Paul Wallace, 59, from Walton-on-Thames, estimates he has saved £13,000 on two cars alone. (Image: Courtesy Paul Wallace)
Rising prices have forced many families to rethink how they spend their money. Days out, theatre trips and even replacing a car can quickly run into the thousands. But one Surrey dad says careful planning has helped him cut those costs dramatically.
Paul Wallace, 59, from Walton-on-Thames, estimates he has saved £13,000 on two cars alone, along with hundreds more on travel, food and family days out. The part-time adviser, who previously worked as an accountant in senior international roles for more than 25 years, says his approach changed after he suffered a heart attack three years ago.
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Paul Wallace and his wife Fiona have saved hundreds on days out. (Image: Courtesy Paul Wallace)
Since then, he and his wife Fiona have made more time to enjoy themselves, without overspending. The key, he says, has been making full use of his long-running Boundless membership.
Paul first joined more than 20 years ago, introduced by his father, who had been a member through the old Post Office for decades. Since then, he has referred two of his daughters and several friends. He said: “I’m always telling people about it because for me it’s been fantastic.”
When visiting their five grown-up children in London, Paul and Fiona now make a full day of it. They combine rail discounts with entry offers at museums and galleries before meeting the children for dinner.
Paul said: “You might look at £30 train tickets and assume the day will cost £200 once you add entry passes, but it doesn’t. When you combine rail discounts with other offers, it really adds up. We’re going out more often now, but I still feel like I’m saving.”
When visiting their children in London, Paul and Fiona now turn the trip into a full day out (Image: Courtesy Paul Wallace)
They have used discounts for visits to HMS Belfast and special member days at Dunsfold and Port Lympne, saving more than £150 in total. At WWT Arundel in Sussex, unlimited entry means they save more than £28 each visit.
He also recently used the National Art Pass, which was added to the membership benefits, to visit the D-Day Experience in Portsmouth. “It’s a great way to make the most of the day and save on exhibitions all over the UK,” he said.
The savings extend to theatre trips and meals. Paul says they save around £20 per show on tickets, and his children save up to 37% on cinema trips.
He added: “I also link in benefits like Tastecard, which comes with my membership. Even something simple like Pizza Hut before the theatre can mean a £20 saving. Adding in Coffee Club discounts at places like Café Nero too, I’ve probably saved around £80 over the year on food and coffee alone.”
Paul and Fiona at the D-Day Experience in Portsmouth (Image: Courtesy Paul Wallace)
However, his biggest savings came when buying cars. After his children left home, Paul replaced his Nissan in 2022 using a membership discount and secured 22% off, saving an estimated £7,000.
When the car was written off about 15 months later following an accident, he ordered the same model again and saved another £6,000, roughly 18%. Paul said: “So in total, that’s £13,000 saved on two cars. That’s a lot of money. I also use LV multi-insurance through Boundless for my house and car, saving around 17%, which makes a real difference year after year.”
For Paul, it all comes down to thinking ahead. He said: “If you’re clever, you can link benefits together and make them go further. Booking holidays well ahead also helps – we can go on twice as many holidays now compared to when I was working full-time because we can choose when to book the best deals.”
He added that “in the current climate, where every pound really matters”, the membership represents “good value.”