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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you actually afford to go abroad

598 replies

lavenderpekins · 11/07/2017 23:48

Aibu to feel fed up? Not going away again.. nearly everyone I know is going on a family holiday to the med this summer holiday.

Sort of lighthearted I know we're very lucky to live in this country, able to buy good/nhs/school.. I'll get over it too..

OP posts:
MrsOverTheRoad · 11/07/2017 23:55

I think a lot use credit cards or book well in advance and pay it off.

Henrythehoover · 11/07/2017 23:58

I don't know how people do it either. I'm going for a weekend in a caravan with the kids. Then again I wouldn't want to get into debt for a holiday.

RandomName9 · 11/07/2017 23:58

I think it's about priorities. If you love to travel, as we do, it comes above other things. We NEVER put holidays on credit cards, they are always paid before we go. The last thing you want to be doing is paying a holiday off for the next year!!

BadLad · 11/07/2017 23:59

Do you have children? If so, get rid of them - holidays and life in general become become much more affordable.

seventhgonickname · 11/07/2017 23:59

We have mainly holidayed in GB but me and dd are going to Spain next year and saving up
We are being more frugal and organised but with this goal in mind.

Sunnydaysrock · 12/07/2017 00:02

We save. Holidays are a massive priority for us. Would never go having put it on a credit card.

WorraLiberty · 12/07/2017 00:02

They earn more money

They save more money

They spend less money on the things you spend more money on

They spread the cost over the year

Their children are offhand

The list is endless. Like asking how anyone can afford anything really.

StickThatInYourPipe · 12/07/2017 00:05

I've always found it cheaper to go abroad than stay in the U.K. to be honest. I don't have kids (yet) but for me and dp an little all inclusive somewhere can be much cheaper than a week in a cottage or caravan in the U.K. Paying for all your meals etc, plus the booze is included (although in their perfect customer as 2 g'n'ts and I'm done haha)

Savelli · 12/07/2017 00:06

Saving and making a holiday a priority. This year DH and I are going to a lovely part of Spain for a week. Easyjet flights were £400 for both of us. Hotel was on a discount site and we shopped around for the best hotel we could get on our budget and got a whopping discount, paid £900 and that includes breakfast and dinner. Will take around £400 spending money. Each saving £100 a month for 8 months from our salary to cover it. We have budgeted for it.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 12/07/2017 00:12

I love these threads on Mumsnet where everyone talks about how they can or can't afford something but without ever explaining their income.
Soo English!
I bet we get to hear all about "priorities" and "saving" and (my personal favorite) driving "old bangers".
And no one is any the wiser as to whether these things would work for them because they can't tell if the poster earns about the same as them or 3 times as much.

Longdistance · 12/07/2017 00:13

My Dh picked up some extra work earlier this year, and I was working at the time too. We've saved for this years holiday, but normally it would go on a credit card and get paid off.

In my previous life I was cabin crew, so it was affordable through the company and other travel agencies, so thought nothing of going on holiday whenever.

We still have the travel bug, so we don't spend money on things others will do like gym memberships, hobbies, loads of clothes.

StickThatInYourPipe · 12/07/2017 00:19

unlimiteddilutingjuice

Fair enough

OP I earn 28k before tax and dp 18k before tax. Between us we take home about 3k a month. After bills and stupid loans have been paid we have about 700£ left to 'play with' I normally boost this to 900 when I remember by claiming expenses from work.

With that we have 200 each for normal spending (nights out, takeaways etc) and then the rest is put into a savings account. From that we choose if we go on holiday or just leave the pot building. I like to go away and would prioritise it over another luxury we could have out of the pot which usually saves up for about 10 months until we decide what to do with it.

Hope that helps!

StickThatInYourPipe · 12/07/2017 00:21

I also try and get cheap deals or last minute stuff so usually end up paying about 1.5-2k on a holiday

agnesf · 12/07/2017 00:22

agree unlimited. No one ever says - I can't afford a holiday because I am saving for my pension and old age care home ...

Agerbilatemycardigan · 12/07/2017 00:25

Haven't had a holiday for almost 7 years 😔

fannydaggerz · 12/07/2017 00:25

We go abroad every second or third year. We usually book a year in advance and holiday in the U.K.

We've recently come back from Blackpool and with petrol, hotel, snack, park tickets, meals, etc I would have been cheaper going abroad.

yellowox · 12/07/2017 00:25

Holidays are important to me, I shop in asda and matalan for clothes budget shop etc I have to have at least one holiday per year preferably long haul.

LockedOutOfMN · 12/07/2017 00:26

We don't have a car. We don't buy takeaways. We almost exclusively go to the cinema on the half price day. We go to museums and galleries and exhibitions and parks that are free (both on holiday and at home, although we do pay entrance fees for some things). We take packed lunches where necessary and we always have our own bottles of water.

We are happy to go without a car and takeaways as we prefer to travel - not that we have particularly frequent or lavish or exotic holidays, but we do go abroad.

purpletowels · 12/07/2017 00:29

It's possible they have an average/low income drive an old banger, or none at all, and live frugally, but they probably just earn more, and have more savings/

Excitedforxmas · 12/07/2017 00:30

I pay £10 a week into the credit union. If I have overtime money then I add that into it too. Easily saves up and I find it hard to withdraw it at other times of the year !

WorraLiberty · 12/07/2017 00:30

True unlimiteddilutingjuice but then it's a bit of a silly question, if the OP doesn't state from the offset what their income/outgoings are/how many children they have etc.

I guess it's only useful if the OP is looking for answers from people who are in a very similar financial position.

StickThatInYourPipe · 12/07/2017 00:34

Excitedforxmas without sounding like a total thicko what is credit union?

notangelinajolie · 12/07/2017 00:35

Agree with the poster who said it's about priorities. Holidays are not on our list of priorities. We haven't have a holiday since 2008. Only one wage coming into the house. SAHM and DH earns a bit below national average wage. We put everthing we have left over into improving our current property so that we can sell and keep moving up the ladder. No pension - our house is our pension so we will keep on until we can buy 2 houses. One for us and one for rent/pension. On target for 2020 and retirement at 55. Holidays .... pah who needs them?!!

andpeggy29 · 12/07/2017 00:38

Holidaypirates.com best deals!

JaceLancs · 12/07/2017 00:38

I save any expenses I get back from my employer in a separate account
I sell clothes shoes and handbags I've got bored of or no longer fit etc on eBay
The above funds me 3 holidays a year
I pay for flights when I book
Book accommodation separately and pay next
Spending money last and save that just before I go
In case anyone is interested I drive a very old banger (14 years old) prefer travel to other spending priorities
I'm a one income household as DC are young adults and earn around 30,000 - I do have a big mortgage and loans etc due to more than one relationship breakdown