Holidays are just not worth the money

I think you misunderstand me, I don't think there's anything wrong with either holiday - as you say, everyone has different tastes.
I just took umbrage at the snotty attitude of the poster I was quoting who was all like "I pity people like this"

500 buck a day ! Are you in Disneyland or something ?!
take family eurocamping def less than 500 a day 🤣

For me holidays are often worth the price tag. I love being away, being in a location I can explore, eat new food, see things I may otherwise never see.

I do think prices have exploded to a point where we are much more selective what I book. We won't do AI for example anymore, the quality has decreased to the point that I just don't enjoy it anymore. We often do a two center break, city trip/activity and then B&B in a hotel for a couple of days afterwards to relax.

Really? That would be a total of £3.5k for everything for a week. Flights, travel to and from airport and resort, accommodation, all food drinks and snacks, days out etc.

I appreciate it’s a lot of money but it doesn’t look excessive to me.

Not sure if it's still true but years ago it was shown that a RR was the best value of the posh cars, they last far longer, it's not unknown for a RR to be 30+ years old!

@Phonicshaskilledmeoff

How old are your children, OP?

Holidays are amazing memories for kids and a time where there's no work, school, normal routine stuff... whilst they are expensive I fully believe theyre worth every penny, however we have never spent £500 a day as a family of 4!

This is all a bit “the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

I loved holidays when I was a child. The happy times, the experiences and memories, I’m so glad my parents didn’t have this attitude towards holidays otherwise I would have missed all this.

My husband would happily stay at home throughout the year, every year, and it’s so frustrating. He’s a homebody and also doesn’t see the value of travelling and having new experiences outside the same four walls all the time. I’d give anything to be able to go on a lovely beach holiday and feel so sad I genuinely can’t afford it!

Maybe the AI resort options aren't such a bad deal after all then.

A good compromise option might be to pick one in or within striking distance of a town/city, so you don't feel so much like it's just a beach and pool holiday.

@Tink3rbell30

lol most people like to get out and about and sight see and experience a bit of culture not sit by pool all day while on holiday but you do you

Op , I’m 44 and my best memories as a child where on holiday with my parents and sister . My 10 year old daughter and even my 4 year old cherish their holidays so much , they remeber stuff even we don’t remeber . Pay the money , make the memories , I just spend the last few days with my 2 week old baby is hospital , I’ve never had to stay in hospital with a child and was honestly scared to see him poorly , all I wanted was our family together , my girls have ben visiting daily and taking to him about going to Portugal and Disneyland ( our last holidays ) and how he must get better so he gets to see it all with them .
Memories are so core to our childhood.

Thankfully the baby is getting better and I can’t wait to take him on holiday to it’s his siblings so he can make his own memories .

I think its worth it to make the memories. If you can afford it, then treat them.

We do a mix but to save money all inclusive can work out well. Then you don't need to worry about money when there. Also best to book early as possible. Or Jan when there are sales. Then you can get a better deal instead of trying to find something reasonable now.

@Phonicshaskilledmeoff

do you not do all that stuff on holiday though? You don’t cook and clean on holiday do you?

also you must realise that if you let them buy a load of stuff they’ll likely buy a load of tat! Experiences better than stuff always

@SamAylward

why do you think they’re a waste of money?

T. B. H. A Holiday with your kids is not a holiday ( for us).....you need another HOLIDAY to get over it.... Do something less elaborate, closer to home. When our kids were babies, we once went to a Holiday Camp just one hour ,by road. The weather was nice. It was a break.

I could not agree more. We gave up on them years ago in favour of short mini-breaks in cities in the UK, Ireland, Germany and France.

Foreign holidays are a total waste of money.

@Hayley1256

if you aren’t on all inclusive you wouldn’t eat as much as that though, a lot of that is unnecessary food and eating just cos it’s there and available and included in the cost. A lot of people won’t even have lunch when on holiday cos they are busy and out and about and stuff -they will have a substantial breakfast and then dinner

It’s only money. You get like 16-18 years where your kids will come away with you.

God I cannot bear people who are obsessed with money. Plenty of it, but tight as drums. Yuck.

YANBU. Stay home and invest the money in something more sensible - home repairs or in a fund for your children’s uni fees or house deposits in the future. No one needs holidays and flying bad for environment.
@Phonicshaskilledmeoff

or maybe they have different taste?

It doesn't sound like a holiday to me either, but who cares?
Some people have a thing for staycations, not exactly my idea of a holiday either but as long as I am not stuck in this country again, that's less people in the planes with me 😂

We love a good holiday and I like pricing up how much I would be spending if I wasn't on an AI holiday. Last year we got a good deal on a really luxury holiday. We paid about 4.k for 8 nights AI (500 a day) and it did feel good value once there. 2 adults and DD9

1st full day:
3x breakfast with fresh smoothies = £45
3x a la carte lunch with drinks =£60
3 x a la carte dinner with drinks =80
Snacks = £30
Handmade chocolates =£35
Patisserie=£30
Cocktails, beers etc for adults = £250 (Cocktails are around £12 where we live and we drink a lot of them on holiday)
Soft drinks & ice cream for DD = £15

So day 1 would have cost us around £545 if we had done all of that in the UK at nice places. That doesn't include adding in the cost of travel, accomodation, entertainment, the amazing kid club activities ect. So I think we got good value on last year's holiday.

Edited to add that last year's AI was the best we had been on and the handmade chocolates were unreal - I dread to think how much they would have cost in the UK. Same for the meals that were included, even the buffet restaurant was unreal!

It all depends on your priorities and what you enjoy, the cost won’t change will only go up . For me the main thing I remember as a kid is the holidays though a lot if this was because my mum and dad were happy relaxed and it was fun so it your not then maybe it’s not working
I do know what you mean though I love holidays though feel a pressure for it to be good as I have saved so hard all year but nothings ever perfect and I try and accept things a bit more now

Another thing I do is collect Avios. I have a BA Amex and put all my spending through that. DH has a platinum Amex and does the same. I also get Avios from my bank, uber, Deliveroo, and some other loyalty cards. I only fly with carriers that give me Avios.

My BA Amex gives me a companion voucher every year.

We get a lot of flights free this way.