To wonder who can afford this? What do you spend on your holidays?

[Bridgeofpies]

I was flicking through a travel magazine and having the usual envy of the people enjoying sun drenched beaches, bustling exotic markets and artistic sunsets etc. So I had a look through at all the places to stay.

Almost all the hotels and accommodation (or a large proportion) were from £400 per night for a double room! Some were up to £700. It got me wondering - who actually stays in these hotels? They look amazing and I can imagine doing it for a one- off special occasion like a big anniversary or birthday but are there people who spend this on their “normal” holidays?

We are definitely well-off by most standards but wouldn’t consider this for a holiday! (Especially with 2 kids, it would be insanely expensive). Our last big blow out holiday was around £3500 but that was 2 weeks, all-inclusive, with flights and for all 4 of us!

So, just got me wondering, is it just billionaires and business travellers on expenses who stay in these places?

As a single mum earning around 18k with one child I spent arounf 6k on holidays in total last year.. we went to The Gambia 3 times, a week in Marrakech, a weekend in Rome and a weekend in Budapest plus 2 UK short breaks to Plymouth and London. I always shop around and get good deals, I'd rather see the world than stay in pricey all inclusive hotels but it depends what your priorities are.

HoW is this possible? That's one third of your income? How do you manage on 12 a year?

ChardonnaysPrettySister

That poster has not been transparent.

If she’s a single mum earning £18k she will be in receipt of a lot of benefits. So her income will be significantly more than £18l

Although I send disproportionately on holidays, I do fill up my pension. I do wonder if everyone spending big money has future provision. I'm not all 'jam tomorrow', but I for one want to travel when I retire.

*spend

dontcallmethatyoucunt I pay into my pension. I could use some of the holiday money to pay AVCs into it but I think it's important to have a balance. My late DM worried about money all the time and saved over holidays thinking she could then go on them when she retired. By the time she retired she was too ill to travel even in the UK hence why I value having the opportunity to travel now.

Neither me or dh even have a pension!

purplelass We have a similar income & yes on paper it’s good & I appreciate lots of people are on less & struggle. However housing costs & childcare are so expensive & so much disposable income depends on when you got/if you got on the ladder. I have nurses & bankers for neighbours, some paid 200k for their property some paid 800k, so disposable income is so variable.

I’m agog at some of these figures, I can’t ever imagine having 20-30k to spend year on year. I don’t think we could have 10k a yr for holidays as I’m conscious of saving for pensions & uni for ourselves & DC.

Well, it is an odd goadyway of wording it, but fair do's to her.

I have no pension. I'm on minimum wage so will be working until I claim state pension. I won't be wanting to be going off travelling when I'm in my 60s and 70s, I'd rather do it while I'm young and fit and then relax when I'm older.

we spend between 40-60K a year on holidays. summer holiday is about 15k, Christmas we spent 25k, its more expensive and we were paying 1000 a night.

doodar - each to their own I suppose

Well even at 1000 a night that is a 25 night Xmas holiday.

Not sure that quite adds up doodar, but whatever you say!

we were away for 3 weeks

Why do people get so annoyed when people answer the op - on a thread like this you are going to have people who spend a lot and people who don’t - if it upsets you why come on the thread?

We were poor growing up but now aren’t and spend a bit on holidays - our main summer holiday is expensive - 2 weeks in someplace nice (Maldives, Thailand, Florida etc). DH very fussy so happy to pay a lot We live outside the uk so travel back a few times but don’t think of that as holiday, few weekends away in Europe - one of them camping as it’s fun, we have a ski chalet so winter holidays are covered and always have lots of friends visiting. We would rather pay more and have a nice place to stay than fly business class

However am very happy to pay for family & friends to come visit us, we hire villas and invite family to stay as I realise we have more disposable income than some.

On the other side we are not that extravagant compared to some of the people around us even we get a bit “how do they afford that”

if it upsets you why come on the thread?

Maybe there should be a minimum salary warning on threads like this so us paupers don't spoil it for those who can afford such extravagances in the future then?
Sheesh

I’m not saying that - I am saying if you get upset why come on threads when people are asking how much people spend - not that you have to spend above x to come on a thread.

The op asked how much people spend and people have come to answer her question and undoubtedly to see how much other people spend.

star We are high income and have high expenses. We budget so we can get maximum value for the money we have coming in. Living in the NYC area is extremely expensive and we do well to keep our budget to $10k a month. It is a lot and should be absolutely more than enough but housing and childcare together costs $7500. Food is extremely expensive here and we do well to spend $1000 a month feeding 3DCs.

While being high income we don't spend much on holidays because we use points earned on business travel and DH puts about $2m a year on his credit card for port fees for his employer. Basically the points pays for flights not covered by DHs employer, hotels, car rentals and excursions. I think a lot of people staying in places that cost £400 a night are using points. I know we are. Just like you see me in business class but my seat has cost as little as $85 because I'm just paying the fees.

A decade ago, after a serious nearly life taking event, and subsequent surgery, we celebrated DH's recovery with a gap of six months. We took our child out of school and travelled all the way around the world because business had been good that year and we could. But we stayed in cheap motels, rented SC accommodation and out of 6 months we stayed FIVE nights in real hotels (Singapore, in case you ask). We had a great trip and did everything we wanted, but that was a one off. We completely escaped from reality. We spent a year's income in six months, and came home to near bankruptcy.

But since then, we haven't had holidays in the brochure sense. We've been away; we owned a half share in a canal boat in France for a bit, and usually our down time is spent maintaining the house with the odd week or weekend away self catering. Pottering about really, but nothing to wow your friends on postcards.

I love holidays, DH less bothered, constant bone of contention!

We have had some great holidays but nowhere near the £400 a night hotels. Before kids (only 5 years ago) we could still get a week in Barbados for £500 each. That has now skyrocketed I know. Now with kids and term times everything sky rockets and I do resent spending £2-3k to go to Tenerife but choice gets limited by school hols, work timetables and not wanting to be on a flight too long with my octopus of a child.

We have high mortgage costs but always make some provision for holidays. However I have been astounded by some of the younger members of my team at work and what they spend on holidays - I know what they earn and they spend probably half on ridiculously flash holidays (the £400 a night plus places) then moan they have no money errrrrr there's a reason! They look down their nose when I say I'm off to the canaries or Devon!

To the person who was looking at spending £22k on a holiday to Portugal- what the actual fuck?! I love Portugal and have friends with a beautiful house there that probably didn't cost much more!

Seems like a waste to only use a ski chalet in the winter, summer in the mountains can be really nice.

BitchQueen90
My comment regarding posters claiming to have a low income and (in other threads) admitting to owning/maintaining a holiday home in addition to their main home AND spending thousands on their holidays clearly wasn't directed to you. I'm slightly bemused why you may think so. MN is full of surprises! I just think it's pretty hypocritical of them although I do realise MN does need to be digested at times with a giant pinch of salt!

I've been 'wealthy poor' I'm quite embarrassed now when I think about it. Pre -kids, high flying career, £3k a month coming in just for me and I truly thought I was skint. Big mortgage. Big car payment every month. Lots of nights out. Gym memberships. Nails and hair regularly. Expensive hols etc etc. Never saved anything.

It's all about choice isn't it? So of course you spend your money how you like, and yes, if you're working hard, of course you 'deserve' it (but in all honestly, that annoys me because people working 40+hrs on minimum wage are working just as hard, if not harder)

But don't bleat that you're skint and having to 'budget' !!

You could all easily release money by making better choices each month. Move to a cheaper area. Get rid of the contract hire car etc. You're not 'budgeting'. You're actively making choice about how to spend your enormously monthly income!

It's all perception though isn't it. I see people who take home >£30k a month (THAT's highflying). It's not usual, but it's happening. They can spend £20k on a fortnight in France and not bat an eyelid. And they do.

This is true. And why not! If you can afford it, great. Good for them!

But to call it 'budgeting' is somewhat insulting to the vast majority of people I would imagine.