Booked flights for a holiday but now can't afford it. WWYD?

[Cheeseer]

I booked some flights to a European country 6m ago for the summer. Was planning to take the kids to their first ever holiday abroad. They have never been and really want to go. The only holidays we get are in the UK for a week per year if we can afford it. The kids do love them but they yearn to go abroad.

I thought if I booked the flights early, I could put aside some money each month to save up in time for the summer.

However, each month something comes up and I haven't put anything away. If I start from now, I would have enough to cover accomodation which I haven't booked but nothing left for food, fun, travel etc.

I know Ive messed up but things are so expensive and prices are going up month to month and I just can't seem to have any money left over at the end of the month.

Should I plan to go to the hol and see what happens, can't do excursions or anything, very basic food or should I just leave it and lose the flight money and never plan a holiday unless I have the funds for it.

Where have you booked flights to? Some places you can visit cheaply once there, others you can't and need a hire car and have other costs.

If you don’t have any money for food etc I wouldn’t go, it could be torture to take kids to see all the fun things available but not be able to do anything.

Whereabouts are you going to? If you can afford accommodation I'd still go. If you self cater then you'd be buying food there that you'd have to buy here anyway. You can still have a great time without excursions, if there's a beach, decent weather etc you can still have fun on the cheap

Look on booking.com for cheap self catering options. You can do supermarket shop put there you'd be buying food at home anyway. Plenty of free activities in cities. Parks museums etc. Hop on hop off buses very cheap. Beach is free and great fun. I wouknt waste the flights.

Which city?

It’s virtually impossible to get the money back for the flights so you are just throwing away that money, could you save enough for at least some adequate accommodation and food, your kids would almost certainly enjoy it, it’s amazing how little they really need to have fun. It’s a really nice thought to try to do something like this, but perhaps for future occasions, save the money first

As a PP said where are the flights to? As some places are much easier than others to have a cheap holiday.

Where do you live, I wonder if a home swap might be an option if you live somewhere desirable to others- that way you save the accommodation money?

UK holidays can be quite expensive, what do you usually spend on the Uk holiday and would you have saved that by now.

Really depends I think. My DD is 4 and she’d love pottering on a beach, wouldn’t need to do loads of excursions etc. have you got debt? Could you use an interest free card and pay it off quickly? Only you know, I’d worry with having not had money each month that you’d not get the balance paid down and start a spiral there. The flights being booked should have been enough motivation to scrimp and save, and if you’ve genuinely tried and not managed to, it is probably a no go this year.

‘If you started from now’ is the issue for me - what means things will be different?
but, you can also look at what you’d spend in a normal week and see what you can get abroad for that - if similar and you can be strict, fine.
manage kids expectations beforehand and make it fun to plan and find cheap/free things to do

could have a big sort out and sell some stuff on ebay before you make a final decision?

It depends if there are things to do on the site like a large pool or free or cheap children's clubs? Could you afford one trip for the week? Are there buses you could get to any free places?

My DS went on holiday with the school several times and each time for lunch they were tasked with finding the cheapest but healthiest lunch so you could maybe do something like that?

It's so hard.

Have you got valid passports for everyone?

I would still go, cheap accommodation and a food shop like at home, kids don’t need expensive excursions

Hi Cheeseer
My first thought is to mention that whether you go or not, the money has been spent. It is unlikely you would get anything back from flights - may could reclaim any tax from the flight co as your wont be flying. It isnt much though.

If we are straight talking, I am sure you would see that throwing money you dont have after money you worked hard for and spent is a false logic. It sounds like stress to have a v basic holiday, not able to do the things you want to make it a holiday - remembered for all the wrong reasons.

It is hard to turn your back on the money and holiday but that is the sensible thing to do in this situation. I empathise.

On a practical point, perhaps look for a local credit union and start saving specifically for a holiday abroad with money taken at source from salary. Even consider an additional job or seasonal work to use as holiday fund money if you want to get there quicker. Not easy when already "mumming" and potentially other paid work. Do you have a partner as they also need to take on their share?

A few day trips may be possible this year while you prepare and save for the holiday abroad you want and deserve x

I would be concerned that you thought you could save money but couldn't - why do you think you can save money now? Can you raise the money a different way by working extra hours?

Cut your losses. It's not much fun being broke and on holiday. Unless you can raise funds by selling something?

If you tell us where you are going people can advise on what is free/cheap and how to keep the spend down on food. We always found ours were as excited by a picnic where they chose some of the food as they were by eating out for example.

your kids will be so disappointed
when are you meant to go

If it's a school holidays week then you probably would have been spending money at home anyway or on a UK holiday.

Can you change the flights slightly with no or little cost so that it's a shorter break?

If it's somewhere with good weather and a beach and not too expensive for food I'd enjoy the challenge of going on a budget,

But if you need to get any passports it will not be worth it, also factor in airport parking/transfers each end.

You can eat very cheaply
and don’t need to pay for fun things… just pool and beach and exploring on foot

This👆Definitely get cheap accommodation self catering . Different scenery and culture will be a fabulous experience for you all.

I have been known to throw in packets from the cupboard - pasta, rice, lentils, tuna, biscuits, jars of sauce if you have the spare weight. Then you know that you have at least some meals on hand. There are rules in some countries on importing certain food, so check, though.

Have you sorted their passports op?

If you don’t go, would that mean no holiday at all?
Or could you put the cost of a replacement holiday (e.g week in a static / Haven / whatever) or day trips during the school hols towards this holiday?
Does everyone have a passport with more than 6 months on It at time of holiday? If not, that is going to be an expense.
Sell stuff
Get extra hours?
Suggest kids use / get birthday money from relatives to cover ice creams or an activity
Allow a strictly budgeted amount on a credit card that you can and will pay off within 3 months of return. If you are disciplined with money

Surely you would need to be booking the accommodation now to get cheapest deals / affordable available places? Is there caravan accommodation on the area?

Have you had a look to see what a basic apartment with a pool would cost? You don't need to do expensive excursions a beach and a pool is enough. Self catering you have to buy food at home as well. If they haven't been abroad before tgey won't have anything ti compare it with. Just going on a plane will be exciting enough.

You need to tell us where you’ve booked

can you confirm you’ve all got in date passports? If not that’s £££

can you afford to get to and from the airport (eg can you get public transport or will you end up in a £100 cab because it’s a 6am flight with a 4am check in?)

how will you be able to save for accommodation now if you don’t have any contingencies for emergencies for the next few months?

depending on where you’re going, and if you have self catering accommodation, don’t worry about the cost of food as it should be the same or cheaper to do a supermarket shop as in the uk