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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To book a holiday even though we're in debt?

305 replies

HalalPork · 23/08/2016 12:28

We haven't been away at all this year or last year. The year before our lovely ILs took us away for the week (not abroad).

We've had a really tough time over the past couple of years, illness, job loss, general stresses. We've never done a foreign beach type holiday.

From a quick browse it looks as though we could book a villa with a pool for next year for a couple of grand. This amounts to four months roughly of credit card repayments at the current rate we're clearing it (all 0%).

Would this be mental? I'd like to give the kids the experience before they're too old to want to come with us (teenagers already).

We're not on the bones of our arse, Dh earns good money and all the bills etc are paid before we look at repayments, and we do still have some fun money, we're not sacrificing ourselves at the altar of debt.

Would it be madness at this point to stick another £2k or so on the credit card?

OP posts:
YelloDraw · 23/08/2016 12:43

The fact you are even asking about doing this shows why you got into £15k debt in the first place! That is a shit load to have, even on 0% credit cards. Proper living above your means.

FoxesOnSocks · 23/08/2016 12:45

Will you actually enjoy the holiday knowing it's caused extra debt?

Holidays are only worth it if everything associated with them is positive.

icy121 · 23/08/2016 12:45

YABU. Adding 13% to your debt is nuts. What if you DH loses his job or gets ill. Pay off the credit cards and get yourself on an even keel first.

Silvertap · 23/08/2016 12:45

Yes yabu. This is why you're in debt.

15k in debt is a lot and it's madness to add so much to that. If I was you I'd look to book something a lot cheaper and aim to earn it.

Ie we went all inclusive for a week to Cyrprus this year for £1600 for 4. You mention your dh's income. Do you work? Could you save that by economising elsewhere?

Original poster
HalalPork · 23/08/2016 12:46

The reason I want a villa holiday is because with five of us it makes hotels awkward and expensive.

The ones I looked at for that price included flights etc.

OP posts:
Helloooooooo · 23/08/2016 12:47

Why book now? Why don't you wait till next year and review your finances then and pay as much as you can off your credit cards in the meantime.

fastdaytears · 23/08/2016 12:47

If you have "fun money" as you say can you save up some of that?

I would struggle to enjoy a holiday which added that much to debts which already sound very high to me. I wouldn't get a lot of sleep!

A11TheSmallTh1ngs · 23/08/2016 12:47

The reason I want a villa holiday is because with five of us it makes hotels awkward and expensive.

Er, no it doesn't. Family of 5 here: ask for an extra campbed or find a room with a sofa bed. Try an aparthotel. Try an airbnb! A private villa sounds nuts and completely unnecessary.

Shinyshoes2 · 23/08/2016 12:49

Personally I wouldnt . Id get that debt right down and wait until next year and see if you're in a better position .
You haven't had a holiday for 2 years so what's another year
Tbh is seems as though you live beyond your means

EdwardBear1920 · 23/08/2016 12:49

Is the couple of grand covering everything for your holiday? And for how long? And for how many people?

Make sure you have factored in everything you need to - do you have enough luggage and appropriate clothing? Are you intending to cook in the villa for each meal every day, or would you like occasional meals out? If not, what sort of spend are you thinking about for food/drinks? Are you going to spend a little for ice-cream or drinks on the beach? Are you planning any excursions at all? Will you need to hire a car? What about driving/parking/travel to the airport in the UK?

Whether you do it or not is up to you, balancing out the need for the holiday versus your need to pay off the cards, but when you make that decision, make sure you have factored in everything. Otherwise, you might start to panic when it ends up that you actually need to use 5 or 6 months worth to cover all of those hidden costs, which will make the whole thing even more stressful. Sit down with a pen and paper and think about everything, and impose a very strict budget on all of it. 'We can spend no more than xxx on meals out. If we use most on day 3, that means we can't have any more if we want them or not...'

I'm in a similar position to you at the moment, and personally wouldn't think of anything abroad or that expensive, but like I say, I'm not prepared to give you a resounding 'no!' based wholly on what I'm choosing to do. What I'm guessing, simply because I'm in the same position as you, that some of it comes from forgetting all the extras so they just go on the card. Stupid things, like we have £xxx to cover uniforms. I'd better make sure that name tags with P&P is included in that, and socks and underwear... When your monthly budget is that tight, you have to be really clear about what you're spending and when.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 23/08/2016 12:50

Economists reckon that your debts, if you must have them, shouldn't be any higher than 25% of your annual salary. This excludes a mortgage. I get what you mean about wanting a memorable holiday before the kids are too old. If you really want to do it just try and address the debts when you get back.

Original poster
HalalPork · 23/08/2016 12:50

We recently switched mortgage deal and saved £250pm. Logically that should go straight towards the cc payments, but I was thinking we could use it to fund the holiday, in a roundabout sort of way.

I just think we could all do with a nice calm break away. A week in a caravan doesn't really scratch the itch.

OP posts:
maddiemookins16mum · 23/08/2016 12:51

I would, but I'd not put on a card, I'd do it the old fashioned way and phone the holiday company each month (pay day) and pay a bit off the balance. That's what we did for our Croatia week this year, booked last April and went in May (and it was paid for). It is possible to do that, sometimes people think they can't.

ABloodyDifficultWoman · 23/08/2016 12:51

Whether you do it or not is your call and yours alone - but I'm finding it odd that you don't want to hear that it could be done for so much less money. Why is that?

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 23/08/2016 12:51

I really want a beach holiday nowAngry

Floggingmolly · 23/08/2016 12:51

You say you're not on the bones of your arse, but... you've got £15k worth of debt, and only £500 per month free to pay it back.
You're certainly not lying within your means Confused

PNGirl · 23/08/2016 12:51

If you must go, are you looking at August? If so try Easter or consider 10 days at May half term to help with costs.

However... Yes, YABU. 15k on credit cards is immense. For a lot of people that's a year's wage after tax.

That said a lot of holiday companies only wanrt a deposit now so you could save your recreational cash in the meantime.

BestZebbie · 23/08/2016 12:52

YANBU to want to do this with your kids at this time, but YABU about the amount of debt you currently have.

If you feel that not doing it is something you would all regret for ever, you can visit a foreign beach much cheaper than £2K - you do not need a villa with a private pool, go to a hotel with a shared one! If you go to somewhere like Corfu, lots of the hotels have open pools anyway (making money from their poolside bars) so you can wander around and go into several in one day if you pick a touristy town to stay in - ask your travel agency.

MimsyBorogroves · 23/08/2016 12:53

Well, as a family who are in debt (though not as high as yours) due to unforeseen circumstances (3 lots of redundancies, enforced house moves etc) and the fact we have never had any holiday at all away together, even a weekend away as a couple never mind with the children yet - it's probably not the best idea> Repay the debts and then enjoy the holiday properly.

Themoleandcrew · 23/08/2016 12:53

We have a similar amount of debt between us and we've just booked to go away in October. Cost us 2.5k for the 5 of us. I'm not that fussed about bunging it on the credit card. We're not paying off loads each month at the moment as I'm part time but once I'm back to full time it'll get paid off in no time.

OverlyLoverly · 23/08/2016 12:54

I wouldn't. What if you need the money for something else such as a broken down car, boiler breakdown, home repairs etc.

Piniatapearl · 23/08/2016 12:54

Go for if, you're managing to pay the debt, 4 months extra payments isn't a lot.

Original poster
HalalPork · 23/08/2016 12:54

I don't want to have to share a room with the kids in a hotel.

I don't want to stay in a gritty apartment with a shared pool, I did those holidays in my pre DC days.

I dream of a private villa with a pool, days on the nearby beach and excursions to historical towns. We've never done it and I'd like to before the kids lose interest in spending time with us.

But maybe it's a pipe dream. The debt is well under 25% of income by the way.

OP posts:
Figgygal · 23/08/2016 12:55

You have a shedload of debt you don't seem concerned about servicing you should be putting that extra money per month into paying it off not going on holiday.

It's not our business to know how you accumulated that much debt but the fact you have suggests it would be very easy for you to accrue more unplanned debt so I would be saying no you shouldn't go on holiday you need to budget better to clear what you have and look at where other savings could be made.

I couldn't stand to be in that much debt even if it was interest free as it would be unnecessary there are a lot of things I would love to do or buy but don't if I cant afford them.

Original poster
HalalPork · 23/08/2016 12:57

I also don't think the debt's that high, most people have car loans for that much, or loans for a new kitchen or whatever. It's just because ours is on a credit card that it seems frivolous. It was from overspending, but there were mitigating circumstances.

OP posts: