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.

This might have been mentioned already but if you are looking at accomodation on booking.com, go to the other sites as well to see if it is cheaper there. Agoda is often a few pounds cheaper.

I would go but be strict on eating breakfast at your accommodation and making Pa led lunches to keep costs down. Does the accommodation include a pool or park or anything?

See if you can download a treasure hunt in the area, things like that don’t have to cost money.

To be totally honest I would save up and pay the accommodation and as much spends as possible then take a credit card for any extra.

The weather will be lovely op

just pool and a bit of exploring

And I forgot to say Lisbon is my favourite city in the whole world so I am definitely in the go camp. If your kids like the beach I'd say stay on the coast and train into the city instead of the other way round. Depending on the cost of the accommodation you may find that cheaper, and more comfortable, especially as it's likely to be boiling in the city. Happy to give Lisbon advice if you want it. Good luck.

I would leave it, go self catering, same or cheaper than you spend here. A few treats like ice cream, custard tarts.

If you're flying to Lisbon look for accommodation outside the city centre - Estoril and Cascais are both likely to be cheaper, have beaches and are an easy train journey. Public transport is cheap and reliable for getting around for a day or two in the city to explore.

OP, there is a Eurocamp campsite close to Lisbon. Price it up for accommodation and see if it’s more workable with your budget. Campsite looks basic, but near a beach. At least it’ll be warm & you can go self-catering. I’d look at this option before losing the money on the flights entirely.

Can you bump up to all inclusive in your hotel at all? it is usually cheaper than eating out and sometimes self catering and at least you would have the security of food and drinks being paid for for the time you are away.

Think your 1st paragraph says it all “when the holiday can’t give them the outings and fun they expect to get” - this is the crux of it - the expectations will be set by the parent and I agree this needs to be managed before travelling. Ultimately only OP will know what her kids will be like but given they have never been on holiday abroad before and from what the OP describes in her posts probably live modestly in the UK the children I think will have a wonderful time even on a budget. The fun will be the different culture / environment / language/ food. Not all kids need a hotel swimming pool / beach to stay entertained -( although lots of PP have commented to say public transport to the beach is cheap so that would make for a cheap day out).

I say this with experience of being on cheap holidays as a family of six in the noughties and having nieces and nephews who go away yearly but always on the cheap - they would definitely be more bored in their high rise in London for a week than they would be in Europe even if they can’t go to every excursion. I do think it’s important to manage their expectations and have said so in a previous post.

Agree with poster who says OP shouldn’t go if genuinely won’t be able to afford food for the family whilst out there but as others have suggested - she would need to feed the family whether abroad or at home so spend just the same on food that she would out there - and lots of people have given helpful tips on how to keep food costs down.

I wouldn’t go. Accept the loss on tickets - or see if you can have a credit with the airline until you’ve saved enough to go. Holidays are always more expensive than you expect - even self catered you’ll have unexpected costs, airport transfers, travel insurance, activities, food, passports, accommodation etc. This is why most people save up for months to afford a holiday. Flights are often the cheapest and most straightforward cost. The reality is you cannot afford a holiday at this point. Use the disappointment and time to plan better for next year.

Oops, I just posted something really spiky and then realised you were actually agreeing with me 😳

Some people on this thread know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

To add- we don't know how old OP's DC are, but I very much doubt that the high point of most children's holiday will be eating sardines in a restaurant.

Kindly, if you can be really frugal why didn't you start doing that earlier to be able to properly afford the holiday?

Its far easier to say 'I know I can be frugal' than it is to do it,and for the past few months unexpected costs have happened /stuff has cost you more than expected.

Not trying to stick the knife in but you do really need to be realistic tbh, things like transport getting round a major city, even getting frombthe airport to your accommodation when you get there, are all going to cost.

Please don't get yourself in debt for something that may not even be that great if you can't afford to do anything when you get there!

If you do self catering and eat there then it will just be the cost of what you are spending on food anyway. If you can get accommodation near a beach then that will be free to go to/ so will wandering around places/ parks etc . I think you should go and find a way to make it affordable

Some people are detached from reality .

I travel every few weeks . When ds was younger and I had little money we had some fabulous weekends away and weeks In The sun. V cheap flights. Self catering. Supermarket shop. Beaches are free. Freemuseums. Hoho buses pretty good value. My ds still says best hol was a cheap 3 nighter city break and he's been to some pretty stunning ai places since then.

As a pp said its about expectations. Little kids don't need bloody sardines in fancy restaurants or expensive day trips. A different culture the plane journey guaranteed sun. Different language different city.

Teaches them fabulous Travel can be on a budget.

I'd go anyway and use free local tours, bread and cheese and fruit for lunch every day, I'd try and sell anything I could I'm the run up. Or try and get a modest credit card, but that's maybe bad advice. (Haven't rtft so sorry if it's all moot). My kids would just enjoy being there even if we did bugger all, it's all so different, even the plane is exciting to them

I love a holiday and so I would definitely try to go. Especially if it is a first holiday abroad.
I don't know Lisbon but, if accommodation is expensive because it is the capital city, is there somewhere close you could travel to (by coach or train) that you could stay instead? Thinking Edinburgh prices v prices in East Lothian. You could possibly save a fortune.
I have heard that food/ drinks are quite reasonable in Portugal so you may spend less than you think. You will have your normal weeks spending money for the week anyway so it may not be as tight as you fear.

I’m a single parent and have done several low cost holidays with my kids and am just realistic about spends etc, we rarely eat out, usually do a Eurocamp type caravan with pools etc and shop at Lidl (often cheap to hire a car) and then either just drive out to beaches etc with picnics or get public transport around to parks etc. I’ve done several holidays spending less than I would at home…

I’d go! I did Italy dead broke and loved it. I’ve done places closer to home too. Find a walking distance supermarket and shop daily - say yes to little treats like pastry or biscuits instead of sensible meals and the kids will remember- have it with cheese and a fruit or veggie. If you can afford a few meals out, do lunch instead of dinner. Or find somewhere with cheap big workers/student portions. Bring your travel mugs or thermoses to pack tea and coffee on picnics. Beaches and parks are all different.

Self cater. You'd have to feed your kids at home anyway. So that's not a difference. You just don't eat out. You can still get Portuguese 'treats' this way from the supermarket.

When we went to Lisbon we walked everywhere apart from train from the airport.

The only thing we paid entrance to was the castle.

We make a habit of this generally - we just do free attractions. Look up things to do on wiki travel. There's usually loads.

You'd be surprised how little in the way of 'extras' beyond somewhere to stay, you can get away with.

If you get a M and S credit card (and others do it too) you can get money exchange and pay the month after just make sure you get it after the last day you can to role over onto next months statement. No interest paid. For example, I exchange 2k into Euros on the 28th one day after my previous statement on the 27th I then get 50 plus days to repay it before interest kicks in.

Can you get the kids involved in saving? And your OH too of course??

Get the kids to help by sorting out clothes they can't/don't wear anymore, toys they don't use and put them on vinted. That way each of them can build up a bit of spending money for the trip.

Take the food shopping down a notch. More veg less meat could cut some costs. Make it a fun thing that everyone is involved in to help you all have a nice holiday.

Look at other things that could get you a little extra. Any phone contracts coming to an end, switch to sim only. Nothing new in clothes. Got a bit longer between haircuts. Stop watching live TV/iPlayer and cancel the TV license (saves money monthly plus you might get a refund too.)

Do your research! Find out what museums are free, where the best playgrounds are, which bakeries do pastel de nata for €1, whether you can get a family bus pass for a few days to keep travel costs to a minimum etc. Try to budget for dinner or lunch out one night (lunch is often cheaper if there's a "3 couses for €20" menu). Take water bottles/coffee thermos and a picnic bag so you don't need to buy too much food out and about.

I'd look into whether camping and doing beach days is an option, even if it means getting a train out of the city. Could bring the cost down a lot which makes it less stressful when something extra comes up you want to do.