to ask how people afford the summer holidays?

[Waitingforthemagicbeans]

I have two kids, one who's old enough to be left while I am out 08:30-17:30 working every day and one who's not.

I am feeling very guilty about the older one. She has done very little all holiday due to lack of funds. Today she walked 6.5 miles to meet friends for an hour.

Today she's been invited to a camp for a week for this Saturday. It's £50 for the week inc all food and activities. I don't have £50 today, to give her

The younger one is doing a different activity every day as it's necessity childcare. All my money has gone on the younger one and day to day bills to get fuel.

I'm looking to see if there's anything I can sell for £50 to give to my dd. But I'm struggling.

AIBU to ask how much the holidays are costing others in childcare? And if anyone has any ideas how to make £50 in 24 hours please share.

Do you have PayPal I will send you fifty pounds

are you on facebook? most areas have buy/sell/swap, is there anything you can chuck on there and try to sell? borrow from family/friends? or if your that desperate a £50 wonga loan will cost about £6 to borrow for a few days until you can repay it...

Add up how much you will save on food for her - there are 3 meals a day you won't need to provide, so that's a start from next week's shopping bill.

I know £50 is a lot to find, but it's a really good price for a weeks's camp. Ask the organisers if you can pay in installments? Has she any savings / birthday money of her own that she could use and then you put towards it over the next few months?

Is it scouts or guides? Our local scouts always let parents pay in installments, or give cheaper rates fro people who can't afford it. If you don't ask.... (and it would be for her, not you)

I put money aside for school uniform as that in years past have been the main reason for being skint ( car tax is always due in July aswell)

Cash for clothes, scrap gold and old jewerelly is normally the easiest to sell

Yetanothernamechnager that is incredibly generous of you. I'm still thinking of ways myself, but your post made me cry. Thank you.

I shop on a monthly basis, I've done my food shopping for the August, I have no spare money for that.

It's cadets, I will ask if they can be paid in installments.

I've got a trumpet that I could sell, does anyone know how you can find out what model it is so I can advertise it? It's a yamaha, in fantastic condition.

Could you ask grandparents to pay instead of a birthday , Xmas present?

It cost me £110 per week for ds2 to go to holiday club. It's flipping expensive.

Is there anything you can ebay? Any jewelry you can pawn?

Definitley ask about installments, hopefully they will appreciate the circumstances.

I can send you £20 if it helps. I can't bear to think of her walking 6.5 miles. PM me.

If it's cadets and she's been a member for a while, I am sure they will let you pay in installments.

The camping trip aside, could she have friends over for sleepovers and to keep her company during the day while you're at work?

You sound like a great family, I hope you've got grandparents or other relatives who could give the £50 as an early Christmas or birthday present.

The generosity of people on here is so lovely to see and so heartwarming - take them up on their offers op and if you feel you can't why not pay them back a fiver every few weeks? Good luck x

My childcare for the summer for my 12 and 11 (on thursday!) year olds is nearly a thousand pounds - that's for 2 full days and 3 half days a week (including 2 trips) That covers 6 weeks, we had our fortnight family holiday (1 week on hol in UK and other at home) I've juggled my hours about to cover the half days and still had to buy some extra days to cover the last half week. benefit is that the kids have not been bored but I could definitely have used that money for something else :(

Hope you manage to get something sorted

I would happily send you fifty pounds as well. Don"t see how it's any different to the Christmas gifts thread we all do every year.

Why don"t yetanothernamechanger olympicbelle and I split it if that makes you feel better? If you pm us your bank details you'd have it tomorrow.

I for one would be chuffed to know I'd helped a girl have a week of fun this summer.

This site is amazing. Bless you notanther and olympicbelle.

Op, hope things get easier very soon. fwiw i have one dc and cannot imagine how people with more than one cope financially. Hope things look up for you.

I can help as well. Someone was kind enough to help me when I had nothing, it seems only right to pass it on.

And the goddessblossom.

OP, i know this wasnt a begging thread. But i think these are genuine offers and you should accept them. If with difficulty, so be it, its for your daughter

Op, just pass it onwards when you're better off and someone else needs help.

I think you should too x

Waitingforthemagicbeans, I am looking to buy a trumpet. Can you find out what model it is and let me know?

I also think you should take up the offers, OP. Your daughter will love her week of fun; you'll always remember the kindness and one day - you never know! - you may be in a position to offer similar help to someone else.

I'll send you a tenner to give your DD some spending £ on her camp. PM me x

It's not to long ago that I really struggled and went without food to cover DS's summer care, I hate to think of anyone else in this situation. Things a hell of a lot better now and hate to think of anyone in this situation. If you do manage to sell your trumpet than great, but very very happy to help out with £20 if you PM your account details I too can transfer funds tonight.

What a heartwarming thread! Hope your DD gets to go

Please pm me, I'm serious. You can pay if forward in the future.
I have two dd's as well and I know how expensive it is, but I also know how much they enjoy activities. Please let us help you now and in turn, you can help someone else.