What do you spend on a family holiday?

[Goodenoughisgoodenough]

Hi all
I'm curious, what do most people budget on spending for a family holiday? I realise that this is a real privilege, and do sympathise that with the many families unable to get away. But I'd like to try to 'bench-mark' what most people spend on a two-week break. I'm trying to make a last minute plan for our family of four (two teenagers, so they're full price for most things). If you're going away for 10 days - 2 weeks, what are you spending? Not luxury, but not camping either!. ie holiday cottage in Cornwall, villa abroad, Mediteranean etc For context, household income £65k. Paid off the mortgage last year - but also aware we'll need to support two teens through uni soon. I'd like to know what similar families spend. Ta!

Two adults, two children 5 & 2, two weeks in Alicante cost around £1000. Canary Islands has shot up in price in the last year so I'd budget £1500 for that.

Why does it matter, if it's affordable to you and you all enjoy it whether it's camping or Dubai why does it even have to be compared to other families, as you say thousands upon thousands go nowhere at all for decades so I'd just be happy you can do what you do,

😮 I’ve been trying to price up for a holiday for 5 of us, (dc are 17, 15 & 9) and can’t get anything much less than £4000 for one week October half term. (Closer to £5k for summer hols).
I’d love to know how to find something cheaper. I’ve looked through tui and jet2.

I think we paid £5k last summer through jet2. That was 1 week on Crete, villa with a little pool and car hire. My first holiday abroad since our honeymoon 18 years ago, so I’m totally out of touch with booking holidays. Back then I’d walk into the local travel agent, give them some dates and they’d show me what was available.

Do you mean the actual cost of the holiday op or spending money once you're there?

Hi, thanks for your commenting, but not sure why it matters to you that I'm asking? I'm simply interested, to get an idea of what is 'reasonable' for a family holiday abroad/UK in high season. Not judging, just sharing experience. Isn't that what's Mumsnet is for? And for what it's worth over the years, we've enjoyed 'cheapncheerful' camping in Devon, and long haul adventures too. Hope you get on holiday this summer.

Thanks for commenting. I mean the total cost. So flights, accommodation, spending money. The whole shebang....

2 adults 2 children. 96k combined income. One week in Greece we are paying £3700 this year. It's a nice villa- but not really deluxe. Last year we did 9 days in Cyprus and that was about the same amount.

Oh sorry- spending money while there? Not sure. I pay for the holidays as I have a dedicated holiday account and DH pays for everything while there. Everything is 'joint' in theory, but DH uses one current account exclusively and I use the other.

We spend a lot but it's the main thing we splash out on.

We are planning to spend about £8k for 2 adults and 2 kids to go for 2 weeks Mexico AI in October

Earlier this year we went to NYC for a week and that was £2k for flights and Hilton hotel with breakfast but we probably spent at least another 2k on meals and tickets and entry fees.

We are off to Greece for a week, all inclusive... coming in at £1k per person. I'm hoping we can get away with about £500 spending money

Thing is OP that it's a 'how long is a piece of string question'. I'm flabbergasted that anyone can find a family holiday for four people, including teens, for £1000 anywhere in the school summer holidays, but that poster doesn't say what their holiday consists of. The cheapest way of holidaying is usually budget flights booked as soon as they come out, a rental apartment and SC. Camping or static caravan can also be very reasonable. But if you want a hotel with two rooms, FB or AI, you're probably looking at about £1000 pp in the summer holidays.

Edit: I see the poster with the £1000 holiday has DC aged 5 and 2 so okay. Probably one DC is going free and the other one will be heavily reduced from the adult price. Older DC, however, are full price from around age 12 typically.

@AlwaysCloudyAtNoon have you booked this yourself individually or is it a package and if so, with who? And is it school holidays or term time please? (Sorry for highjack OP, also interested in this topic 😍)

Family of 5. 10 days in the middle of August this year in Zante. All inclusive, 4*, big waterpark on site.

We've paid £6200 but that includes the 'hidden expenses' people tend to forget about - so includes transfers, tourist tax, travel to and from airport, seat booking, luggage, insurance etc.

*Edited to say - doesn't include spending money but we're hopeful to not spend more than £1000 as AI. Lots of beaches and free things to do around.

Oh and Congratulations for paying off the mortgage!!!!! That's brilliant. :) Hopefully we will too in the next 10 years or so.

Op we have a similar income and kids 10 and 12. This year we’re doing Eurocamp in the south of France for 2 weeks. Flights and accommodation are just over £3000. I expect we’ll spend another £500-1000 when we’re there depending on whether we eat out a lot and go on day trips.

2 weeks AI in Majorca 4* package in summer hols, family of 4 £7k

Were going on our first family holiday with 2 young children. Staying in the UK and it's cost £599 for 5 days and is self catering so food and petrol on top of that. We've saved all year for it and the kids are super excited.

I hope wherever you go you have a lovely time. I'm hoping one day we can go abroad with them.

We book through Sunvil. It's our third time with them and we rate them very highly. DCs in private school so it is the first week of their holidays, but not the full on holiday season. We just tend to tell them our rough budget and any main wishes (near a beach is one, and a quiet family villa arrangement) and they send us a bunch of options. Also had 2 experiences of their in-country representatives who come the first day and give you a rundown of everything around that you might be interested in then they are on call if you need but don't impose.

We have done alot of our own travel before and can probably do it all as well, but I like just e-mailing Sunvil and then they send us options. It;s very easy and restful.

@AlwaysCloudyAtNoon thank you 🙏

Oh good point! I forgot about the hidden extras. We go easyjet so have all those payments and do seat selection and extra baggage as Ds1 has learning difficulties and is afraid of flying (although seems to be coming out of that now). That adds alot.

A few years ago about 200.
2 nights in a b and b by the sea cheaper with yha pass.

Now we tend to save each month, buy flights from budget airlines and do air b n b.

Family of 4 (two teens), 10 days in Italy (villa + hotel), at c. £6K not including spending money. First time we’ve been abroad post Covid. Ouch!

None of these include spending money or AI.

we spent 6k this year on 2 weeks in the US. (2k on flights, 2k on hotels, 2k on tickets for places)
Last year was 3k in Europe
2022 was 8k for 21 day holiday in the US again.

We also have another holiday in the uk which is £800 in December this year.

I book everything separately to make it cheap as possible.

Next year. I will be trying to keep the spends to much less.

I spend 30-40% of my annual income on family holidays. We live in a tiny house and are very frugal so we can have adventures. Last year it was £20K on a 6 week trip around Thailand and Malaysia. We make massive sacrifices to do it and I know it is not for everyone but for us it is well every penny.

Truth is.... I'd love to do that.