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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To say sod it and book a holiday

28 replies

secretlemondedrinker · 25/01/2014 20:05

As a family we like our holidays, only every other year but when we go we spend about £8k in total.
We are a family of 5 with dh working full time and me part time, with a combined income of £39000 per annum, we have no debts and a very small mortgage of £12000 on a house worth £290000, we could do with doing some work on the house, could do with a new kitchen, new decking and a few more smaller jobs, nothing huge but if we book a holiday they probably wont get done, we are torn between being being sensible and saying sod it and booking the holiday, would IBU to do so?

OP posts:
Fairenuff · 25/01/2014 20:07

No. It's your money if you want to spend it on two weeks in the sun, that's up to you.

BillyNotQuiteNoMates · 25/01/2014 20:09

No, but that doesn't mean to say that you should. (I would, but that's me) There is no right/ wrong on this one. Do whatever will make you and your family happiest.

Olbasoil · 25/01/2014 20:09

Book the holiday without doubt. Where are you thinking of going?

ilovesooty · 25/01/2014 20:09

Surely you are in a far better position to assess your priorities than we are? It seems you can afford it. If you want to go, go.

BillyNotQuiteNoMates · 25/01/2014 20:09

And 8k is a lot for a holiday - you could get a cheaper one, and still do some of the other stuff as well.

Original poster
secretlemondedrinker · 25/01/2014 20:20

ilovesooty I just wanted an outside view on it as my common sense can go out of the window where holidays are concerned.

Billynotquitenomates I think that's in the back of my mind, it's a lot of money to spend although I try and get over that by thinking that we only do it every other year.

Olbasoil Hopefully America or the Caribbean.

OP posts:
Olbasoil · 25/01/2014 20:24

Oh Fantastic, have a lovely time.

ImperialBlether · 25/01/2014 20:27

Why don't you spend £4K and spend the rest on decking etc?

makingdoo · 25/01/2014 20:27

Could you cut back on the holiday cost and do a bit of both?

NoArmaniNoPunani · 25/01/2014 20:28

Go on holiday. I recommend Costa Rica

Original poster
secretlemondedrinker · 25/01/2014 20:32

We were thinking of maybe cutting back and doing both but by doing so we wouldn't be able to go to either of those locations which is a big factor for us.

OP posts:
TheGreatHunt · 25/01/2014 20:35

£8k?! Wow.

defineme · 25/01/2014 20:35

5 of us are going to Zante for £2500 for a fortnight this August. You could afford a kitchen too if you did that! We are also going camping for 5 days in Norfolk and that will be £120.
Then go to America in another couple of years?

ThatBloodyWoman · 25/01/2014 20:40

Holiday.Do it!

mrsminiverscharlady · 25/01/2014 20:45

Do you have any savings? What about debts?

Obviously it's up to you, but it seems like quite a large percentage of your income to spend on a holiday.

WooWooOwl · 25/01/2014 20:46

In your situation, I have always come to the conclusion that I would be happier if I choose the experiences and the memories rather than the house stuff.

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 25/01/2014 20:53

We've got loads of stuff to do on the house but I stamped my foot last year and bought a new car instead. Grin

If you can afford it why not?

MrsOakenshield · 25/01/2014 20:58

£8K is a swoon-worthy amount of money to spend on a holiday to me. The experience and memories would of course be wonderful, but if it meant coming back from that holiday and spending the next 50 weeks of the year staring at all the things that really needed to be sorted in the house, I would struggle to see that it was worth it.

LittleBonnie · 25/01/2014 21:06

I have quite similar financial circumstances to yours and last year we said sod it and booked 2 weeks in Florida costing about £6K, our most expensive holiday so far. The money was daunting but we had months of pleasure planning and looking forward to it, plus the kids still talk about it all the time, over 6 months later! Go for it I say, you can't put a price on memories

theeternalstudent · 25/01/2014 21:14

I have always come to the conclusion that I would be happier if I choose the experiences and the memories rather than the house stuff

In theory I agree with that. However, I don't really remember any of the great holidays that I've had over the years. They are a distant memory with only fragments remembered. Maybe that's just my bad memory.

I would go for the compromise. You can still have a nice holiday for around £4000 and spend the rest on the house.

chocolatespiders · 25/01/2014 21:18

defineme - have you been to Zante before, looking for ideas having never taken my 2 abroad before, DD is 16 and really want to take them this year.

Timetoask · 25/01/2014 21:21

Take lots of pictures! Happy memories are priceless.

TheresLotsOfFarmyardAnimals · 25/01/2014 21:25

Holiday! British are obsessed with their houses!!

Megrim · 25/01/2014 21:27

You could book a great villa in Europe, and have cash left over for working on the house. Have a look at sites like Owners Direct - we have had some great holidays for about half your budget.

ENormaSnob · 25/01/2014 21:27

I would spend 3-4k on a holiday and tge rest on one of housey jobs.

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