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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:
grandOlejukeofYork · 13/07/2017 15:08

No, it was rude. Which you know. (and that isn't what irony means).

Autofillcontact · 13/07/2017 15:12

Well obviously if you say so IT MUST BE TRUE

grandOlejukeofYork · 13/07/2017 15:15

It's true because it's true, it doesn't matter who says so Hmm

btfly2 · 13/07/2017 15:19

We do travel abroad nearly every year. We live frugally and sav, plus I must admit, my parents ( with a very good financial situation) help a bit too from time to time.

btfly2 · 13/07/2017 15:21

I meant to say: save

RudeDog · 13/07/2017 15:35

BIL used to ask us this constantly too.

Most of what they ate was ready made, takeaway and BIL used to buy his lunch everyday - as did SIL - who was a SAHM (went out to buy a sandwich every day and for the kids if they were home)..... that was their holiday money then....

LexieLulu · 13/07/2017 15:43

We book our holidays over a year in advance, on the release date for next years holidays.

So on 20/04/17 I booked my summer 2018 holiday.

That way I got a free child place for eldest. We are going a week before my youngest child's 2nd birthday so we don't pay for her either.

We go all inclusive as frankly holidays with two small children self catering is my idea of hell. I just want to do as little as possible and chill out Smile

BorisTrumpsHair · 13/07/2017 15:50

We go abroad every 2nd year. Sometimes more.

I look for good deals on flights and book as early as possible. And I save up to cover the cost. Part of our spend budget is ££ I would have spent anyway. I don't go crazy and stick to a budget. Sometimes we stay with friends. I usually have to rent a car.

I also try to be as frugal as possible during the year so I can save for holiday.

Next year dc2 will be 7 and I'm planning on interrailing in Europe. We will stay with friends/family and in hostels.

MrsPear · 13/07/2017 15:55

We stay with inlaws. I go over with the children for August and h follows. H over pays tax - so we get a rebate in April which pays for flights. Normal housekeeping money - £100 a week - is used as spending money. This year we had a bit of money left over after paying the flights so we have booked an apartment by the sea for 250 euros for a week. I am staying with my mum in Dorset for a week. Again normal housekeeping for spending money - picnics on the beach most days. Mum is paying for one day trip and me another.

Stillwishihadabs · 13/07/2017 16:26

Boris do think about taking bikes on the train to France, they are all set up for it over there. We did it with dcs age 7 and 10 was great. ( I think it was less than a grand for 4 of us, did airbnb with the bikes)

Nicpem1982 · 13/07/2017 17:24

We go with eurocamp and go in term time, and book way in advance

BrieOnAnOatcake · 13/07/2017 17:26

Do eurocamp still have kids clubs in term time? Or is that a summer thing .

At their caravans really clean?

Term time holiday is tempting!

thereasonspidertakesthatchance · 13/07/2017 17:29

We book 600 days in advance...

Nicpem1982 · 13/07/2017 17:34

Brie - I think some sites do we don't use them TBH so I haven't taken much notice my dd is coming 3 in sept so haven't used them

The mobiles are fine and work well for us as we're not fans of hotels

raspberrysuicide · 13/07/2017 17:35

My mum lives abroad so I go there every year, she has a pool and eating out is cheap. This year the flights were half the price of last year and stbxh paid for the dcs flights.

camperlass · 13/07/2017 17:35

I'm a single mum, one child, and earn very little. But I don't have a mortgage, and that's pretty much the only reason I can afford anything!!! I do prioritise holidays and travelling above almost everything else, though. I bought an old camper van a few years ago (which is my only vehicle), and we mainly do trips to France so they're not mega-expensive holidays generally.

falange · 13/07/2017 17:36

Book as soon as holidays come out with jet 2 or Thompson package deals because they have low deposits. Save like mad because you know you've got to pay for it. Thompson let you pay money off holidays in dribs and drabs. Very useful. All inclusive much cheaper if you have children otherwise bed and breakfast.

grandOlejukeofYork · 13/07/2017 17:37

Do eurocamp still have kids clubs in term time? Or is that a summer thing

Not all eurocamps have kids clubs at all, but those that do tend to be from May onwards, well May for the general kids clubs, June onwards for the more specific ones like the teens.

BrieOnAnOatcake · 13/07/2017 17:43

So term time in June would.

Not sure if I'd want to use one but remember loving it as a kid!

Google has come up with lots of negatives about cleanliness but it's always the ones with problems who post isn't it. I'd prefer a house b u t caravan seems cheaper way to do it!!

grandOlejukeofYork · 13/07/2017 17:47

I've never had a problem with cleanliness, they are always fine.

BLONDIEMUMMY · 13/07/2017 17:47

I've wondered the same, family of 5 plus grandma it adds up to about £6k for us. We went last year and really struggled to pay it in time so we've booked for summer 18 with less pressure. I'm putting £100 a week by for it, plus a week at butlins. It's memories I'm buying.

clarkl2 · 13/07/2017 17:49

I utilise low deposits and give myself 12 months to pay for it. I pay some off each month and use a "pot of dreams" to save for my spends. I'll get a lot of my son's clothes for next years holiday in this summers sales Smile

clarkl2 · 13/07/2017 17:51

Oooooh and we are having 4 days at the caravan which I booked through Haven and i pay it off monthly. I then rebook when we get back so i never miss the money!

Craigie · 13/07/2017 18:08

Book a year in advance and save (or save all year and wait until absolutely the last minute for a bargain - can be hit or miss), use airmiles (Avios) and do without certain things e.g. I don't drive/have a car, shop in Aldi & Lidl as much as possible etc.

IWantACheeseburger · 13/07/2017 18:10

We've not had a holiday in 10+ years but this year we decided to go for it.
£300 for a week in Italy at Eurocamp
£300 for flights
£200 for cattery (bloody expensive cats)
About £600 spending money.

You only pay a deposit with Eurocamp so we saved up to pay all that off. Flights booked at the time of booking, cattery paid the day before so had time to save for that.
Spending money was saved and then used on the car repairs so was then resaved at short notice thanks to selling stuff and some matched betting(thanks Mn for that idea)
It was fantastic. We will be doing the same next year. I can't believe we out off for so long thinking we couldn't afford it when really we were just wasting money on take aways and bits and pieces.