To ask if you could make this amount of money last 3 weeks and how?

Genuinely @CrumblyCookie I don’t see the issue here.

If you literally are only covering food and some petrol for three weeks for one adult and one 6yo – surely it is plenty.

You ask how – OK, let’s say £20 pw on petrol (that’s a small amount – I use a lot and spend about £40-50 pw). Then food – for just two people, one a child, surely doesn’t need to be more than about £80 pw. That’s with cereal and fruit for breakfast, sandwiches and fruit for lunch, pasta, rice, jacket potatoes, chilli, shepherd’s pie, veg and salad for dinner. Make your own meals from scratch, sandwiches with tuna mayo or cheese and pickle or cold chicken and salad, make a big chilli and use it for two days. You have more than £10 a day for the two of you which is plenty.

That would add up to just over £300. Even if you spent £100 pw on food (how? I spend about £120 on food for four adults) and £30 on petrol that would still be less than £400, leaving some ££ for a couple of nice days out if you want.

Are there any cheap/free activities on over half term? Are you working so need childcare/holiday clubs?

Yes, very fucking easily, as I have less than that for the next 3 weeks for 1 adult, 2 children, 2 dogs and 2 cats. 😅

Because it isn't any fun!

180 quid a week free cash for 1 adult and 1 child? Yeah you'll be fine. You can't have days out with bought lunches every day but you can take a picnic and feed yourselves easily. Buy a box of ice pops and ice creams instead of buying them out. Use water bottles filled at home. It's plenty.

It’s plenty. Why do you think it might not be?

6 year olds are very happy with low key activities over half term. So you can aim to spend virtually nothing (maybe a bit of petrol and parking) on entertainment.

So food spend ? If nothing else then yes. For food for one child and one adult.
£180 each week. Gosh yes.

Children don’t need entertaining all the time. And not with things that cost money either.

With no other bills? Just petrol and food?

Yes, not a problem and I'm an adult and 2 teens (I do have a plugin hybrid though). 60 quid for petrol would cover me for the month (and I drive 120km/day in term time). Leaving 480 for food - I spend between 120 and 200/week on food, so I just keep it on the lighter end and we can still go out to the cinema/do some bits/eat out at half term.

Say £40 for 'a small amount of petrol'

Split the rest 50/50 for groceries and that's being generous and £250 for days out and activities.

What am I missing? You've forgotten to mention that you're competing in a half term challenge to visit Alton Towers, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventure and the Eden Project and you have to stay at Center Parcs each night and none of this is yet paid for?

Make a budget. Food shop, petrol, anything else you know you will need. Set £50 aside just in case. Then you can plan fun things for half term with the rest. It’s going to be nice weather, so lots of outdoor play in the park or garden. Make your own ice lollies. Whatever. You’ll be fine.

Sorry I am going to rephrase my answer.

Yes you can make it last, but it wont be a lot of fun.

Sympathies OP.

Yes, as others have said put aside the petrol money, and draw up a meal plan, including using up the basic cupboard ingredients and contents of the freezer if you’re worried about feeling pinched.

In terms of half term activities: children are often enriched by different things than adults think they are or should be, and you really don’t need to feel pressure to be spending vast amounts of money on big activities to give your DC a great half term. I’m sure it used to infuriate my mum that she’d budget so that every school holiday we could have at least one or two “big” trips - to the zoo, or a safari park, or suchlike - per week; and then when we got back to school afterwards and did our “what I did in the holidays” write up, it would invariably say “I went to the park and me and my friend Lizzie made a secret den in the hedge” and “we had ice cream at gran and grandad’s house in their back garden and grandad got stuck in his deckchair and we all laughed.”

I thought you were going to say £50 or something. I mean that is clearly plenty for 1 adult and 1 child unless you have massive costs to pay out of it which you have not mentioned.

What do you need apart from food and petrol and how much is a small amount of petrol?

Of course

That's nearly £200 a week which is plenty of money!

Why do you think it will be difficult? Do you normally spend much more?
For 3 weeks you can hold off making any large one-off purchases. £180 a week is plenty for food, petrol and miscellaneous day to day spending.

No I couldn't ignore those who say its loads.

I hope you do okay, and all the best.

For 1 child and 1 adult? Easily! Even if the child is a hollow legged 15 year old boy!

Though it depends what your expectations are, what your child needs. Are they old enough to just hang out with friends at the park, or shopping centre for the day or something or are they younger and need constant supervision and entertainment?

Even if they need lots of entertainment there's lots of free and cheap stuff you can do, doesn't all have to be theme parks and zoos. And even if they are a hollow legged teenager there's lots of cheap and filling recipes out there.

God yes, easily! I was expecting you to say £100 or something

Will they be happy?
Haven't got much choice of parents if haven't got the money have they?
Why do people need to keep going to places that cost money,?

So three weeks all in all? Half term week then two more.

You will probably want to spend more next week as it’s half term so maybe budget more next week to cover activities and then less for the remainder.

But do you have any coverage for any unexpected expenses that might crop up in that time? As I doubt that food and petrol are all that will have to be paid for in that time.

For one child and one adult? Yes, very easily.

I think £180 a week is definitely manageable for food for a week where you’re feeding full time then another week and a bit where lunch will be at school for the child. I reckon if you’re careful you’ll be able to get out and about during half term as well as a bit of petrol.