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.

Could you get a loan?

I’m also voting go! If there is no backstory of other debt/ financial issues - life is too short ! You’ve done really well to get the money together for flights and unfortunately life has lifed so you’re not quite where you thought you’d be in terms of money. that’s ok though. Plenty of really helpful good advice already here on things to enjoy and how to make it fun for kids. Would echo @UrinalCake and others re insurance - that’s a must! Might be worth getting a 0% interest card (M&S do one at the moment ) that you don’t touch unless there’s a medical emergency - even with insurance you often have to pay for drips / medication etc there and then and then it’s later reimbursed.

I’ve never been to Lisbon so can’t give any advice re that specifically but I have 3 siblings and I know holidays were super expensive for my parents when we were younger - we rarely went. We fully understood when did get away and didn’t mither for lots of things like treats / expensive excursions etc - we were just so happy to be away! Really important to manage expectations of kiddies in age appropriate way so that you can all enjoy it when you get there. You won’t regret going! Enjoy ☺️

https://sparefare.net/

you can sell flights - have a look at what the same flights cost now - you might get enough back that it covers the cost of name changes

I'd look at the Eurocamp campsites in portugal, there is lots to do on a lot of their sites, so you can self cater, similar cost to home, and just do one or two day trips into Lisbon. Some are also by the beach.

Single mum on a budget here.

If you can cover flights and accommodation then you're golden, especially if you've booked a s/c apartment as you say.

Staying in a city is definitely the best option on a budget (as opposed to rurally or in a resort), because of all the cheap food options and extensive public transport. I've never been to Portugal but PPs are saying it's cheap, so honestly you've done a lot right already.

I recommend the City mapper app for public transport- it's brilliant! And research beforehand how to buy public transport tickets/ how much it costs, including for the kids. Trams and funiculars you say? They'll love that!

Food wise you can take a picnic out every day, or buy stuff from bakeries. You won't want to be slaving over a hot stove for hours every night I'm sure, but it's easy enough to make simple meals like pasta, pre bought pies- whatever a Portuguese supermarket has. Google maps will tell you if there's a nearby street market for cheap fruit and veg- going there will be an excursion in itself.

Check a what's on guide (I'm sure Lisbon has a tourist information website in English!) for any free festivals/ events on during your stay (for comparison, we're going to Berlin this summer and I've discovered there's a circus festival happening on Tempelhofer Feld during our stay).

I'm sure you will all have an awesome time.

Lisbon is quite easy to walk around, you can walk to the sea, the old town, all over really. You can get a pass for them and they travel free on trams and trains, get the train to Sintra and see the castle in the forest, buy a few of the mountains of pastel de nata for energy 😍 We've yet to go on hols with our kid but been to Lisbon and there's always loads free in cities like that. Have a good Google and you'll find tons.

There are family friendly hostels too where you can get rooms with 4 bunks, just book all 4 and it's a private room. Pain to share bathroom at times but a little more and get private bathroom.

From what you've said - go. You need to have a real cheapskate mindset, and be honest to your kids - there's no money for anything you have to pay for (or else there is £5 a day total or whatever) so they will need to think about exploring, looking at a new city, finding things out, making their own fun on a beach you can walk or get a bus/train to.

My mum took us abroad sometimes on a real skint budget and although mostly we camped in the UK, we did manage 2 trips to France when ds was small, so I've got some idea how to do this.

You're going to have to say 'no' a lot, but cheerfully. You're probably used to that. Kids are used to it too. Don't stress about it.

You are going to need OK shoes for everyone - lots of walking. Make sure they're not grown out of them just as you leave.

Airports are money sponges these days.
Take sandwiches to prevent having to buy food there.

Research public transport from the airport.

Set a destination per day - don't think 'not everything can be free', think 'we need to find free things to go to'. Get guidebooks from the library. Choose one thing to go to each day. At least 2 beach days.

Even/especially supermarkets when you're abroad can be brilliant fun, I still like a supermarket on holiday now. Looking at all the different brands and flavours, take your time, and they're usually air-conditioned. If you can afford to come out with a packet of sweets or biscuits or juice each time, so much the better - maybe one child chooses in turn each day.

Think about some cheap things to do in the apartment. Get new childrens books from.the library. Mum made us write and illustrate holiday diaries with paper from her work she'd stapled together. Put the pieces of a biggish jigsaw in a sandwich bag knotted tight, and take a picture of the jigsaw on your phone, and have that going all week. Would your children be up for doing Portuguese on duolingo? We used to get audio books from.the library again but that stuff is easier online now.

Are your children old enough to earn a little bit of their own ice cream/treat money? Even if they have to 'earn' it from grandparents etc? Make fairycakes, sell some bits, learn to crochet mice or something?

Frankly, I'd reschedule one year your flight if you can.

Lisbon is expensive. Even if you make it frugal, it's still expensive. Give yourself time to save money to enjoy it.

Having a holiday abroad in a capital city in Europe is about having fun without continuously being stressed about spending too much. Don't do do this to yourself, it's not worth it.

Oh yes get the kids to cook the meals with you too. Nice to do when you've got time on holiday and aren't stressed.

I kind if hope that grandparents any might come across with some pocket money for the kids too.

I would go if at all possible, cheap accommodation and just do free things there, mine love the beach and pool and they can both be free - you’ll have to buy food at home anyway?

Definitely still go. With self catered accommodation just buy all your own food on a budget (as you’d have to buy food at home anyway). Look up websites and forums for free things to do in Lisbon, and potentially cheap good places to eat (if you have any spare funds for eating out).

lisbonlisboaportugal.com/lisbon-tour/free-Lisbon-things-to-do-activities.html

Well you only do free stuff, don't even entertain the idea of paying.
You get an Uber to lidl and do a normal shop. Walk absolutely everywhere.
It's tough but get in that mindset now.
I've done lots of very low spend hols and always had fun but you need the above mindset

Oh, just wanted to add- you'll get to know a country in a far more authentic way by doing all the cheap things the local people do rather than being insulated from them with your own swimming pool/ going on expensive excursions. They might make some little Lisbon friends in the parks and playgrounds!

It's seems like you've covered flights and can do accommodation. I'd say go , but for food don't eat out get yourself to the local carrefour or similar and shop basics for the time your there.

There's seems to be a few places to go research online and stick to the beaches/ parks if there are any for a cheap day out all will love at no extra costs.

Could you take out a small loan, to get you through. Then pay it off as quick as you can.
Or get a small limit credit card and pay off quickly.
Is camping or caravan hire a thing in Lisbon?

Another thought, ask if grandparents, uncles, aunties would like to give the kids birthday money early this year to go towards some things.

I’d still go - between now and holiday, cut down on your weekly shops a bit if you can, if you’ve got any stuff you don’t need then do a little declutter of your house and sell some bits on eBay or Vinted. I did this to help fund a trip to Iceland a couple of years ago, as I knew it was a lot more pricey there for supermarket shops etc.
Even doing stuff like the FiveSurveys site can help a little (I use this and some days can make £10 on it straight to PayPal after my son is in bed). Pack stuff for the airport so you don’t get tempted to spend ££ on coffees etc. while you wait.

Even just the different culture is an adventure in itself. The kids will love being in different supermarkets, walking different places and there’s really no need to spend a fortune on day trips to attractions. People above have shared great lists of free stuff in and around Lisbon, and from Google a lot of it seems walkable or easy on public transport!

You should go and before you go, have a chat with the children and explain that there will be no money for excursions or eating out. You can book accommodation in a private room in any youth hostel - they let families book private rooms and these hostels are usually well located and have a kitchen downstairs. If your children don't have any medical diary requirements, you can eat very cheaply on the trot - bread and ham and cheese, tomato and cucumber, apple and that is it. Tell them to use the Internet to prepare historic facts about the places you will visit and appoint them as the 'guides' for specific places. Tell them to learn several phrases in the language of that country, so one child could be responsible for 'checking in to the hostel' in that language and the other would do the same for public transport, etc. etc. If you can stick to the meagre food outlined above, and warn them in advance - i.e. no breakfasts/dinners at restaurants or cafes with 5 euro per cup of coffee, you will have a fabulous time!

I've never done Eurocamp but it sounds worth considering.

Go!!
Flights and accommodation are the main expenses, and you'll need to eat anyway. SC will keep that cost down.

I don't know Lisbon, but I just Googled "Free things for kids in Lisbon" and the Google AI stuff came up with loads, so maybe your spending money could just be ice creams.

@Cheeseer I get it’s hard but do you have access to emergency money of anything was to happen…..lost passport or accidents etc?
do you also have travel insurance? I would not go anywhere without travel insurance. If you can’t afford that I would not go.

She can do it, and she can enjoy herself doing it too.

My holidays with the kids are on an absolute shoestring and we've always had a brilliant time.

I compare that with a recent holiday I had with a now ex in Amsterdam- he has far more money than me and it was his treat, but I silently watched in dismay as he insisted on getting cabs everywhere rather than taking a tram, didn't know where he was going because he hadn't researched anything (he'd told me he knew the city really well🙄), paid out for an expensive boat trip that was really quite dull etc....other than enjoying a hotel that was quite central, I really don't think chucking the cash around made the experience any nicer.

Being honest, I’m not sure how much there would be to do in Lisbon for kids, especially without spending much. The hills and walking could be difficult depending on how old the kids are. I know it would cost to move the flights, but could you shift them forward as far in the future as possible to give you more time to save?

Hi OP,
I think you could do with a credit card that is 0% interest for purchases for a while or arranging an overdraft even if you don't intend to use it.

You could have an unexpected emergency on holiday and you need to know, for example, that you can get a taxi to the hospital.

Make sure you get travel insurance and GHIC health cards.

How old are the children just asking to think of things of interest in Lisbon