Note: this plan was written ahead of Easter 2026, which fell on 5 April 2026. The tips still apply, and Easter 2027 is on Sunday 28 March, so the sinking fund section below is the place to start now.
Easter can feel like a small holiday next to Christmas, but chocolate, a family meal, two weeks of school holidays and travel to see relatives add up. Planning each of those in advance is the easiest way to keep the total down.
Where Easter money goes
For most families, Easter spending falls into five areas: chocolate and eggs, the Easter Sunday meal, small gifts for children, activities and days out during the school holidays, and travel if you visit family. Write down a rough figure for each before you start, then check your bank statements afterwards. That gives you a real number to plan next year's budget around. Our budget planner can help you fit it into your month.
Shop early and spend less
Supermarkets put Easter ranges out early in the year, often with multi-buy deals, and the cheaper options can sell out close to the weekend. Buying eggs and small gifts a few weeks ahead gives you more choice.
Supermarket own-brand eggs usually cost far less than branded ones. As an example, four eggs at £2 each cost £8, while four at £8 each cost £32: a £24 difference on chocolate alone. Check current prices in your own supermarket.
For the meal, plan the menu and check what is already in your freezer. Lamb is traditional but often the priciest option; a chicken, turkey crown or gammon can give the same sense of occasion for less. Buy non-perishable ingredients early when they are on promotion.
Free and low-cost Easter activities
Easter school holidays usually last around two weeks, and paid days out can add up quickly once you include food and parking. Some low-cost ideas:
- An egg hunt in your garden or local park with a bag of mini eggs
- Easter trails at National Trust and English Heritage sites (free for members; check prices for non-members)
- Free craft sessions at libraries, churches and community centres
- A spring nature scavenger hunt: wildflowers, lambs, birds
- Baking hot cross buns or biscuits together
- Free museums and galleries, which include many national museums
Travel smart
Bank holiday weekends are busy on roads and railways, and engineering works often affect train services, so check before you travel.
- Book train tickets early: Advance fares usually go on sale weeks ahead and are often much cheaper than buying on the day
- Use a railcard if you are eligible; the Family & Friends Railcard gives a third off adult fares and 60% off child fares
- Compare coach fares, which can be much cheaper than trains on popular routes
- Fill up at a supermarket rather than motorway services, and use a fuel price comparison app
- Travel at quieter times, such as the evening before a bank holiday rather than the morning of it
Set up an Easter sinking fund for next year
The best time to plan for next Easter is just after this one, when you know what you actually spent. Take that total and divide it by the number of months until next Easter. If Easter cost £150, saving about £15 a month from now until March covers Easter 2027 without squeezing your budget in the weeks before it.
Keep the money in a separate savings pot or account so it does not get spent. If monthly amounts are easy to skip, saving a little each day with SYM works too: about 50p a day adds up to around £15 a month.
The same approach works for every irregular cost: Christmas, birthdays, car insurance, holidays and annual subscriptions. See our guide to sinking funds for how to set them up.
- Easter
- budgeting
- seasonal saving
- uk finance
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