From stargazing to slushy-making: 50 fresh ideas for a super summer on the cheap (some are even free)

Fill July and August with awesome activities for less than a fiver a head – 24 of them won’t cost a thing!

Organised by wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, the Big Butterfly Count is an annual citizen science programme that asks the public to help build up a picture of the UK’s butterfly population. Running from 18 July to 10 August, it’s open to anyone in the UK. Pick a spot and spend 15 minutes looking for butterflies and moths, then log your findings on the website or the Big Butterfly Count app.