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?

Try off the beaten track eg. Slovakia, Poland or Czech Rep in the countryside.

Definitely think outside of typical holiday resorts. We have had fantastic trips to places like Slovenia, Austria, Netherlands, Hungary. Don’t feel you have to do an all inclusive on a beach to have an amazing time. Some of these places can provide amazing lakes and mountains. we take several holidays a year and I bargain hunt and don’t tend to go for typical places. Also don’t assume that far-flung destinations have to be mega money – it is possible without opting for a mega luxury accommodation. We have holidayed in the Caribbean at Easter for approx 4k (plus spending) by staying in a less fancy accommodation but still with pool and right on the beach. Or if you do really want to go to Spain et cetera, go out of season for example in the Easter or October holidays, hope for good weather and ensure it’s got a heated outdoor pool or an indoor pool.

We always did two weeks on the Côte d’Azur, May half term and the following week so the kids would only miss a week of school. We’d pay £400 for the two weeks in a nice mobile home. The parks were beautiful (on a par with a UK Center Parcs), amazing pools and the weather is at least mid 20s - 30 degrees. There are tonnes of places nearby to visit - Monaco, Nice, Cannes, St Tropez etc.

My children get me a holiday every year for xmass 2 weeks at a random place abroad last xmas i went to tibet and a mini break for mothers day normally 5 days at a spa somewhere.
I pay for myself for the rest of the year.
I am loved😁

And loads of people are up to their debt in credit cards. Loads of people just spend money like water and have nothing left at the end of the month.

Find something cheaper . Save up or put on the credit card and pay it off monthly.

We are very well off. We only take a big holiday every few years. It’s just so expensive and there are so many other priorities.

we focus on local activities and long weekends instead.

Camping. Although you can spend a lot on equipment and activities (and wine).

Slovenia is beautiful - we went there last year.

Priorities is partly what it boils down to. I'm not well off but I enjoy a holiday abroad I love waking up to a nice warm scenery and having a cuppa. I love the evening scenery and a stroll along the beach so many things that you can't get from the UK because the weather isn't upto scratch. Its what you deem as important for me it's the not having to cook and clean all week priceless! As I do it all in my house!

I self cater, take the car on the ferry and go at the end of August, much more affordable. I can usually do 2-3 weeks for under £1k.

Same issue here. Two kids in school and one of us working in education. We haven’t had a foreign two week holiday since honeymoon (without kids) which was term time because I wasn’t a teacher then.

we find half board five days is all we can afford abroad. Paid about 2100 for five days north west Spain this coming August.

Other tips I’ve found that might work. If you’re northern and could drive to Edinburgh or Glasgow to fly out from there in late August they’re back at school before England so less demand = cheaper flights. Likewise I’m north west and sometimes in half terms I see better prices flying out of say Newcastle or Leeds rather than nearer airports due to different half terms

Are you looking at easyjet flights and then booking a hotel/resort/Airbnb separately because that definitely isn't that expensive surely. I think tui/jet 2 type of holidays are more than they used to be but we normally diy and for example, European center parcs are surprisingly reasonable with a ferry trip, or we sometimes eurostar to a city and an air bnb.... UK holidays via booking.com or Airbnb aren't crazy either (we have a cotswolds holiday let with a hot tub and it's not £1000 a week and we are in an expensive area). Maybe just shop about and explore other places a bit more? I would say, if your mortgage and electricity bills have increased, its the same for holiday cottage owners, hotels, bnbs etc so they do need to cover those costs....

We save. We prioritise our holidays, we always have done. We don't eat out often, we don't go clothes shopping, the kids don't need to have the latest in everything.

I haven't seen a hairdresser in 15 years, I do my own nails etc.

I have a fairly low paid (but fulfilling) job, our mortgage is circa £500pm, our car is 3 years old. My husband gets quarterly bonuses that go towards our summer holiday and covers our winter holiday spending money. We buy the winter holiday as a combined Christmas/birthday gift to ourselves, whereas other couples might spend hundreds on each other for these occasions.

As I say, it's about priorities and for us the memories we've been building and the anticipation of our days in the sun are worth the hard work and small sacrificies we make during the rest of the year.

Get rid of the SUV if you have one. Don't drink at home, just special occasions perhaps when out.

I never had an SUV but living without a car funds far more than just holidays.

Go on holiday to a caravan park in the middle of nowhere and then spend the days on the beach or walking about and going to the park etc.

I’m short, we can’t. we won’t be able to afford a decent holiday until the kids are out of nursery.
in the meantime. We visit centerparcs off season and book a year in advance.

I read how many people complain here comparing to holidays 10+ years ago.

One difference is more people in the continental holiday making pool. Some time ago, the UK had huge advantage of being rich post-colonial country, so the countries around were cheaper for you, and too expensive for people from some other countries in the region. However, there is generally no reason for holidays abroad being cheaper than holidays in the UK other than UK starting as a richer country.
Given Brittons aren't more hardworking or more intelligent than people in the EU, the old advantage is fading out and it will continue to do so.

A lot of people can't get to work without a car, public transport often isn't an option.

I’ve booked a holiday to Tenerife in September for 1 week all inclusive cost £1350 for me and my 2 DC age 12 and 14, you can get deals you just need to shop around

Having 1 dc helps! We've got two holidays this year with a child free place for both. 1 wk canaries in April £1200 sc and 2wks in turkey july, all inclusive 4* hotel for £2.4k.

We are Scottish so as long as we go at the start of July before the English schools break up then it's reasonably priced.

If we sneak off before the end of the Scottish term it's even cheaper.

We home Ed. It’s actually one of the reasons. I wanted to spend years travelling the world with my family to learn new cultures and languages

Be careful booking with Sykes. They took a lot of money from people in covid and then refused to give them their money back and made them rebook when it was twice the price. They actually blocked me when I pointed this out on Twitter