Would you rather stay home and splurge on day trips or go away on a tight budget

[Lovinglife45]

Contemplating a family break.
Cottages are around £1200 (s/c)
Europe city breaks are around £900 (r/o)
We could manage £700 for spends which is minimal for family of 4.

I am wondering if it makes more sense to stay home and go on day trips. This would allow us to comfortably afford entry tickets to attentions and nice lunches and snacks.

What would you do?

attractions

I think if the places you want to visit are close enough to drive too and return the same day then do day trips. We have had trips away and been bored due to there not being much to do or the weather being awful. We live in a area with lots of places to visit so it’s easier and cheaper to do day trips. When we do go away it’s usually to a city or large town and we rough it in a travel lodge or similar. It means we have more money to spend on eating out and getting into places.

I always think I spend less than I think when we're away. Eating out with small children is miserable so don't do it. We tend to go to the beach every day, buy an ice cream but bring picnics. Five days in Cornwall and I spent £70, which I thought was pretty good. We camped for £140.

Go away.
Change of scene and all that.

I’m a bit confused about what you can afford? Could you comfortably manage £1200 sc and £700 spending money? If so, I would go away.

For me, it would be to go away on a tight budget everytime.

Depends. Do the places you would travel to have lots of free things to do that you would all enjoy?? If so I’d go away.

none of those, I'd do B&B for 3-4 nights instead of a week in an overpriced cottage

Yes we could stretch to £1900 but staying home and doing say 6 day trips would cost us less than £800 including entry tickets, travel and nice places to eat.

Probably should have mentioned this before but we are trying to build up our savings pot.

Definitely go away.

Go away. Try and do things on a budget while away (abroad preferably)

Go away tight budget

Go away.
Wouldn't spend £700 for spends though.
The advantage of s-c is you have all the facilities there.
We are a family of 5 and have never spent £700 on a week's holiday, after the accommodation is paid for.

You can also get cheaper accommodation - move in from the coast a bit is a good start.

Anyway, I would go on holiday. It is really important to me. When I am in the house I spend all the time thinking of the things I feel I ought to be doing. I relax when I am on my week away.

I’d pool your cottage money and spending money and go on an all inclusive holiday abroad and not plan to spend much more.

In this country, I’d rather stay at home and do day trips as we live by the sea and a couple of holiday type destinations anyway so it’s not worth the cost of a holiday cottage when it’s just more of the same as we have at home and it’ll probably rain half the time at least anyway.

Go away for sure. What about somewhere like Center Parcs or Bluestone?

If you can do 6 days trips including nice meals out for £800, £700 ses plenty of spending money for a week's holiday.

I'd only eat out once or twice in a week anyway. More than that is a chore with children.

Depends on what you have within an hour or two of your home.

If you can think of a few things you like doing, or new things to try, you could do the day trips.

Or you could have a short break abroad, if you go for 3/4 days max, you could do hand luggage only so save £££s on luggage and if you get an apartment, you'd be able to make your own food.

But it also depends how you feel about your home and if you're able to relax and not feel obliged to do useful things at home that will stop you having a relaxing break. In the summer I can spend hours sitting in the garden relaxing and reading, plus also days out and nice easy food but other people will be decluttering and deep cleaning and then not feel like they've had a break.

I tend to need to go away in order to relax. If I am home, my mind will wander to work, cleaning, other household admin.

I may go away even if for four nights as opposed to a week.

Go away somewhere sunny. Anything you plan here is likely to be ruined by the weather, happened twice to us last year.

Go away, even if it's only for a few nights. We tried to do the staycation thing last year, and it didn't really work (might do if you have younger children though and you religiously plan every day). We ended up having two nights in a small hotel at a different time and we fitted loads in, though not the same as a proper holiday.

Go away

Go away.

Day trips by the time you include fuel, entry, food etc all add up. My DH was a fan of “staycations” because they seemed cheaper because you aren’t paying a lump of money, but when you add it all up it isn’t.

You don’t get a break from household chores and life.

We just booked this cottage for a week in June for under £700 in Southern Scotland. Maybe look at the less popular holiday destinations? I found southern Scotland had loads of choice and was less expensive than Norfolk which was the other area we were thinking of as they are equidistant for us. www.sykescottages.co.uk/cottage/Ayrshire-and-Dumfries-Galloway-Milton/South-Milton-Cottage-14724.html

Duinrell in NL with free pool and theme park is under 800 for a week in Summer or May half term. Look at Landal.com, Roompot.com. Eurocamp and Canvas.

Thank your suggestions.