Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to go on holiday, even though it would mean us getting into debt?

82 replies

darleneoconnor · 26/05/2011 00:27

I know the general consensuson these types of threads is AIBU but...

-DP and I have been together for 6 years and have NEVER been on holiday together

-It's been years since I took DS away and he is itching to go on holiday again

-DD is still pre-school age but would love a pool and beach everyday and 24/7 time with all the family

  • we would do it very much on the cheap (this desire was sparked by seeing ads for £120pp deals)

-financially we are 'living in poverty' but have a low outgoings so dont have to scrimp and save every week or anything. We would easliy be able to pay it back within a year, including interest, without cutting back. Other than the mortgage we dont have any other debts atm.

  • DP has only ever been abroad once in his life and I think it'd be great for him to experience a bit of the different culture (food/language etc)

So, is a teensy tiny wee bit of debt really that bad? (It wouldn't cause us stress btw)

OP posts:
Birdsgottafly · 26/05/2011 09:17

You can get last minute deals for five star all inclusive starting at £220 per person, i booked such a holiday departing last Monday for my DD, she will then book day trips and activities. So price around and see if you can get a holiday that you would want for the budget that you have.

I can see your POV, you are guareenteed the weather, whilst self catering (unless you really enjoy walking, scenery or fishing etc) in the Uk, isn't the same with a young child.

Small amounts of managable debt is fine as long as you accept that you may have to sacrifice other things, such as re-decorating, if everything doesn't go according to plan. I tend to spend less on Christmas etc if i am paying back a debt so i don't agree that if you cannot save then you cannot afford debt, it depends on your personality, how you handle your finances.

Birdsgottafly · 26/05/2011 09:21

Also for those that are saying 'what if the main breadwinner falls ill', well that happened in my case and he could no longer fly. Now that i am widowed, i enjoy the memories of the holidays that we had as a family. I don't remember every washing machine that i have ever got in debt to pay for, though.

MrSpoc · 26/05/2011 09:23

Op if you have no debt and can easily afford the repayments even if your husband lost his job then do it.

I cant beleive how many people on here have taken the moral high ground about debt. Yes debt is bad if you cannot AFFORD IT.

I bet that everyone else on here has a car loan or a morgage. Guess what they are all debts.

Good luck Op I hope you go somewhere nice.

GrimmaTheNome · 26/05/2011 09:25

you are guareenteed the weather

not necessarily! do check the weather stats. We went to Turkey at Easter, to do the archaological sites like Ephesus. I knew the weather wouldn't be great. But there were families with small children who'd gone into a travel agent, asked for somewhere sunny with a pool ... I felt so sorry for them.

Or Florida - we went once on frequent flyer miles when we lived in the US, so it was cheap, but we hadn't checked and no-one told us about the rainy season!

BimboNo5 · 26/05/2011 09:26

My kids have never been abroad as we cant afford it- woe for their culture! Hurrah for their sensible parents though!

thekidsmom · 26/05/2011 09:29

As said upthread, its all the extras that will catch you out - the passports (£70 each - the kids ones might be cheaper but they still need one each), getting to the airport or parking there, spending money, travel insurance.....

Jaust make sure that you spln for these extra expenses before you decide whether to go for it or not. Personally, I don't think I would. I'd do a caravan at Haven or something here.

GrimmaTheNome · 26/05/2011 09:30

Its not a 'moral' highground. Its just that it seems a bit daft to give money to a bank unecessarily.

WeirdAcronymNotKnown · 26/05/2011 09:55

MrSpoc - no, I don't have any debts. If we want something we save up for it. The only time we've got into debt was for our wedding, about £2k, and we knew we were getting a windfall - it was paid off within a year.

We both have credit cards, but they are paid in full (only spend about £50 anyway) each month. We only do this to improve credit rating (DH was left with masses of debt by his spendaholic exW) so one day we can get a mortgage).

Anyway, a mortgage (or possibly even a car loan, if it's essential) is totally different to a holiday!

Ormirian · 26/05/2011 09:59

The main reason we don't go abroad atm is that only on of us (eldest DS) has a valid passport. That's a huge expense to start with.

I wouldn't do it. I am scared of debt though - have been there and I hate it.

Ormirian · 26/05/2011 10:02

And what trillian says.

If on the other hand you think you can afford it, set up an automated transfer into a seperate account for £100 a month or so. If that is afforable, then go for it next year. If you are struggling then it isn't.

LiliesandVeuve · 26/05/2011 10:03

how much would you spend in total?
I'd do it... but I have had debt problems in the past Blush

Morloth · 26/05/2011 10:06

There is nothing moral about not wanting to give banks anymore of my money than is strictly necessary, god I hate interest.

jenga079 · 26/05/2011 10:10

Honestly? I'd do it. The people saying to save up are much wiser than me, but if I felt how you clearly do (your paragraph about the weather, the culture, etc got to me) then I'd just do it.

Realistically, it's going to end up costing about £1k though. Can you really afford to pay that off? Will it really not stress you out?

I'm also wondering if there are ways to give yourself a cash boost to help cover it? Old clothes on ebay? A car boot sale?

TrillianAstra · 26/05/2011 10:14

If you can easily afford the repayments, then why, last year, when you said "maybe next year" did you not decide to put that money away each month so you could afford to go this year?

The fact that you haven't suggests that you can't actually afford it. If the money was going spare then you would have it already.

Takeresponsibility · 26/05/2011 10:17

YANBU to want a holiday.

However want is not need.

Jobs are insecure, inflation is rising, mortgage interest payments are artificially low. The next year will not be easy for anyone - why on earth would you want to start off by being in debt?

There would be a lot less homeless/desperate/worrried people in this country if we went back to the "if you can't afford it, you can't have it mentality".

Sve for it.

MarioandLuigi · 26/05/2011 10:18

Why not book a holiday for next year - most of the travel agents have the 2012 brochures out now (we have booked for next year already). Then you know you will be having a holiday and you can either save the money or make payments to it.

mrsbunnthebaker · 26/05/2011 10:36

tbh even the cheapest holiday adds up

passports
travel insurance
getting to and from the airport

i agree I wouldnt holiday in the UK though, its such a rip off

I usually have a nice holiday every year but have decided to forego it this year and have something extra nice next year hopefully

LindyHemming · 26/05/2011 10:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhereYouLeftIt · 26/05/2011 10:48

Before you decide to go ahead, work out the actual costs involved - it will be way above the £120pp you have seen.

You haven't been abroad for a while, your passports will probably have expired. £77.50 per adult to replace, £49 per child. Total £204.

Transport to/from the airport - depends on distance. Petrol/Parking at airports has to be factored in if you drive there, else train/taxi/coach. Make sure you investigate what this would cost you, it's often forgotten. Even if you have a lovely friend who takes you (and picks you back up at the end of the holiday) I'd budget for a nice thank-you present at least and also petrol money.

Luggage - will what you already have stand up to the rigours of the airport carousel/being chucked around by baggage handlers? Is it lockable? What is the cost to get yourself stuff? If borrowing, again consider the cost of a thank-you present/favour owed.

Will you need to buy 'holiday clothes'? Sunglasses? Swimwear? Sunscreen? Adaptor?

ANd of course as has already been mentioned, a headline £120pp will not translate to £120. There will be unavoidable extras. These headline amounts are meant to reel you in, looks like it has worked. Once you're landed, you will agree to these because you're already emotionally bonded to an idea that you'll be unable to let go.

There's probably more, but you get my drift.

Work out exactly how much debt you may be getting yourself into. £480 might seem doable, how would you feel if it was £1,000?

belgo · 26/05/2011 10:51

Good point about the passports, have you any idea how much the passports cost?

betterwhenthesunshines · 26/05/2011 11:28

I know it's not quite the same, but can you have a 'holiday at home' instead?

Take the time off work so you can do your 24/7 time together. I don't know where you live, but near us we have an open air paddling pool with a huge sandpit (beach), open air swimming pools... it might take a bit of searching but there are bound to be good things on near you - ask around.

Save up a bit so you can have some favourite meals at home. Play games with the kids you don't usually have the time for. You get the idea. Think of a holiday as a break from the normal routine rather time away from home.

Weather recently has been great so you could even just spend every afternoon at the park with a picnic blanket?

knittedbreast · 26/05/2011 12:01

if you know you can afford it then go. its always easier to afford something when you have to unlike saving money up for something to buy in the future. having a holiday booked for xdate gives you an incentive to pay it off.

we booked a holiday we couldnt really afford and paid it off in 2 months, those months were tight but im so glad we have. however when we get back will be putting money aside each month to do it next year.

if you get used to piutting x by because you had to it will be easier to continue to put that cash by and youl get used to doing without it

ikoto · 26/05/2011 12:40

I wouldn't, I'd save and go next year

WeirdAcronymNotKnown · 26/05/2011 13:00

You will save so much by doing it next year - why not open an ISA? you'll be able to get the slowest return of passports (when you rush them through it is much more pricey) and possibly get better deals on super-advanced tickets. And get holiday clothes in out-of-season clearances.

Malificence · 26/05/2011 13:07

If you can get a 0% interest credit card, do it, I don't understand people who don't use interest free credit if it's available to them , it's the smartest way of financing things, there are some great deals out there atm.
If you are sure that you can pay it back within the interest free period then go for it. Some cards are giving up to 15 months.

Swipe left for the next trending thread