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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to go on holiday?

51 replies

BikeRunSki · 23/01/2014 22:13

So, I know that if I want to go on holiday integer summer, then I need to think about booking somewhere/thing.

We have ds (5) and a dd (2) and only I have a passport in date, so staying in UK.

DS started school this year, so we are now tied to school holidays. We can afford £800 all in.
Now, we could get a cottage somewhere mic for around £600. But for a cottage holiday end up shopping, cooking etc. I don't consider this this to be a holiday tbh. I would camp (love the outdoors), but DH won't anymore (he knows what he's talking about, we used to camp a lot).

I have looked at Bluestone, CentreParks, Butlins Etc, but a week in school summer holidays is well out of our price range. So I'm beginning to think we won't bother with a holiday. I would love a break, but seriously self catering with 2 small children, is not a holiday.

OP posts:
ThoughtFox · 23/01/2014 22:19

Fair enough - there's no reason that you have to go away every year. Just spend the money on having a few nice trips out during the summer holidays. My parents did that one year and it was the most memorable of my childhood!

Dromedary · 23/01/2014 22:24

Why not rent a cottage somewhere nice, and eat out once a day. Breakfast is hardly cooking, and that just leaves one meal a day when you / DH can take turns doing something quick. Not onerous.

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 23/01/2014 22:28

That is what we usually do Dromedary, but DH is a rubbish cook and I don't want to spend all the time thinking about the next meal/going shopping/thinking about shopping for the week ahead.

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 23/01/2014 22:29

YANBU. Put the money you would have spent away, and forget about it until this time next year when you will hopefully be looking at being able to spend another £800. Then go somewhere where you don't have to cook for yourself, or spend it all on eating out.

YellowDinosaur · 23/01/2014 22:33

How about Crieff hydro in Scotland? We had a similar budget last year and went there. Ate out a bit but also took stuff we'd prepped already at home so didn't need to worry about shopping and cooking was easy. If you time it towards the end of the school holidays (assuming you're in England) kids in Scotland are already back so it's cheaper....

2beornot · 23/01/2014 22:34

I'd spend £200-£300 on days out (these will cost way more than you think) and save the rest for next years holiday. (Or do it the other way round and save as much a you need and spend the rest).

We had a "staycation" lasts year. Did some stuff like legoland (free with the sun) and some where we hd a picnic in the local country park. Plus I got to sleep in my own bed!

May well do it again this year.

YellowDinosaur · 23/01/2014 22:34

But yanbu to not go if you wouldn't find this a holiday. I think woowoo's suggestion is also good

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 23/01/2014 22:36

Doesn't the Sun newspaper do some sort of cheap holiday offer? Might be worth looking in your local newspaper too, ours often does holiday deals, usually to a holiday camp of some sort. Loads of entertainment for the kids, they'd love it.

cozietoesie · 23/01/2014 22:37

Having a 'holiday' is not always that relaxing or fun though is it? By the time you've packed, travelled, cooked and cleaned, adjusted, travelled back and unpacked, got the DCs back into a routine.....etc etc

Some great excursions and fun locally might be just as good for you as a family - maybe using a few hundred quid to spread around but nowhere near the £800 you were contemplating. After all, there are thousands of people who come here for time off and go to see and experience all the things we may not bother with.

A bit of research and organisation is all that's needed really.

ImagineJL · 23/01/2014 22:38

How about a caravan - cheaper than a cottage and not quite camping?

I'm a big fan of Premier Inns - we often go on 2-3 day mini breaks at £30 per night for a family room. Food's cheap there too.

saintlyjimjams · 23/01/2014 22:38

Glamp?

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 23/01/2014 22:39

Why not look at private hire caravans at Haven? Loads of free fun on the park although you could spend a little...free swimming,constant beach access,evening entertainment and all doable for 800

Could.do a bit of cooking and occasional takeaway or eating in restaurant.

If you went for 4 nights (5days) instead you could get even more with the budget

missymayhemsmum · 23/01/2014 22:40

Why won't your dh camp any more? You could spend a couple of hundred on a decent comfy family tent/ airbeds/ cooker to last a few years and head off to the seaside when the weather looks good- choose a nice family campsite with playground, showers etc and have a great time. Picnic lunch, and fish and chips for tea?

lobba · 23/01/2014 22:49

I've booked a 3 bed (sleeps4) cottage in Devon in the summer hols for underr £350, pm me for more info

Joysmum · 23/01/2014 22:50

We've done self catering breaks and I just cook and freeze to take things with us or she whispers we have ready meals.

Staycation is the other option but then you'd still be self catering at home so why big do it somewhere else.

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 23/01/2014 23:13

yellowDinosaur Crieff Hydro looks brilliant, I'd love it, but pricey even at end of August.

missy because he has dreadful hay fever and was in a road accident a few years ago that really hurt his back. We have all the gear - he used to work in a shop that supplies Himalayan expeditions!

imagine, triptrap I'll look at caravans, burin have a feeling ds and I will fall out very fast in a small space.

joysmum that's what we usually do, I just want a break from the domestic preparations beforehand. I work in an industry which is busiest in the summer.

imagine we have done Premier Inns occasionally, will think again. They were not very happy about all our bikes Glasgow.

We are lucky and live in a lovey place, with lots of days out to had, although we are about as far as you can get from the sea.

OP posts:
K8Middleton · 23/01/2014 23:23

House swap?

Original poster
BikeRunSki · 24/01/2014 06:43

Our house is rubbish! Thing is, wherever we go, if it is self catering - house swap, caravan , cottage etc - then it's not a break for me.

So I think - as WooWoo said- that we wait until we ca afford what we really want.

OP posts:
YellowDinosaur · 24/01/2014 06:49

We booked last minute at Crieff hydro so maybe worth waiting and looking nearer the time if you don't make other plans and like the look of it? Hope you have a fab holiday whatever you end up doing.

Sa88yt1ts · 24/01/2014 06:51

Staycation! Five or six lovely days out with cheap pub meal on the way home- sorted.

Have been having similar quandary myself, but think this thread has just answered my question!

So thanks!

WitchWay · 24/01/2014 07:09

We usually go self-catering, in the UK & abroad. I do all the cooking at home & when on holiday I make breakfast & that's it. We either have bread/cheese/salami/salad type evening meals which DH organises mostly or we eat out & lunch is usually soup/sandwich. I don't see it as a chore. DH does a lot more housework on holiday too - always has. We like being able to put our DS to bed in his own room so we can have some adult time although now he's a teen he goes to bed later than us

Artandco · 24/01/2014 07:40

Why don't you go somewhere for just a long weekend. I keep banging in on here about krakow in Poland, but it really is a lovely place in summer. We went 2 years ago for long weekend.

Flights were £200 ( only needed 3 as one child baby)
5 star hotel was £70 a night, so £210 for say fri-mon.
Food was very good prices out (£10 gets you a 3 course meal and wine)

We did go to auchwitz which you might not want to take children to but you can decide. The river has lovely boat trips, you can get pool in hotel, Lots of history, very child friendly.many Restaurants in large squares so children can play with pigeons/ see horse and carts during meals

Maybe not your typical beach holiday but a lovely break, and relaxing and should find something for all

ZingSweetApple · 24/01/2014 07:42

DH takes the older ones camping for a week every summer with his best mate (my best friend in law!Grin ).

we also go for a family holiday each year I haven't just had a baby.
so went to Devon in 2009 (had DS5 the next year)
went to Lake District in 2011 (where I found out I was pg, DD was born in 2012)
went to IOW last year (#7 is due in July)

so probably going somewhere in UK next year - although will be in the middle of a house extension so not sure.

I don't care for abroad for now. Went to Spain when DS1 was a year old, we were all hot and miserable, fights around the pool, salty seawater made him cry, having to buy your water....no more.
The sightseeing fab though.

if we go abroad it will be to go skiing. I care not for beach holidays.

capercaillie · 24/01/2014 07:43

We always stay in holiday cottage - usually Scotland. Cost anywhere between £400 and £600 (and the latter is for a really nice cottage).

Last year I took along a few really quick recipes that take less than 30 mins to get on table. We were often out until late on the beach etc so quick was important but also saved a lot of work. We also ate out a couple of times or got fish and chips.

The other option is to go with another family - this can save a bit on accommodation but if you share cooking, then gives you more of break.

Groovee · 24/01/2014 07:44

We often go self catering, but We normally eat out at some point in the day. I do my research and have had some fab places to eat for reasonable prices.

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