We are in an age of austerity and all need to be tightening our purse strings in 2012 but we still need to have fun and enjoy time with the family. Below we have listed ideas for days out in 2012 that won’t leave you broke.

Eden Project - Bright Young Things arts and music showcase (28 Jan). A vibrant event showcasing young talent in the South West, including dance, photography, art, film and music. Winners from the Bright Young Things competition will be performing their work throughout the day, and under 18s can watch for free.

The Cheltenham festival (13-16th March) is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar and well worth the visit. You can get a discount for group bookings or perhaps you might want to try and win your money back by betting on the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Great Blenheim Easter Egg Challenge (6-7th April). There is a whole host of family fun to be had at Blenheim Palace this Easter in the Pleasure Gardens with the cracking Easter Egg Challenge. You can join the hunt for all the Easter Egg clues around the beautiful Pleasure Gardens and receive a chocolate treat!

Visit the Chelsea Flower Show (May). One of London’s loveliest events, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show blooms with perfumed buds and imaginative floral displays each May.

Watch the boat parade on the Thames as part of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pagent (3rd June). At high water in the afternoon of Sunday 3 June, up to a thousand boats muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. It will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river.

Watch Lakes Alive: Les Commandos Percu, Lake District, (21st June) Lakes Alive presents a spectacular evening of sound, light and fire on the shores of Windermere in the Lake District. This free event is set to be a hypnotic mix of searing sounds and jaw-dropping fireworks against the backdrop of one of England’s most iconic landscapes.

Watch the Olympics on the big screen (27th July – 12th August). If you’re excited about the London 2012 Olympics but not sure you can make it to London, don’t worry. You can still watch the games and pick up the vibe with hundreds of other sports fans at public gathering places all over the UK.

Carnaval del Pueblo (19th August). This festival of Latin American culture, in South London is the largest in Europe, with music on various stages, a funfair, food and drink, salsa lessons and a children’s area.

Drayton Manor spectacular fireworks display (3-4th November). Ending the main season with a bang on the first weekend of November with the biggest laser and fireworks display in the Midlands.

Orford Castle – Christmas Festive Family Fun Trail (3-4th December). Get into the festive spirit with a fun trail for the kids this December – find the hidden clues to solve the puzzle and win a yummy prize.