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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:
Confuseddot · 15/07/2017 07:41

It's actually cheaper to go abroad than it is to go away in England. Unless you're camping. I book well I'm advance and pay off monthly. I scout the Internet for the cheapest deals which is usually Skyscanner for flights. Hoppa.com for transfers and direct on the actual hotels website and email if they have any deals. They usually do.

If i booked with on the beach they wanted £500 each for flights and hotel for one week self catering. I booked as above and we paid for 10 nights self catering £232 each 😬 same hotel and everything including transfers to airport and back!

BrieOnAnOatcake · 15/07/2017 09:03

I can go to Cornwall for 400 in Easter holidays, confused. cottage with outdoor pool. I don't think it's cheaper to go abroad!! I think it must be what people tell themselves Your price is still 1k!!

BrieOnAnOatcake · 15/07/2017 09:03

(for 4)

Confuseddot · 15/07/2017 09:09

For four adults yes. Children no. They had larger rooms for cheap still and children depending in age would be cheaper flights too.

Everywhere I've tried finding in England has been a lot of money for 10 nights.

Can you send me a link of the said cottage as we are looking to go somewhere in England now I'm not able to fly. Do they take dogs?

seasonschooner · 15/07/2017 09:29

Exactly Brie. The old chestnut it's cheaper to abroad. It really isn't!Grin

Confuseddot · 15/07/2017 09:39

I really thought it was as I've paid £500 for a weekend at a cabin with a hot tub. Atm the prices are even higher because its better weather. I went in December. Can you let me know what websites you use to search? Would love. A holiday in UK now I'm not allowed to fly 😔

toosexyforyahshirt · 15/07/2017 10:46

Exactly Brie. The old chestnut it's cheaper to abroad. It really isn't!

It really is, in mine and other peoples experience,so please don't speak for anyone but yourself.

toosexyforyahshirt · 15/07/2017 10:48

For example, if I live in Aberdeen, how much do you think it would cost to get to Cornwall for your 400 quid cottage? More than it would cost me to fly to Spain.
You're only thinking from your own perspective.
Add that to the fact of why would I want an outdoor pool in England in March or April?!

Brittbugs80 · 15/07/2017 11:14

Exactly Brie. The old chestnut it's cheaper to abroad. It really isn't

But it is. For us.

We've booked our flights now. 10 days all inclusive to Menorca next year for £1390 for three of us.

We did a caravan holiday two years ago to Cornwall and spent about £1600 over the week. That includes petrol.

Don't start making out we are convincing ourselves it's cheaper. The maths speaks for itself. We literally spend weeks researching, comparing, looking at costs, contacting hotels and sites directly to book and we always get a holiday abroad for cheaper and longer.

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 11:19

It's certainly cheaper to go abroad as far as my experience goes. I just have no interest in paying best part of a grand in peak summer for a cottage anywhere in the UK.
Then there's eating out, the cost of drinks and the very average service.

So for £1500 i usually get flights to Spain, one bedroomed apartment for a week, and around £600 spending money. That's for two adults and a teen.
Have done the same for Portugal and Greece in the last few years.

Going to Italy this year, and this is more expensive, but we have been to Italy before so know what to expect.

MaQueen · 15/07/2017 11:20

For the same class of accommodation, abroad is cheaper than the UK.

We stayed in a smart, 4 bed farmhouse with friends, in the south of France for 2 weeks in late July. The following year we stayed in a nice 4 bed farmhouse in Cornwall and paid roughly £700 more for the accommodation.

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 11:30

Ma We have had some fantastically priced accomadation in France, especially in the South.

BrieOnAnOatcake · 15/07/2017 11:33

I'm not going to argue anymore but please see you're arguing from a place of prrivilidge. None of our holidays have cost over a grand. All your holidays are "only 1500 " etc.

It's possible to stay in the UK much cheaper. Maybe not up to your standard but yes there at people who can "only" afford to stay in the UK at cottages /caravans not the other side of the country as they can't afford abroad!

Blanket statements such as it's cheaper to go abroad really arent helpful! Our holidays don't cost a grand and noones shown me a holiday abroad for 4 for 500-600 !!

You have to be savy over here (cottages at easter where overlaps so it's not the same week) or caravan park in a half term or other offers. But it wouldn't be cheaper abroad.

It's great that for some people in their experience paying 2k you can get more for your money abroad, id understand that. But to think everyone can just go abroad as "it's cheaper" is ridiculous.

Oysterbabe · 15/07/2017 11:36

I always find it more expensive in the UK. You need to pay for stuff to do when it's pissing with rain for one thing. Abroad you swim, read books and play games in the sun all day.

Brittbugs80 · 15/07/2017 11:40

Ita saying yiu prefer to go abroad for the sun rather than my 400 cottage in Cornwall at Easter

£400 for a cottage for one week. Petrol about £200 to include the odd day out by car. I'm basing this on a full tank there and back as we used a full tank there and back when we went to Falmouth and £500 spends to include all food and days out and any bits we want to buy. That's a guestimate of £1100 for a week, though a week in an apartment in Falmouth with a sea view cost us £1600 all inc.

Tenerife cost us £1140 for 10 nights all inc
Tenerife again was £680 for 7 nights all inc

Definitely no kidding ourselves here. Per night it works out cheaper and we book and pay our hotels per night, not a package price.

We could afford a holiday in this country, no problems. The difference is, we get more by traveling abroad. We aren't watching pennies, everything is already paid for. 10 days in Tenerife and we spent 20 euros. That was for two nights out to watch Elvis and Rod Stewart acts. A round of drinks was 3 euros for a jug of sangria, a 2 pint pitcher of San Miguel and an orange juice.

You can't even get one pint of Ale/San Miguel for £2.80 here.

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 11:49

You seem determined to argue Brie There have been no blanket statements about it being cheaper to go abroad. What there has been is people talking about their own experiences of finding it cheaper to go abroad.
To be perfectly honest, I would still choose to go abroad even if it was cheaper to stay in the UK, because I don't find holidaying here much of a holiday.That's just my experience.

Brittbugs80 · 15/07/2017 11:51

Our holidays don't cost a grand and noones shown me a holiday abroad for 4 for 500-600

Try Tenerife Jan/Feb. Even Benidorm in November.

My in-laws went to Budapest for 10 nights in October for 640 euros.

Not talking from a place of privilege either. We both work hard and disregarding income, many factors play a part on what's affordable. For example, a drive to Cornwall would be cheaper for someone who lives in Bath, yet it would be cheaper for me than someone who lives in Glasgow.

I'd rather not have to watch money on holiday and have to worry about running out. And when I have my yearly holiday, I want it to be that, a holiday. Not a different place to cook three meals a day to save money on eating out.

Berylliuum · 15/07/2017 12:18

I always find it more expensive in the UK. You need to pay for stuff to do when it's pissing with rain for one thing. Abroad you swim, read books and play games in the sun all day

You don't need to pay for 'stuff' to do. Plenty of nice walks (even in less than perfect weather) , also reading etc It depends where you go really.

I never did like sedentary beach/pool type holidays though, either at home or abroad.

One of my friends has the newsagent save the newsagent save those clippings for cheap UK caravan holidays every year. I don't think you can get much cheaper than that.

Berylliuum · 15/07/2017 12:22

Agree with some of what Brie is saying.

Cheaper holidays (than the UK) would conjure up images of all inclusive budget food (!), no activities/sight seeing etc and I wouldn't find that appealing, personally

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 12:24

Plenty of nice walks doesn' t cut it with a teen[smile[ I'm not it ever did TBH.
We like beach, nice meals out water sports, boat trips, and visiting nearby towns/resorts.

Berylliuum · 15/07/2017 12:28

That doesn't apply to all teens Smile Mine is very active and love hikes, sports and activites.

AtSea1979 · 15/07/2017 12:32

I've just spent £1400 on a caravan park week in Wales in August. Could possibly find a cheap flight and hotel somewhere foreign for that.
As for affording it, I prioritise and save throughout the year.

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 12:36

See I would never in a million years pay £1400 for a caravan in Wales. Good job we are all differentGrin

JustDanceAddict · 15/07/2017 12:38

Save
Use credit cards and pay off gradually
It's def a priority for us to get away at least once a year

purpletowels · 15/07/2017 12:39

£1400 for a week in Wales in a caravan? How? We're going to Devon in August for £800 in one of their best caravans.