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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

How much money should my 13 year old take with her on holiday?

39 replies

Ordinarymamma · 26/05/2018 20:13

So my 13 year DD is going to Cyprus in the summer with her best friend and her family. Great!! The flights cost £300. I just asked the friends mum how much money she'll need to bring for the 2 weeks holiday and her answer was: £30 per day plus they want to do at least 3 excursions. So that will bring it to about £600!!! So in total its nearly 1k for this holiday which no way I would have spent if I had known!! Obviously I don't expect them to pay for my daughter, although last year we took her friend with us and ended up giving most money back to the parents because we paid for most food and excursions etc. Regardless, what are people's thoughts? Is £30 per day a correct sum? I've never been to Cyprus but I do understand its expensive. But I thought myself as an adult could have lived of that, including alcohol. They are staying in a villa but want to eat out at least once per day. I'm not a scrooge, I just think it sounds a bit excessive!

OP posts:

giddyasakipper · 26/05/2018 20:38

At 13 I would expect your DD to be eating a full adult meal - from my experience in Cyprus I would think that 30 a day isn't extortionate. Once you factor in a meal, a few glasses of drink and an ice cream it all adds up!

You would hope that in this situation given your previous hospitality the parents would also give some money back however it seems sensible to give you a conservative estimate. Did they discuss the price of excursions with you before booking/agreeing for DD to go?

tomhazard · 26/05/2018 20:39

I think it sounds about right tbh. If it's self catering that will need to cover 3 meals per day, plus ice creams or drinks or whatever.

Are you really surprised that you will need to give your DD a few hundred pounds for a two week self-catering holiday?

NapQueen · 26/05/2018 20:42

So thats lunch and dinner plus any activities each day - sounds fine.

I wouldnt invite a friend without factoring covering the majority of their expenses but if my dd was going with someone else i would absoloutley ask and be fine covering her expsenses.

French2019 · 26/05/2018 20:44

I would never invite another dc on holiday with us unless I was expecting to pay for it myself! At the very least, the costs should have been agreed with you upfront.

NapQueen · 26/05/2018 20:44

30x 14 days is 420. Not 600.

Katedotness1963 · 26/05/2018 20:46

I'd be shocked to be asked for that amount of money. I'd have thought just flights and spending money.

JugglingMummyof2 · 26/05/2018 20:46

420 + the three excursions NapQueen.
We are brining DD1's friend on holiday with us - no charge to her parents. We invited her because we want her to be there.

mando12345 · 26/05/2018 20:46

I think that's a lot, we've taken children's friends away before and we cover their food, they just bring personal spending money. And we're certainly not rolling in money. Presumably your daughter will be company for their daughter too.

Ginger1982 · 26/05/2018 20:49

I assume the rest of the money is for the excursions.

Original poster

Ordinarymamma · 26/05/2018 20:52

Yeah £600 would include the excursions. I'm definitely not expecting them to pay for her but I just thought it sounded a lot. Clearly I was wrong. Oh well, it's only money hey 😩

OP posts:

Ohcomeonn · 26/05/2018 20:53

Cyprus is expensive for food and drink. Dp and I spent a ridiculous amount when we went a few years ago (although back then we were lucky enough not to have to watch the pennies then plus we were being greedy as the food was so good).

However, we didn't find that tourist sights were very expensive, there were some archaeological things we did which were only €3 entrance. We did a boat ride which was about €50 but that included lunch and all drinks.

namechangedtoday15 · 26/05/2018 20:53

Which bit do you think is too much OP? Is it the same family / same friend as came with you last year - where did you go? Did you eat out / have trips?

What did you expect to send her with?

Rocinante1 · 26/05/2018 20:54

@NapQueen

£30 a day AND excursions. So not just £30 a day.

mando12345 · 26/05/2018 20:57

We've been to Cyprus and didn't find it particularly expensive.

TooGood2BeFalse · 26/05/2018 20:57

I have lived in Cyprus for 9 years :-)

Where is DD staying?

Paphos - 30eu too much
Ayia Napa/Protaras -30eu too much
Limassol - About right
Nicosia - About right

TooGood2BeFalse · 26/05/2018 21:01

Ooops, SO sorry.Once a day eating out?Too much for all towns here.My mistake.

mando12345 · 26/05/2018 21:02

@toogood2befalse, we stayed in paphos, I'm glad you agree with me, we found it very reasonable for nice food.

TooGood2BeFalse · 26/05/2018 21:07

@mando For sure, Paphos is really good value, both for holidays and living. Rent is half the price there than where I live!

ourkidmolly · 26/05/2018 21:14

Wow. What are you going too do? Transfer £600 into parents' account? I think that's a lot to ask for. I would never ask one of my dc friends unless I was prepared to sub it to a far greater extent than that.

BackforGood · 26/05/2018 21:27

I suppose it is about different expectations.
When we go somewhere hot we tend to lie by pool / on beach, swim, laze around, maybe stroll along the coast a bit or around the town, so, yes, I'd be surprised they needed that much.
Same with self catering - as a family, we'd eat an evening meal out, but we would all only expect one meal and one drink. Others would splash out on starters / puddings / several drinks etc. Some, I guess would eat in a lot more.
Always difficult once you've agreed, presuming that another family would spend what you would. However I think it would be difficult to do anything other than pay now, and learn the lesson for any furutre offers.

AllMYSmellySocks · 26/05/2018 21:33

I don't think it sounds outrageous if they plan to be out most of the day. Although if you subbed their DD last year (if I read that correctly) I would hope they'll do the same for yours. Although maybe they just assumed you travelled cheap and didn't realise you'd be subsidising her.

Boulshired · 26/05/2018 21:35

If I invited I would be expecting to cover costs and if for some reason I expected the parents to pay this would be upfront discussion before any bookings made.

Original poster

Ordinarymamma · 26/05/2018 21:47

Well she has told me they are taking 2k with them, 2 adults and another 13 year old. If they all spent £600 each, that would make it 1800 but they will be drinking alcohol as well and getting stuff in for the villa. I will just pay it now. We took their daughter on an England holiday last year, stayed in hotels so ate out 3 times per day. I think in total we took £50 out of the money they had sent for a week. That was also after going on loads of trips and stuff. But everyone is different I suppose!

OP posts:

Rocinante1 · 26/05/2018 21:55

If someone took my kid on holiday and I gave them X amount of money, and they returned and gave some back, I would assume it simply hadn't been needed. I wouldn't imagine you had paid for my kid.

So, when it came to my turn to take your child, is expect you to provide the spending money and then I would return anything that wasn't needed.

BackforGood · 26/05/2018 21:58

Oh, I missed the bit where you took her dd and treated her.
In that case, they should reciprocate, and pay for anything your dd has.

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