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

£15k on a holiday?
and now you're worrying because you cant go away this year?

you want us to have a whipround?

I have not been abroad since 2007, I had my first ds in 2008. We don't even have passports. Try and focus on the lovely holiday you had last year rather than feeling guilt about this year.

Harsh Fluffy!

We only ever do a week somewhere hot. I personally would hate not to and tbh dd1 looks forward to it too so I probably would feel guilty. But more sorry for myself

Wouldn't be so bad if the UK had a decent summer though.

saska I am aware that package holidays costs mount up. I wasn’t suggesting OP definitely spent for the sake of it but she seemed keen for suggestions. A week in a self catering somewhere might be doable.

I’m aware 5 people going anywhere will be an expensive trip but the fact they didn’t plan on spending £15k but the costs esacalated when they got there is a bit as it was an AI I would thought there weren’t many surprises?

You couldn’t afford last years holiday when you went and you’re not going on holiday this year because you can’t afford it . Sounds like you’ve finally enagaged your brain . Congratulations

Everyone needs a break. Not everyone needs a 15k holiday. I guess you knew you were putting yourself into debt when you planned it, so nevermind.

You can go tons of places cheaply, or stay at home and use your imagination a bit.

DH and I took our 6yo and 3yo DC for a week's AI in Benidorm last year. Lovely hotel, lovely staff, loads of time at the beach, they loved it. I scrimped and saved for 2 years to be able to pay for that holiday, using cashback websites like Quidco, putting any and all spare change into a savings pot etc. We loved every minute.

My DC were unbelievably lucky to have a foreign holiday. I didn't leave the country til I was 13, and that was a school trip! Yet they're equally chuffed with going to Skegness for a week to visit the PILs - it's what you do that's important, not where you go.

You can still add trips, excursions, tickets to expensive parks and so on - depending where you are. AI doesn't necessarily mean things like swimming with dolphins, patting tigers or whatever is fashionable this year.

Don't get me wrong, I've never spent £15k on a holiday, not even my honeymoon and I do like to go abroad a couple of times a year at least!

You need to be flexible with your days off, and when there's a mini "heat wave" locally (translate a couple of sunny days, but the UK is not use to them), you put the family in the car, book a cheap hotel and spend 3 or 4 days on a nice beach. It's very cheap.

Seriously? I think OP and I live in different worlds.

I love holidays too and generally, just going out. I would spend all of my spare money on holidays too and would forego any gifts for holidays or an evening out.
This has made me sensible about saving for them. we’ve had the amazing holidays abroad and some years we’ve only done days out to free places so we could carry on saving or we had other priorities.
It’s not a hardship. It’s a privilege.

I don't know why posters always scream "fake" every-time someone mention money on this forum.

Some people spend more than they have, that's not news. Some people have money: luxury cars sells, multi million pounds houses sell like hot cakes all over the country, luxury holidays sell.

People going in Butlins and people holidaying on Necker Island both live in the real world, just different budgets.

It won't do them any harm not to have a holiday. Days out can be fun, even a picnic in a local park or 'pretend camping' in the garden. They'll also learn a valuable lesson about being responsible with how the family money needs to be prioritised. Taking a holiday you can't afford and getting deeper into debt would do them no favours.

15k on a holiday? Did you go to Dubai or something?

What is the actual purpose of a holiday abroad? Ibdoubt many people go toblearn about the country's history and traditions.

I am trying to imagine the quantity of cheap and nasty food and drink you would have to consume to make a £15000 AI holiday better value than a self catering villa eating out every night at decent restaurants.

I am boggling.

Where did you go that cost £15k?! Madness to go into debt for a holiday IMO.
My kids have never been abroad. I haven’t been abroad since 2005. We do sun holidays every year to Devon, Cornwall, Isle of Wight. Never costs more than a few hundred quid all in. We save as much as we can and do nice things during the day while we are away. If we have less money then we do cheaper/free things. Take picnics everyday, cook in caravan. The kids love it!

Don't feel guilty. You are doing absolutely the right thing in knuckling down and paying off debt. Few of us can afford over the top holidays ever, let alone every year. If you're able to do great day trips with your kids, and spend time with them, they'll enjoy their summer.

We probably spent c. £15k in the end on a once in a lifetime trip in 2014. But it was 3 weeks and included New York, California and the Grand Canyon (flying over then paddling along). Used inheritance from my gran who suggested it. Prior to that and after we did lots of camping. Still doing interesting things and also enjoyable.

Eh? I am in my thirties and have never in my life been on an AI. I don't think my parents deprived me of some kind of childhood experience and I don't think I'll be depriving my children either

Buy a tent and go somewhere interesting instead.

We went to Disney on £13k when I was younger as a family of 6, some holidays can easily cost £15k.

What is AI?

Genuinely don't know.

Borrowed money is not spare!!!

Children do not require luxury, they require adventure and new experiences. As others suggested, a camping trip (Lake District) would do you all good (and teach you a thing or two).

All Inclusive.

What is the actual purpose of a holiday abroad?
weather, culture, different experiences, historical sites, opening your kids mind and learning about differences, foreign languages, where do I start. Simply showing a kid how easy it is to navigate through an airport even if you don't speak the language is good experience.

You don't need to go on a full history tour to learn about a country.

Plus the weather is shit in this country, at least very unpredictable I have read enough threads about people camping miserably in the rain to not wish to follow their examples.

Not worth going into debts of course!

Artificial Intelligence.