School summer holidays offer six weeks of freedom for children but can create financial strain for parents seeking ways to keep them entertained as budgets tighten in the final weeks.
Despite temporary government schemes reducing VAT on family-related activities, days out remain costly. A single family pass to a leading UK theme park such as Alton Towers can cost between £125 and £234 even after the VAT reduction. A mid-range meal out for a family of four can exceed £100, while repeated ice cream treats can quickly add up.
Working extra hours for additional summer cash can be difficult when parents are already using annual leave for childcare. However, musicMagpie data indicates that many families have unused tablets, smartphones, laptops, consoles, and smartwatches that could be traded in for hundreds of pounds.
Joe Armstrong, money-saving expert and Head of Trading at musicMagpie, said: “If parents were to trade in an iPad in Excellent condition, that would mean an instant bonus of up to £840, which could be used for more than six family theme park passes at Alton Towers, or 17 family trips to Gulliver’s World with change to spare! Alternatively, it could pay for over 54 extra ice creams for the entire family across the summer months. Thanks to our partnership with Timpson stores nationwide, customers can trade in any iPhones, across the 12–17 ranges, Samsung S23–S25 ranges, or networked iPads at a local branch, getting paid in store within minutes.”
Households trading in an iPhone 15 Pro Max could make an average of £460 to spend on family days out and essentials.
What your tech could be worth
Figures are based on the lowest summer activity price estimates for a family of four, comprising two adults and two children, and the highest available technology trade-in values.
iPhone 17 Pro Max (2TB): Up to £860
- Nearly seven family passes to Alton Towers (6.9)
- More than six weekly food shops (6.8)
- 55 family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (55.8)
Samsung phone: Up to £660
- More than 13 family passes to Gulliver’s World (13.5)
- More than six family meals at a mid-market restaurant (6.6)
- 43 family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (42.9)
Laptop: Up to £1,000
- Almost eight family passes to Alton Towers (8)
- Almost eight weekly food shops (7.9)
- 64 family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (64.9)
iPad: Up to £840
- More than 17 family passes to Gulliver’s World (17.1)
- More than eight family meals at a mid-market restaurant (8.4)
- 54 family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (54.5)
Apple Watch: Up to £365
- More than seven family passes to Gulliver’s World (7.4)
- More than three family meals at a mid-market restaurant (3.7)
- 23 family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (23.7)
Headphones: Up to £140
- One family pass to Alton Towers (1.1)
- More than one weekly food shop (1.1)
- Nine family rounds of ice cream, with change to spare (9.1)
How to trade in your tech
Armstrong shared four simple steps to turn old technology clutter into summer holiday spending money in just minutes.
- Go tech hunting at home. Search the house for old or forgotten technology that could be sold. Items are often tucked away in drawers, cupboards, loft storage, or under the bed.
- Get a free, instant valuation. Visit online trade-in sites such as musicMagpie to get an instant price by selecting the make, model, and condition of the item.
- Trade in your devices and get paid. The quickest option is to take a phone or iPad to the nearest Timpson store, where eligible devices can be dropped off and paid for within minutes. This applies to iPhone 12–17 and Samsung Galaxy S23–S25 phones, or networked iPads only. Alternatively, technology can be packed into any box and sent to musicMagpie for free using Royal Mail. Once experts have checked the items, the money is deposited directly into the customer’s bank account on the same day.
- Spoil the family. Once the money is in the bank account, families can decide how they want to spend it.
Armstrong continued: “The summer holidays are a wonderful time for families, but we know how quickly the costs stack up when you’re trying to keep kids entertained day after day. Most people don’t realise they have hundreds of pounds lying forgotten in a drawer in the form of old phones and gadgets. By recycling that unused tech, parents can get fast, hassle-free cash paid straight into their account, ready to enjoy over the summer break.”
The partnership with Timpson stores across the UK enables rapid in-store payments for eligible devices following an online valuation and on-the-spot checks.