To spend all our savings on a holiday we desperately need?

[Treetopchallenger]

We have some savings, was going to be spent on doing garden up and reserve for emergencies. My oh and I have never had a break from the children (except when he works, or oh takes them to the park alone for a couple of hours). We have never been out together since having children and feel we never get any couple time. We want to book a holiday that has kids clubs so we can spent time together. Small chalet so can out kids to bed and then have dinner in peace!

It would mean saving hard all year and using up all savings. Would we be mad to do this? It won't be every year and things can wait until next year, or silly incase we need money in an emergency?

No you'd be very irresponsible to use all your money on a holiday.

If you afford skinny, kids club and a chalet nanny, that must be thousands. Just spend half of it on a holiday and keep the other half as savings.

OR as someone said unthread, find and pay for a good babysitter and go for lots of nights out.

*if you can afford skiing

Personally if money was that tight Id be more inclined to hire a babysitter every now and again and go for a child free meal out.

I'd want to save up for a future holiday than blow my current savings. I think it would be more rewarding too because I'd be worried afterwards until we'd replenished the savings. That might just be me, I know everyone is different but I feel uncomfortable without a least a few months worth of outgoings in the bank in case the shit hits the fan.

A holiday is a "want" and not a "need". You have just alighted on the most expensive holiday it's possible to have, short of a world cruise.

The received wisdom is that we all need to have six month's worth of outgoings as savings as an absolute minimum. Bad things happen to the nicest people and at the most unexpected and most inconvenient times.

I wouldn't be able to sleep at night with no savings behind me, and with children I don't know how you'd be able to either.

Spend half of your savings, or pay a regular baby-sitter

I wouldn't. What if one of the kids is unwell and can't go to ski school or stay with the nanny? What if one of you has an accident and can't work, or gets made redundant? What if your boiler/cooker/car breaks down? For the sake of just a week away I wouldn't blow my emergency fund. As pp's have suggested, find a good local babysitter who can give you regular afternoons/evenings off. You could do a couple a month for ages for the cost of a family ski trip!

I don't really see much difference between needing to save up for a (potential) new boiler, and buying the new boiler when required on a credit card and paying it back. We're not talking oceans of debt here. That said I wouldn't pay the price for a skiing holiday anyway.

Ok, you've brought me down to earth! A regular babysitter sounds like a great idea. Hopefully in a few years we can have savings and a ski holiday by saving harder in the meantime. You're right, I would feel panicky with an empty bank account!

We have four kids and one of my best parenting tops is to try and go out with your DH. We used to go out about two or three times a month. It depends what you can afford though. It was so good for our relationship we just used to go for a meal or a walk and a trip to the pub. It doesn't have to cost much more than the cost of the babysitter. If your kids are terrible at going to sleep for sitters you could go out for lunch at the weekend.

nice one, OP

couple time is very important. With the options above you don't have to wait a year AND you'll still have your savings cushion.

I wouldn't do it if it left no financial buffer- something unexpected always crops up!

A babysitter and meal out is a much more sensible option.