Family holidays

[SweetPeaPods]

I was close to putting this in AIBU but probably more of a moan.
How to families afford to go abroad? DH and I both work full time. Both earn professional level salaries (read middle bracket) and we haven’t had a proper holiday since before we had the dc 6 years ago. Don’t get me wrong I know some great holidays can be had in the UK and the dc as yet have nothing to compare too. But I would love a week away in the sun, and we just can’t justify the price. Am I looking in the wrong places? DH insists he will not pay £5k for us to have a week in Spain but we are restricted to school holidays. Is it better savings throughout the year and booking years in advance?

Also am I mad looking at holidays before we know what’s happening with Brexit??

Start a savings account so in a couple of years you will have the money saved up. It doesn't cost £5k to go to Spain for a week all inclusive at peak time.

I don’t know where you’re getting £5k from. You could spend that but absolutely don’t have to. Just look around. With one child you can do almost anything so have lots of choice.

5k sounds a lot. Have you tried looking at May half term holidays?

You are looking in the wrong place!!!
We budget about £2000 for 2 weeks away in the school holidays - that is for four flights, insurance, parking, car hire, and villa or apartment.
Last year we went to Tenerife and had a villa in the North with its own pool, previous two years we went to Lake Garda. This year we are going to a quiet area in Spain, Costa almeria, three bedroom apartment on a small complex with everything we need, terrace overlooking the pool with direct access and right on the beach.
My tip is to book flights early. This year we have paid £600 with BA but the same flights would cost £1700 booked today.
There are good deals flying to Milan and you can hire a car and drive to the lakes from there.

Dont book a package. May time. Flights for 4 £500, car hire £500, 2 bed SC duplex accomodation with shared pool maz £150ish per night. 10 nights. Budget £1,000 for food and spends. Thats £3,500. Could be less if you ate out less and didn't do expensive activities plus organised airport transfers. Campsites with little en suite cabin in Italy or france more like £70-100 per night. Places without pools much cheaper so reduce budget if you just go to beach. Hand luggage only makes flights cheaper. Could go for 7 days. Probably £2k cheapest.

£5k for a week in Spain. We’ve just paid that for over two weeks AI in Sri Lanka for August.
I’d say £2k is more realistic. And you’d have to book early on. We booked in November through a travel agent.

Also we holiday with friends or family so in May our £250 a night 4 bed villa in Oporto with private indoor heated and outdoor pools costs £125 a night! In August i think im getting Croatia 4 bed villa with pool for £3,300 for 10 days split 2 ways. Flights were £800 for 4. Car hire will be £400.

If you have 1dc its even cheaper.

I am just planning a trip in the UK and quite crap accomodation is soooo expensive. Like £129 a night for a shared family room ensuite in the YHA.

Skyscanner for flights

With 1dc even hotels doable if you dont mind sharing a room. Try booking.com or expedia.

TripAdvisor, holiday lettings, or homeaway.

You can get a good family holiday abroad for £3000 (and less I'm sure), that's £250 a month. We save a set amount every month straight into a holiday fund so we are just used to not having that money.

Have you tried AffordAbroad?, they seem to send people on holiday during school holidays way cheaper.

We go abroad every year. Europe, US, Asia.
I have never spent 5K on a holiday. We've ranged 1.5k to 4k for flights+hotel (+ car hire when needed).

Btw I would never spend 5K for a week in Spain either.

The £5k was for Alcudia on tui
2 dc so that apparently includes one free child place!!
DH did suggest self catering villa but I’m not sure that would be a holiday for me. Same shit just different place imo.
I know deep down it’s just more saving, but at the minute we’re not quite breaking even from salary and outgoings mortgage etc so would love to be able to save £250 a month for a holiday but it won’t happen anytime soon.
Also no we don’t spend our money on night outs, new cars etc. I wish! Maybe next year when both dc are at school and we have no nursery fees to pay we might be better off.

Try looking at putting a holiday together yourself.
Book flights early with low cost airlines (we've booked flights to Europe in summer hols for £500 for 4).
Book air b n b or hotel independently.
Avoid traditional summer holiday locations like Spain and the south of France.
Drive and get a ferry (so avoiding car hire charges), there's loads of lovely places in Northern Europe you can get to.

I'm flying for Edinburgh in English school holidays to Dubrovnik for 2 adults and 2 kids and staying in a private villa Airbnb for less than £1600 for 9 nights

I use Skyscanner app for cheapest flights every year

@SweetPeaPods I totally sympathise, we only had our first holiday abroad when our youngest was on the 30 free hours, and we only save the monthly money I mentioned now they're in school, it gets much easier when out of childcare!

Then grab canaria for me and 2 kids flying from Edinburgh (live in Durham) getting train up for £10 for all 4 of us
7 days flights and private villa Airbnb £600

We have never paid more than £2k for 4star ai but it takes planning and obsessive reviewing- halfterms instead,travelling to random airports (for us that could be 2 hours to say Doncaster Sheffield who have different school hols) very beginning or end of holidays, knowing the pattern of deals, sometimes fcp sometimes not. I wouldn’t pay £5k either. Mexico is less than that

Me, DH, DS, ILs and DNiece are all going to Spain for a week all inclusive in July school holidays for less than 4.5k so I think your DH is exaggerating at 5k for a holiday to Spain. Have a look, you might be pleasantly surprised! Jet2 have good offers.

I've always done it on the cheap. Last minute bookings, antisocial flight times, etc. I have not spent £5k on holidays in my kids entire lives (nowhere near) and they have had holidays in UK and abroad.

I agree with you OP- for me my DH and DD (18months) to go to Greece in term time is 2.5k- my colleague and her husband and 2 school age kids pay 7k for the same holidays...it’s a disgusting rip off and booking in advance rarely helps as the industry knows when the peak tones are

Peak times *

We go to Northern Europe and either camp or stay in mobile home. Don't eat out. Go May Half term. It's about £500 for the week in May. We're both teachers so can never see us affording proper sun holiday.