AIBU to not want to spend more than £2000 on a family holiday for 4?

[captainfarrell]

To me and DH this is a lot of money. We earn about £50k pa so can pay more but we both feel that no week can be worth much more. We have been on holidays in cottages to Cornwall, Dorset and mobile home holidays in France mainly. A couple of years ago we went on an AI to Spain. We had a great time but spent £2500 and had our DC in the room with us so was not that relaxing as they are teens. We just don't feel we can bring ourselves to spend more and can't go out of school holidays. Any fab ideas?

[PuntasticUsername]

Crikey, is £2k the going rate? Me and DH have been stressing because we can't see how to do a week away for less than half that...

[captainfarrell]

Well no we'd rather pay less. France was in region of £1500, holiday cottages £700.

[Ameliablue]

If you don't value holidays then don't spend it and go on a cheaper holiday, simple.

[Keletubbie]

I'm taking my 8 yr old DD to Florida... I wish it cost just £2k. It's not a huge budget for 4 adults - which you are in the eyes of the holiday companies - especially if you're sticking to school holidays.

[captainfarrell]

Quite right amelia I suppose I'm asking how much you all spend. My DD has friends that spend way more, every year and it's made me feel a bit and question our spending.

[bornwithaplasticspoon]

Uk holidays are achievable well under 2k. We've stayed in wonderful cottages (no bedroom sharing!) for around £5-600 per week. Abroad is always going to be expensive, IMO £2k is a good price for a family of four in school holidays.

[CaptainCrunch]

We are a family of 4 and holidays are very important to us. Last year we spent £4K getting to Florida (2 centre fly drive) and probably spent another £2K while we were there but I loved every minute of it.

We are going to the Canaries in the Easter Holidays and that's costing £2K for a week.

I really don't think you're going to get a holiday abroad for much less than £500 pp in term time.

[fitzbilly]

We go to France for ten days every summer we drive and get the ferry over, and then camp. It costs far far less than that!

Even if you didn't want to camp you could still get cheap accommodation in the form on Air B and Bs.

It depends what you want out of a holiday. If you want some resort then it can be expensive. Ditto if you want to travel long haul.

But if you just want to get away for a 'break' then you don't have to spend £2000.

Let's say you drove to France, you'd have to pay about £100 for a return ferry crossing, about £200 for petrol (maybe more?) and then accommodation can be found for about £400 for a week, leaving a bit for spending and normal food costs like you would have anyway and that would come to under a grand.

[CaptainCrunch]

As for UK holidays we rented a cottage that slept 8 people (went with another family of 4) for the very first week of the summer holidays back in 2014 and it cost £1000 for the week. Add on food and entertainment it still ended up being around £250-300 pp.

[TheSnowFairy]

The Canaries, August, 10 days AI, family of 5, just over £5k.

Ludicrous prices, has to be school holidays, but it's either that or stay in the UK, and we want guaranteed nice weather.

[coffeeisnectar]

We are going camping this year. It will cost about £350 for six of us and the assistance dog my friends dc needs and will pay for food on top of that.

But we have a tent (£1200), fridge (250), cooking equipment (200), all the beds, bedding and chairs already plus the trailer to put it all in. So not cost effective if you have to buy it in one go. I will be sleeping in the camper van as my spine is bad but there are four bedrooms in the tent marquee and a separate kitchen area.

[Branleuse]

if you go in the may half term its loads cheaper, and you can still get good weather if you go abroad

[PolovesTubbyCustard]

Rent a small gite on France?

You could get a 2 bed property for around £500-700 per week.

Drive down, self cater.

We go to France each summer and spendorr. But we have to have at least 4 bedrooms and fulfil other specs (fussy DH).

[Topsy34]

Blimey, heck no. We spend around £500 self catering in a caravan or chalet somewhere, usually south coast uk.

I dont think you need to spend a fortune to enjoy a holiday. We go to the beach treasure hunting or explore forests or museums

[ItMustBeBedtimeSurely]

Eurocamp or similar. Stay in an air conditioned caravan and it's quite comfortable. You can get 14 nights in the school holidays somewhere hot for your money no problem. Look at south of France or Italian coast.

[captainfarrell]

We've done about 4 French campsite holidays in caravans. Years of self catering in UK.Loved it but fancied a change hence Spain and hotel last year. Problem is DC have now got a taste for it. Quite like the gite idea as it is nice to have a proper bedroom rather than a caravan bedroom. Pre school hols we got a villa in Majorca in May and it was sooo cheap but it's ludicrous now. Would love a villa holiday with private pool which you can get but the flights are £2 k alone!

[captainfarrell]

I have checked prices in may school hols and it isn't cheaper!

[dementedpixie]

Ours is costing £4.5K for 2 weeks in July to Turkey. It is AI. We looked at apartments, etc but figured we'd end up spending more as we'd have to buy our own food/drinks

[MissCalamity]

£2.5k AI in Majorca for 9 days in the Whit holidays this year. The most expensive holiday we've had.
Last year we went to Spain for a week in August, managed to rent a friend of a friend's apartment for £150 but flights were £950 (and the toddler was on our lap)

I dislike camping so can't see our holiday values coming down for a while

[DamedifYouDo]

We've done many holidays for a family of 4 for under 2K - renting a private villa in Spain could be a good option, lots of availability in the area between Alicante and Murcia. We have flown to Alicante, collected a hire car and had two weeks in a villa with a private pool (in August) for less than 2K all in. We tend to cook and eat in the villa as 1 DC is disabled, we make sure we have a/c a washing machine, internet and tv then everyone is happy. Pool to chill by, a fridge full of food and lots of local wine and beer!!!

We are off to Lake Garda for two weeks in August, 4 return flights to Milan £236 (booked early got a deal) car hire for 2 weeks £327 2 bedroom apartment with lake views, large pool complex £850 , airport parking / stopovers / insurance will bring the total to £1700 before food / spending money.

You can get good value for money if you shop around a bit.

[Dolly80]

Flights tend to be expensive in half term to traditional holiday destinations. Could you get a better deal if you looked at a city destination, then head to a coastal region from there? Lisbon or Barcelona perhaps?

I had to book my first half term holiday this year, we're going to a cottage in Dorset as prices overseas made my eyes water! I'm sure I'll give in eventually but we're getting married later in the year I cant spare 2k plus for a week on a beach (although we did AI last year and loved it)

[Owllady]

It's up to you what you want to spend and its all relative really and based on what YOU want
I always just want to go to Wales

[GreatFuckability]

I'm taking 4 of us away for considerably less than that this year!

[ZiggyFartdust]

It's different for everyone. You might not find it worth it, but others do.
Personally I can't imagine a worse holiday than a week self catering in England, I'd rather stay at home, but a lot of people enjoy it. Unless there is sun and different food and a foreign language, its not a holiday for me.
We pay about 2500€ for ten days in France/Italy/Spain/Portugal/Greece etc.

[amazingtracy]

You DO know Op that you are running the risk of the 'our budget is £20 for a family of 8' gang? camp in the back garden and have ispy as entertainment

Personally, 2k is a great deal! With teens it won't be too long before they'll refuse to go at all!