To be shocked at the cost of holidays?

Is last week in July cheaper? I work with Spanish people and the are all not working in August

I’ve done the city break idea a few times and found a hotel with a nice pool that’s near interesting things and often near or nearish a beach too.

Do you need a fly/hotel set up?

We camped in France from kids 6 and 4 until A level age.

Mix of sites from Camping Municipal to places used by Canvas Holidays etc where English speaking friends were guaranteed.

Both are now in their thirties and would repeat those trips at the drop of a hat

Ok OP - here’s some excellent ones for you on VBRO ( you can read reviews) I’ve picked Spanish ones as flightswill be cheaper than say Greece- picked 21st to 28th August as many European countries back at school- add on flights, restrict luggage to 3 hold cases only plus 2 carry ons- should cover you fully - including flights all these should come in at under£3k - with Ryanair and BA by the way - you can pay in 3 stages for flights. Realise it’s next year you are booking for- but this should give you some idea of what you can get- these are all 3 bedrooms and will give you way more space than a hotel too- hope you find it useful

https://t.vrbo.io/oZ4IDRZpaSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/4KU4gg5paSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/IEHnob7paSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/IFQj5e9paSb

I think holidays or travelling and seeing places is so important for children. I travelled lots with mine, but never used companies like Tui. We travelled abroad during the Easter breaks, booked cheap Ryan Flights and travelled very light with bags under seat only. There are airports you can get cheaper flights to ie.Pisa and Bergamo in Italy. We always booked Airbnb places. We stayed lots of nice places, but often got it cheaper we select places with no dishwasher for example. I know people don’t want to do the dishes on a holiday, but these are compromises we made and it has been so worth it for us.

August is the most expensive time but if you at the end look at flying from a Scottish airport where it will be much cheaper as the Scottish schools go back in mid August.

Def look at October or May HT. Much cheaper and still lovely weather.

I think it’s extortionate. Whilst I can afford to pay 6k for a family holiday in August, I just don’t want to, I can’t justify it at all. Especially with young children. They still whinge and argue and it’s still bloody stressful.

See my next post

So you know anyone/ friend of a friend who rents out an appartment? I know a couple (not wealthy… Just Boomers!) with a 2 bed appartment (3 kids can go in 1 room or there is a sofa bed too) in Gran Canaria. it’s not
jazzy - it’s 20 mins from the Beach but is
clean/ nice/ has a balcony. There is a lovely
shared pool and lots of local things -
shops / restaurants and even with kids
its only a short walk to the Beach / centre. I think it ranges from 300-800 per week (so I suppose €800 in school hols!) but that
leaves flights (even at €400 each it would ok!) and then it’s not so pricy in the canaries. Food, wine etc is pretty cheap if you self cater lunch and breakfast.

We go quite regularly and it’s lovely. It’s not the kind of holiday I had before kids (well… we used to do both- this appartment and fancy hotels!) but it’s all the kids need.

id suggest October/feb/easter for younG kids in the canaries as it’s not as hot as summer.

maybe have a look for an appartment? (I know they apparently ‘hate tourists’ in the canaries, but we’ve never had issues.

Look at Easyjet or Ryanair flights from regional airports and then sourcing an apartment and hire car or using public transport. You'll get a much nicer apartment for half the price and food doesn't need to be expensive. We did the Algarve last year, used a local supermarket for breakfasts and lunches and ate out in the evening.

Or if you like a package try Tui but search their city breaks which are often cheaper, places like Valencia.

We have a week in Mid August booked
2 adult 2 children free child place
b&b 2 bed aparthotel £2.5k
It's not all singing and dancing AI But it's a price I can accept without spending the week feeling ive been ripped off

yeah totally read that wrong 😂 there were others significantly cheaper though, that was the ‘popular’ one.

Just looked again and £1880 was the cheapest I found for a family of 5 with no shopping around

That's still £6k!

If very North as in Scotland look at start of holidays flying from England or Vice versa if very North England look at end of August from Scottish airport. Have a play around with dates as different days are cheaper for flying. We regularly go on holiday but very rarely eat out have occasional takeaways don't go to pubs. Also drive old cars. Got people I know who go out every weekend got newer cars but comment jealousy you off on holiday again.

So 6k for a family of 5, like the OP said.

If you are prepared to do some cooking dont forget air bnb. And the cost of buying the food is no issue as you would be eating the same at home. Air bnb are set price for the accommodation not per person.

We do it differently. We go on a few holidays abroad every year (and are not rich). I scour cheap flights as soon as they are released, and book them. Then once flights are sorted I book hotels separately. Sometimes airbnb or apartments depending on what's most cost-effevtive at that location. Booking them separately, well in advance, and shopping around saves us thousands. We booked our summer holiday last year, and I've recently booked a snowy trip away for December (as soon as easyjet released their batch of flights). It is a lot of effort and takes time and organisation, but does mean we can afford an extra holiday or two each year!

If you book far enough in advance, think September for the following summer, you can get good prices on the Newcastle or Hull ferries to The Netherlands and then go to Centre Parcs or other Euro Park type places for a lot cheaper than the UK. Me and DD are going this year and 16 nights away in 2 different parks with ferry both ways is about 2.5K total.

Prices have gone but Spain is massively overpriced these days. Look at Turkey, Greece, Caneries, Cyprus etc as you get much more for your money

Eurocamp is still horrendously expensive if you don't want to stay in one of the old models then you've got the cost of fuel, ferries and food once you get there.

If you are north England can you fly from Scotland second half of August when schools are back there? We are in Scotland and do opposite fly from England end of June before English schools break up

Don't go in August. Look at early or late in the season.

We've got an late season, school holiday, all inclusive holiday at a 4* hotel for half of what you've been quoted for August.

We have three and we get away each year. We stay in airbnbs or holiday lodges. We drove to Lake Annecy in the summer hols last year and had an amazing fortnight that came in about £2.5k.

I have one child and our holidays abroad cost £5k
its no longer possible to have a cheap holiday abroad!

We just stick to UK breaks in the holidays

Eurocamp is always mentioned but it’s no cheaper in the school holidays than package deals