Why do people go into debt to go on a holiday

This.

my kids are older teens now. The last couple of years we’ve done a few “nice” holidays, which I’ve financed on 0% credit.

yes I now have a fair bit of debt on the cards, but in a year both will be away at uni, holidaying with friends, and unlikely to want to come away with mum and dad. So it’ll get paid back then.

when they were younger I’d budget what we could afford only. But I just thought sod it, let’s go to these places and do things before it’s just me and dh getting old.

If you think that's bad OP, the way some people buy houses will blow your mind. 25 years' worth of debt for those suckers.

I’ve done it because I know at some stage I will be able to pay it back whereas years with children are precious. you don’t know how many you’ve got, how many they’ll be prepared to hang out with you for, and you may not even be able to put it on a credit card in years to come. Life is short.

I put my holiday on a 0% credit card for the extra protection and so I could manage the cost throughout the year. I could have used savings but wanted them available for emergencies and earning interest. I'll repay in full before the 0% period ends and then be applying for a new 0% card.

Because they want to do a particular trip (ie, Disney) before their DC's are too old / too expensive.
Go at infant school age and bung it on the credit card instead of saving and saving and missing the boat. I've been tempted to do it myself a couple of times.

Because holidays are important to them. They aren't necessarily stressing about paying it back.

Because they are thick and can't delay gratification. Nobody needs an expensive foreign holiday.

Because you only live once?

Who are these people? The only people I know who spend two weeks in the sun don't stress about paying bills.

Because otherwise they wouldn't be able to go?

Don't be daft. I always pay with my CC as better protected. Plus everyone's financial situation is different. For example if I put 6k on my card for a hol, this can be paid off with disposable income within 3-4months, and I often pay it off before going anyway. Yesterday I got myself a return flight to Spain for January costing only 90 quid. Yes I paid with my CC for the protection, will pay my CC back next week.

If you're not in debt, this thread wasn't about you.

I can understand people wanting a holiday when in debt. Having a £££ holiday would seem a bad idea, though - keep it modest. The change of scene/break from work and daily life is the main benefit, you don't need a five star hotel, long haul destination and gourmet restaurants.

Because none of us know how much time we have and memories / experiences are really the only thing we get to kerp

Well we do too, but this isn't really the scenario the OP is talking about. We take the extra protection given by credit card payments and loyalty points too.

But OP is talking about living beyond your means, booking a holiday which you can't really afford on credit and then stressing about paying it back. That's not something I would do. I love my holidays and getting away, but if money was an issue I would be trading down to a cheaper option.

Because they want to?

Ummm because we’re all different.

We have no mortgage (own outright), fairly comfortable income. Every year we whack £4k on a 0% cc for a holiday and pay it off throughout the year. It’s basically like saving but in reverse 🙈😂 if we had to save we wouldn’t be able to go till the following year. If our circumstances changed we’d still be able to afford the repayments (ie if dh lost his job).

There are loads of things that need doing round our house, but we prioritise a holiday. I’ve got complex health needs, and Ds is disabled too, there may be a time in the future where I can’t manage a holiday so we do it now.

Because life can be mundane and people
want something to look forward to. Because they get tired of being the only ones whose kids don’t go on holiday. Because child care for a couple of weeks of holidays can be as expensive as going away…

I don’t go into debt for my holidays, but Dh and I continuously build up savings of around £10,000 - £15,000 a year and then blow the lot on two holidays.

I love my vacation time. One of our holidays tends to be a week away, the other tends to be 5 weeks away.

There is so much I’d give up before I gave up my holidays. Personally, I can’t understand why people would spend hundreds on a hair colour, or nails, or clothes even. But then they simply aren’t my priorities and it’s each to their own.

Stupidity if they don’t have the means to pay the credit card bill off at the end of the month. I use cc for all my online shopping but it’s for security. I guess those who spend what they can’t afford keep the economy turning?

I’ve recently booked mine on credit card, I haven’t been able to afford one for years and after some health issues this year I desperately want one. When you’re already struggling a tiny bit on top is worth it to work out how to manage in exchange for some relaxation abroad.

Same reason, I suppose, why people go into debt for Christmas or for plastic surgery?

It's almost as if we all lead different lives with different priorities...

🤣

I got into debt to update my technology for training and to replace other worn out items. Only a year of repayments to go now though!

Would have preferred a holiday. As long as repayments can be handled people make their decisions. I thought I'd scuppered December but I've pulled through.