can’t find anything, organise a gathering at home, where you can watch the coronation on your TV and, as mentioned above, people can all contribute to save you spending.
If you are in London, there will be two processions taking place between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey – one before the coronation ceremony and one after. These are free to attend, although you will need to be there VERY early to bag a good spot, but pack up a picnic to eat in one of the Royal parks afterwards and go see Royal history in the making.
Is your street having a party? This is a great way to get to know the neighbours and celebrate without spending anything – just take along what you already have in.
Travel
If you are planning to head to London, or you are planning a visit elsewhere, Trainline customers are offering £10 off for anyone travelling between May 5th and May 8th. Tickets need to be booked before May 8th and there is a minimum spend of £10, excluding booking fees, which means if your journey costs a tenner, you are essentially travelling for free. The code can only be used once and not in conjunction with other offers.
Coach company, FlixBus are offering deals on all their 50 routes throughout the UK, from claiming 20% discount to cut-price deals on their new routes from Peterborough and Stevenage and Bristol to London route, which is being increased from four to seven buses a day. Coach travel can be much cheaper than travelling via train and car, so if you are planning on visiting family or heading into London, it is worth taking a look and seeing how much you can save.
And, if you are planning on getting away from it all, there are loads of deals to fly to Europe for under £55. Check out sites like Skyscanner to find some absolute bargains.
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