How can people afford 2 week summer holidays?

[NobilityScooter]

Pre COVID we went on holiday in the UK because we couldn't afford to go abroad. £1.5-2k accomodation then £1k spending money. = £2.5-3k holiday (2 adults + 2 children).

The costs crept up each year until COVID then the UK shot up in price. We changed locations to holiday somewhere cheaper still in the UK. Then the accomodation was poorer standard too for the price but it's what we could afford. I looked at what the same place would cost the next year when we got back (not that we wanted to book it but to see a cost comparison). And it was over £1k more expensive!

So we looked at cheap all inclusive abroad. And got something for the same price as the UK post COVID but abroad. Fabulous holiday. Wanted to book it the next year over £1k more expensive! We're lucky to be gifted £1.5k that year so went back to the same place and had a great time but the DC were getting a bit old for it so needed to find somewhere new.

Everything is so expensive! Looking at last year's holiday place is £2k more expensive! So it's gone up £3k in 2 years!

So my question is how does anyone afford to go on holiday in school holidays? (2 DC at school and education jobs mean we can only go in school holidays). This is £3k - to £7.5k in 8 years. How is anyone supposed to afford that? I see lots of people on holiday and places are selling out so people must be paying those prices. Our mortgage has doubled (£650 to £1250) and our gas and electricity has tripled (£88 to £270) plus our food bills have rocketed post COVID. Where is the spare money for a holiday?

I always find it strange when people ask 'How do people afford X' on here.

The two possible answers to this question are:

a) because they have enough money, or
b) because they've borrowed money

Dh and I saved for 3 years to go to Rome for a week with ds, that was 7 years ago. Otherwise we camped, or youth hostelled, or stayed at home, or bless them (sort of) my inlaws took us with them self catering in the UK tbh I would rather have stayed at home

Holidays are a luxury, particularly at the moment. People with high incomes can afford them.

We went to a European centre parks, last week of August and paid £900 for 6 people. Even with ferry, petrol etc it was max of £500 extra, and we didn't spend much there. Definitely came in under £2k. There's loads of self catering chalet type holiday parks in Europe.

I think your post is light hearted. I think people forget that the world hasn't come to a stand still, people have progressed in jobs or was already comfortable before all the COL.

I wouldn't wonder about anybodys life because they could be many reasons.

I'm a single parent and I holiday every year sometimes twice. I booked last year it wasn't even a bargain but its a 5* hotel 7 nights £1100 per person and that's May half term well just before!

Yup I’ve been saying this recently. We are hiring a villa - quite a nice villa, but just a three bedroom villa the sort of which my parents would rent for 2 weeks in the 90s on a police officer and shop worker salary - and it’s costing 8k for two weeks in summer. Then flights, car hire and spending money. We are looking at 15k.

This just seems mentally out of reach for essentially everyone. Where are the childminders/postmen/carpet fitters/hospital clerks - normal people with normal jobs - going on holiday?

It's funny how we all think differently. I wouldn't even give it much thought just because you may not be able to afford something. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that someone has borrowed it. So bizarre IMO.

We are having 2 weeks in Europe this school summer hols and had a week AI abroad this Christmas….we still aren’t spending anyway near 7.5k.

All inclusive is chav-tastic! Fir people who haven't got the imagination to book things direct.

I just mean that those are the two possible ways of paying for something - having the money, or borrowing the money, be that a loan or a friend/ family etc.

There is no other way of paying for things.

So 'how to people afford X' isn't really a complicated question to answer.

They earn more.

They have more disposable income.

They’ve saved for it (maybe holidays aren’t an annual thing for them and they save for a longer period of time).

They've been gifted money (you yourself say you were given 1.5k for a holiday)

We’re going on a very expensive holiday this year. People might wonder how we are affording it. We haven’t been on a holiday since pre covid. We’ve been saving up for it.

The best holidays for kids are to spend the summer in a village, close to nature and one can skin a cat many many different ways

Lots of people really prioritise holidays above other things which is absolutely fine, everyone is different. One of my colleagues will think nothing of spending 8k plus on one holiday when I would spend 6k on holidays for the year.

We go to further away/less popular places. Have always been able to afford AIs in Morocco, Tunisia, Croatia and Egypt in August when anything in Europe was waaaaay out of our budget (and the service/quality wasn't actually as good).

Booking as early as possible helps with free child places using Tui and First Choice and when we started paying adult prices (at age bloody 12) booking a full year in advance gave a much lower price (this year it's just me and DH and we got an amazing deal for 3 weeks in Egypt in August by booking last September - it's costing less than 2 weeks with adult DD did last year)

There are still some deals out there for August if you are willing to go Africa way - but of course it's really bloody hot!

House swaps or house sitting!

Yes, I do the same. I'm single though, and holiday on my own, so costs likely lower anyway as I'm not tied to school holidays. Not having to pay for accommodation is a massive saving. It's not for everyone, but definitely worth considering.

I read that it's been getting more popular because people find it easier to budget that way. You know what you're getting, price wise.

Pay monthy
Not all inclusive
Cheaper holiday accommodation, have you considered eurocamp type places?

Flights for 4 to Bilbao £700 in August

Air bnb for 10 days £3,000 choosing nice apartment with pool, staying in 2 places.

Car hire, dunno £500? Maybe £600

Food and spends: £2,000 maybe. Would be much less if I self cater more but we will probably eat out at least once a day most days but not all because I get bored.

£6,300 assuming fairly luxurious and not stinting on anything. I did look at £4500 for accommodation with 4 days in an expensive villa with pool in San sebastian but opted for cheaper location still in reach of this very expensive city.

I could have stayed in the French basque region for much less. I could self cater to get food budget down. I could train between Bilbao and San Sebastian to save on car hire but I'm planning on getting out to vineyards and other places so the car makes it a certain type of holiday.

I'm also doing 9 days in Malta in May for £4500 FB on a hilton deal (easyjet flights) but will spend more on lunches and the odd meal out plus sightseeing costs/taxis in Valetta.

£7k seems to be a standard 2 week break now including food. I reckon one week more expensive on a per day basis bug obviously overall cheaper.

Also holidays at Easter and October.

We prefer self catering because we don't like all inclusive, buffets or making holiday friends. It works out lots cheaper too. Flights tend to cost more than accommodation but booking early can help with that.

I actually think Euro camp is really expensive for what it is...

I booked our summer holiday in august last year and pay it off monthly with Jet 2!

We booked self catering villa in Greece. This year it’s £1,200 for a week and flights we booked as soon as they came out so had a great deal (take carry on so don’t need to take more than we need). We’ll bbq, eat out, swim, chill. Package holidays are always a premium and I don’t like sharing my holiday with other people.

So I randomly gave you a 6 year old and a 10 year old. 2 weeks. AI. 1st August. On Tui. Nothing less than a 3 star, up to a 4+ star.

Found 12 holidays from 4K to 7K with free child places in Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.

(Was going to link but for some bloody reason it wouldn't do it. You should be able to do your own search though)

In Scotland its more expensive to fly abroad and obviously using the Channel Tunnel isn't as easy. I'd book the week that the Scottish schools were off before English schools stopped for their summer holidays as this was a massive saving. I'd mostly fly from Liverpool or Manchester as cheaper than a scottish airport even with fuel included. And we'd only go for one week, never 2.

I've just looked on Holiday Pirates and they have the last weeks of July, all inclusive holidays from £364 each for a week. That leaves on 18th July. If you leave on 23rd July it's only £483 each.

Examples- can't screen shot so sorry for shitty pics