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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU that this is not a 'rip off' holiday at all and SIL should stop sniping?

63 replies

BlueAcres · 07/08/2015 10:29

DH, dd and I are going on holiday to the Lake District in a couple of weeks, staying in a s/c cottage for a week but also having a couple of nights in a Travelodge in a city on the way up, to break up the journey and give us time to do some shopping/sights/zoo. We've budgeted £1k for the entire holiday - including the cottage for a week, return train fares, food shopping, the Travelodge, zoo tickets, tickets to a theatre show we all want to see and a couple of meals out. We'll probably go slightly over with extra spends but not too far, and I think for an August holiday for 3 (dd is a teen) that's entirely reasonable.

Since DH mentioned in it passing to his family however SIL hasn't stopped sniping about how holidaying in the UK is a 'rip off', how we've been 'had', 'poor you having to pay so much' etc, but always does it as a passing comment rather than laying into us, but its getting on my nerves. Especially as the comparison keeps being made by her and MIL to how SIL and BIL had a 2 week holiday to Italy a couple of years ago for £1k, including accommodation, flights and car hire. All very well but that was for the 2 of them only, in September as they don't have kids so can go in term time, and doesn't include any eating out/visiting anywhere which I know they racked up loads on their credit card for, but they fail to acknowledge that as 'that's just the odd spend'.

AIBU that we've got quite a reasonable holiday for the money and, especially as this is our first holiday in about 3 years, they should at least just leave us to it and stop the comments?

OP posts:

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 07/08/2015 12:58

To me it sounds like a bargain for a break in the school holidays. Ignore her and enjoy. :)

AugustHasToBeBetter · 07/08/2015 13:03

One of my experiences of getting bargains on flights is that I can't travel from Scottish airports. So all the bargains from Gatwick aren't convenient at all to us.

OP's holiday sounds lovely and relatively hassle free which counts for a lot too. Lake District scenery ranks high in the world imo. - I want to go now!

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 07/08/2015 13:23

I don't suppose your DH asked his sister for a full review of your proposed holiday budget. We used to have a neighbour like her, obsessing on the cost of everything but the value of nothing... Time off work and a change of scene, away with your two favourite people but SIL will argue 'til the cows come home what value it represents. Who cares, you three can set off and just suit yourselves.

(And if holiday spending like purchases on credit cards somehow don't count eg food bills and admissions on holiday dismissed as the 'odd spend' then she isn't as big an expert on finances as she thinks).

Have a great time.

florentina1 · 07/08/2015 14:27

My mother did this all the time. We never took our kids abroad when they were younger. Miraculously, at every airport, bus journey, or hotel, there were people telling her that their two weeks holiday cost this or that. Never said outright just the implication that we would should do the same. Year after sodding year.

Did not stop at holidays either. We rented, but everyone she new had a bed house that only cost......

CurbsideProphet · 07/08/2015 19:20

Oh I love Keswick! So many lovely places in that area
Some people are never happy unless they are getting one up on someone else (ie. "our holiday was so much cheaper/ more exotic etc"). I would just "good job you aren't invited if the cost bothers you that much!" and start talking about the weather or something

wooldonor · 07/08/2015 19:34

snowbells - I know cheap is a relative term and it depends what you're used to at home but I'd disagree that food is cheap in America. I find both supermarkets much more expensive than here and most restaurants at least as much.

I don't think the cost of the Lakes holiday is bad at all if that's absolutely everything for 3 people

IsItMeOrIsItHotInHere · 07/08/2015 19:36

I don't know how your SIL managed to get car hire included in a two week holiday for £1000. We've just paid almost that for ten days car hire in France alone!

Anniegetyourgun · 07/08/2015 20:00

If you include just the accommodation and petrol (presumably you don't need to hire a car) I expect your holiday comes in quite a bit cheaper than the Italian fortnight. But even if it were twice as much, the point is it's where you want to go, and if you have the money to spare then you can splash it out in any way that makes you happy. If you don't particularly feel like going to Italy or Florida then it wouldn't be a bargain at any price, would it? You could probably have come in under 1k if you'd decided to do the journey in one rather than stopping by, but what a strain - it's supposed to be a holiday! You could also save a bit by not going to some of the attractions, sticking to self-catering instead of meals out etc, but where's the fun in that? It's supposed to be... well, you get the picture

Actually I feel a wee bit because the holiday you've described is my favourite kind.

Summergarden · 07/08/2015 21:03

It sounds like a great holiday you have planned and good value too. Just ignore your wet blanket relative!

EnlightenedOwl · 07/08/2015 21:11

Go to the Lakes Wildlife Park not a Zoo but a small animal park lots to see though worth a trip
just back from the Lakes so if you want any day out recs let me know

Sgtmajormummy · 07/08/2015 22:39

Enlightened we went to that park too, about 12 years ago now, and we still talk about the sheer power of those tigers walking about a metre away. They keep them in similar physical shape to tigers in the wild. The rhinos are impressive as well.

EnlightenedOwl · 08/08/2015 00:46

That's the South Lakes safari Zoo isn't it (which I agree is fab)
we went there last year

It was this place we went to. Nice little park (not strictly speaking a Zoo)
lots of interactive stuff for children
www.lakedistrictwildlifepark.co.uk/

Iwasbornin1993 · 08/08/2015 02:24

Lots of free/cheap things for you to do whilst on your stopover in Liverpool OP if you want a few suggestions to keep costs down. Though I think at 1K for three of you in August you have a bargain so your SIL is definitely BU!

Lots of free museums here for you to visit - the new(ish) Museum of Liverpool on the Pier Head would be great for your DD as would the Maritime Museum on the Albert Dock. I've been going to the MM since I was very young and I still love it even now! There's also the rather lovely Sefton Park just a few miles out of the city centre if it's relaxing walks you want. It'd only cost about £5 in a private hire taxi from the city centre so definitely worth the trip!

I'm sure you've probably already looked it up but Chester zoo is really easy to get to from Liverpool Central station. Just take the Wirral line service to Chester and get off at Bache where they put on buses from the station to the zoo and back. The last time we went by train you could get a combined train and zoo ticket which saved us some money but this was a couple of years ago so not sure on prices etc now sorry!

Anyway hope you have a lovely time both in Liverpool and the Lakes, and that your SIL learns to mind her own business!

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