To feel guilty that I'm not taking kids on holiday this year

[Peachsnowpop]

We had a huge over the top holiday last year and we're still paying for that (£15k ish holiday). We go away every year abroad but this year we need to knuckle down and clear debt. We'll still have great days out but there's no 2 weeks away in an AI

2 weeks AI sounds like my personal hell though, so possibly I’m on the wrong thread.

My kids have never had a 2 week holiday abroad, they are 12 and 14, I only went abroad twice as a child. We do holiday in this country for a week at a time (once or twice a year) and it never costs more than £500. My kids are not too bothered about not going abroad, they would like too and hopefully we will one day but I can’t afford £15,000 on a holiday so it’s not likely to happen any time soon.

Goodness me, we travel a lot and like nice places and are fortunate to be reasonably ok financially but we still budget for holidays and going into debt is not really a great idea if it then impacts on your life. The fact you are NOW concerned you are t going away does make me wonder if the £15k holiday was worth the debt it created? Could you try for a last minute package and self cater or is the debt such a factor that no holiday is viable?

FWIW I’ve never done AI so perhaps my comment about budgeting was off, but even so that seems like a lot of money. Can only assume it was the Caribbean?

My family had 2 or 3 week holIdays every year when I was young, but in this country. By the sea, with days out, and lots of fun.

With now DH, we had a few long weekend breaks also on this country before we were married.

My first overseas holiday was my honeymoon (a week in the Canaries) and 2 weekends in london and paris within the following 4 months.

Even since then, we have taken some holidays overseas but quite a few holidays in this country. There are lenty of interesting place to go and things to do, and often beaches to sit on, right here.

Going "away" doesn't need to mean going abroad.

DP's nephews have had holidays all over the place: US, Caribbean, Oz Mexico and almost everywhere on the Med (except Greece, for some reason).

A couple of years ago, we took them camping in Sussex for a few days and they still talk about it as the best holiday ever. They loved just playing in the woods, building dens, cooking outside, peeing in the bushes, not being made to have showers and having the dog sleep on their beds. They didn't even care when it rained for 2 days and found playing cards and Scrabble strangely entertaining.

You don't need to spend shedloads for kids to have a good time. And the picture of one of them handfeeding a visiting robin has pride of place among the family photos on the sideboard.

And we only did AI when that was the only option in Cuba - where I was early pg and really couldn't enjoy it.

Mostly self catering or half board - which means you get to cook local foods and some family favourites, and enjoy getting out to eat locally too not always tied to hotel/resort.

I would feel guilty if I brought up kids who couldn’t be happy unless they had a two-week AI holiday every year!

There will presumably be time off work, you will be able to enjoy days out. And A picnic is way more fun than another meal out in a popular chain restaurant.

Oh OP you’ve made me chuckle! I’ve met your sort poolside
Never going again, tacky cattlemart.

It was a once in a life time never to be repeated type holiday for 5 of us. Didn't plan it to cost that much but once we were away the costs escalated. I love holidays, it's what I would all spend my spare money on if I could (and I did).
Now I have to pay it all off.

*neber going AI again!

The only AI holiday I've been on was with my ex in laws and omg it was dull.

I couldn't afford holidays when my dcs 18 and 20 were little, so we just didn't go.

Ds 12 gets more holidays now but never go into debt I couldn't live like that, I have sleepless nights over 2k on my credit card that was for a new boiler.

Please tell us about the holiday though
Your kids won't care in the grand scheme of things but you may have peaked to soon!
Im saving for nearly 13 yo 18th birthday so I can take him to NYC.
I do think travel is a great experience for kids, if its affordable. If not it's a luxury bit a necessity.

BlueLegume Honestly, with at least £15k worth of debt, another holiday abroad is really not a good idea. Paying it off ASAP is the best option for anyone.

Go on any package holiday website, Kuoni or other, £15k is surprisingly quickly done if you go with 2 or 3 kids for 2 weeks and don't travel cattle class.

The trouble is that you spent more then your "spare money" and now you are in debt.
Presumably you will need to take out a further loan if you choose to go on holiday again this year, getting you deeper into debt.

I would suggest a holiday is the least of your worries.

First time in five years we are taking the kids abroad and if I am being honest it is more for me and DH who are missing some proper sunshine.

The kids are happy camping which we have done every summer since they were born. When we told them we had booked a 'proper holiday they year the first thing they asked is if that meant they wouldn't get to go camping.

Don't feel guilty, you are doing the right thing clearing your debt.

I love our AI holiday, once a year guaranteed sunshine.

Can't bear the thought of staying in the UK and the weather being shit.

Hope you"made memories "

Holiday doesn't have to mean a fortnight overseas.

Like you we had a very expensive holiday in the USA last summer, this summer we have no plans as yet but it will probably be a week's self-catering in Scotland/Cornwall - also DD has a week away with the Guides and my younger DS is going to France with the school for a week, so it's hardly deprivation city.

And if it gets to the October half term and we need some sun, we can try to grab something last minute.

We only go to skegness every year for a week. And DP and DS have merlin passes so go the themed parks many times. DP is saving so he can take them to Disneyland Paris in a few years. I’ve been to Florida when I was 16 but DP can’t fly so we can’t go there. So uk breaks it is...

Can't bear the thought of staying in the UK and the weather being shit

We go abroad a lot. I’m fact along with my DC we’ve lived in Paris, Madrid and Milan. Just never done an AI holiday. There are other ways to get sunshine, and not going on AI holidays doesn’t mean we’re all staying in tents in Bognor! Not that there’s anything wrong with that either.

Well you should feel bad that you are financially irresponsible and shit at budgeting!

Who the fuck spends £15k on a holiday they can't afford? Pathetic.

You didn't have spare money.

I agree it's great taking dc abroad but do so within your means, you are an absolute idiot getting in debt for a holiday.

I think you are crazy to get in to debt for a holiday.

You are living above your means, you're asking if you are BU for not having a holiday but I think that is the only sensible part of your post.

Champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget.

Take your kids camping for a week in the summer. Or join the National Trust and take them for days out with a picnic lunch or fish n chips on the way home. I bet they enjoy it much more than AI with its re heated food and ice cream on tap. It’s about having fun and making memories not getting into debt.