Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Holidays vs bigger house

75 replies

User125179313 · 23/01/2023 17:33

Would you rather save for a new house or go on holidays?

My DH doesn’t see the point of holidays (in the UK or abroad). He always enjoys the holiday when we go but still every year we have a disagreement about booking holidays as he thinks they’re a waste of money. I love holidays as do our children. DH wants us to save to either move house or pay off the mortgage early. There is nothing wrong with our house. Yes, it would be nice to have a bigger kitchen & garden & a spare bedroom but we get by perfectly fine as we are. I see more benefit in a family holiday than a bigger house.

Just curious as to what anyone else thinks!

OP posts:

PassAnotherJumper · 23/01/2023 18:32

House - especially the garden.

A nice garden is worth a thousand holidays, to me.

SquishyGloopyBum · 23/01/2023 18:39

It sounds like you only go on holiday once a year?

I'd be telling him that you are fed up of the yearly battle for a single holiday.

mindutopia · 23/01/2023 18:45

I would go for a better house that you love - it doesn’t necessarily need to be bigger. Holidays are just a week or two, but a home is everyday and an investment for your and your dc’s future. I love seeing my dc playing in our garden and running around the woodland behind us, and having space to host their friends for play dates and sleepovers.

We moved to a lovely home (that does happen to be big too). Not that we couldn’t afford more expensive holidays but they aren’t a priority. We do simple UK holidays and have a great time. I don’t need to go to Corfu for that every year. We do travel still but we do it relatively cheaply, stay in cheap local places, eat cheaply, no big resorts, no Disney and it’s still great. My best holidays as a kid were the camping and beach trips, not the big expensive ones anyway.

user1497787065 · 23/01/2023 18:46

It would be my house every time. See holidays as a bit of a waste of money really.

Badoukas · 23/01/2023 19:00

Holidays. You gotta live a life, see new places, try the food and get away from the everyday. No contest!

LittleLantern123 · 23/01/2023 19:36

If its either or then I would say the house, you will be spending 51 weeks a year in it rather than the 1 week you would be on holiday.
I think for me long term comfort wins over a holiday but each to their own 😊

Leeds2 · 23/01/2023 20:00

I would much prefer to have a nice/bigger/mortgage free house. But, not at the expense of all holidays, I would just go on cheaper ones or less of them.

Hbh17 · 23/01/2023 20:03

Holidays. Always. Still in our original, very small house but we have had some fabulous trips to amazing places, and plan to keep going. I know that on my deathbed I'll be thinking about South Africa, India, Russia, Italy etc etc and not about my extra bedroom & ensuite bathroom!

TheCraicDealer · 23/01/2023 20:18

As a kid who grew up and into adulthood in a house which was too small for our family’s needs but went on a foreign holiday every year from we were 18mos old (very unusual for the time) I would go against the grain and say house. I’d much rather my kids and I had the space they needed that home is a nice and pleasant environment for everyone than a regular holiday. Any trip away before we were about 12yo just merged into one hot, sweaty and slightly boring memory.

Having said that, surely there’s a middle ground that could allow you a bit of both- like going away every other year or staying in eurocamps rather than a traditional hotel.

timetogetlost · 23/01/2023 20:22

Just as above, I grew up with no space and really value having space. I love travel (not especially AI holiday, more adventures). An ideal balance would be enough space, and a couple of budget holidays a year. We camp or stay in YHA, or book cheap flights somewhere for 5 days, and accommodation separately.

Namenic · 23/01/2023 20:30

I’d say a mix. DH dislikes travelling abroad due to lots of stress (especially with young kids). BUT some of my extended family live abroad - so a lot of holidays abroad have been family-related (not yearly though).

I would like to save up to go to some far places (eg Japan, australia). But would only go if all kids are 7+ (so they remember it!). Don’t need to go somewhere abroad/special every year.

Itgoesalittlesomethinglikethis · 23/01/2023 20:38

We had this conversation about 10 times over Sunday on a loop.
We agreed it was house move since we all hate the house layout, street and town.
I know it's important to have a break and make memories but we feel day to day is important. We are all complaining and sick of hearing eachother. Time to do something about it.
We haven't moved since we bought the house 13 years ago and it's a long time to live in a place you hate.
In that scenario we are foregoing holidays for a couple of years to try and make that transition to a nicer place (not necessarily bigger house).

BendingSpoons · 23/01/2023 20:43

I love holidays. However DH makes a fair point that he doesn't want to sacrifice where we live for 50/51 weeks of the year for 1/2 weeks of fun. We are lucky enough to do a bit of both, so we can still have (more affordable) holidays but have a house that works for us.

MargaretThursday · 23/01/2023 20:46

I'd say bigger house.

We don't do big holidays though.

Hancox432 · 23/01/2023 20:47

Always holidays. If COVID taught us anything it's that we don't know what is round the corner. I'd rather be on my death bed with a head full of memories than with a bigger house

Jowak1 · 23/01/2023 21:00

Holidays

Landlubber2019 · 23/01/2023 21:00

Whilst holidays are important what type of holiday are you considering? Personally we prioritised our mortgage over Disney which w see

Landlubber2019 · 23/01/2023 21:02

Sorry posted too soon...

We didn't see Disney a good fit for our family and hugely expense, however we always have gone away and experienced family time and new adventures

CampervanKween · 23/01/2023 21:03

Holidays here. And time.

We have a perfectly fine house, not super glamorous, but completely adequate for our needs.

And we take lots of low cost holidays. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

echt · 23/01/2023 21:09

Holidays.

My late DH always organised the holidays and occasionally I'd wibble about some house improvement (nothing major and money not an issue, more the time and it's a big place anyway)

Holidays are way more important than houses. The memories of our lovely holidays together is part of what keeps me going.

SwedishEdith · 23/01/2023 21:13

Yes, what kind of holidays are you talking about? I'd always say holidays over a house but I wouldn't be stretching myself for £10k family holidays, for example.

pocketvenuss · 23/01/2023 21:14

How much are you spending on holidays OP?

aibutohavethisusername · 23/01/2023 21:17

Holidays

WallaceinAnderland · 23/01/2023 21:20

We bought a bigger house with nice garden, got one of those portable swimming pools and a trampoline and the kids absolutely loved it. Out there over the whole summer, had their friends over, had picnics in the garden. Way, way more fun than 1/2 week all inclusive plus we get to keep the bigger house which has grown in value.

4thonthe4th · 23/01/2023 21:21

Holidays

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread