To not let DD go on this holiday?

[Ziggzagg]

DD just messaged asking if she can go on holiday with her friends family. I asked how much and she replied £1500 and going in August (as in 3weeks away)!

Who just has access to £1500?

Shouldn't the Mum have discussed it with me before getting DD excited? I've said no now but that's cheeky isn't it?

But to be honest I’d also expect an 11yo yo understand that £1500 at short notice (or even any notice) is too much.

They don't seem that wealthy, both work normal jobs. Maybe they've saved for the year

I know I explained to her and she understands, she's obviously still upset though. Probably thinks everyone can do it if her friends parents have.

I was planning on spending that on 2 adults and 3 children haha

I wonder if you’re only getting half the story. Has her friend been pestering her parents to take DD too, and their parents said “no, it’s £1500 and we’re booking it tonight”? And then the two 11yos have turned that into “DD can totally come if her mum pays £1500 by tonight”

The story you are getting is so completely unreasonable that I just can’t imagine it’s true. It sounds a lot like a story an 11yo with no understanding of money might cook up if she wanted to go to Florida though.

If she is only 11 then she definitely should have asked you first. I was imagining her being 16 and quite able to deal with the potential disappointment of you saying no.

I can't believe it's that much. I assume the space in the accommodation would be available anyway and so there would only be flight costs and additional cost of park entry/food etc for a child. I'm inclined to agree with longestlurkerever

We can debate whether it's unreasonable or not until the cows home.
However it Doesn't change a thing.
If themoney isn't there it isn't there.
I could be wildly wrong all things happen at sea but I don't imagine there are many £1,500 money trees around.

YADNBU, that’s ridiculous, of course they should have asked you, before mentioning the holiday to your daughter, what stupid people to put you on the spot like that.

Who just has access to £1500?

Beyonce.

The mum's a CF. Has someone dropped out and she wants the place filled?

Yanbu. That's a lot of money at short notice, the parents should have contacted you direct, and I think 11 is too young to be going that far with another family. Devon or somewhere - no problem. And I. ,like you, would also think that amount is enough for a whole family holiday!

Presumably £1500 is flights & accommodation. She'd need money to contribute for food, entertainment (park tickets could be hundreds), ESTA, souvenirs. Does she have enough appropriate clothes for fortnight in Florida or would also have to provide shorts, tops, bikinis, sandals etc. Would you be arranging travel insurance? If she was taken ill or had an accident would friend's family be happy to give up their holiday time to parent your sick child or would you have to fly out? Thats just what I've come up with in a minute or two. It is irresponsible of the other family to expect you to agree to anything at such short notice, and I'd be more than a little cross that they suggested it to DD before sounding me out.

That is shocking. I would be very cross at them talking to a child first instead of parents, plus having such a tight deadline to know. I hope DD would know that we couldn't afford that at the drop of a hat.

I was invited to Florida and the family inviting me didn't expect any payment, I was their guest. In fact, only under much badgering they told me the flights were £400 each (this was 20+ years ago) and I saved up from my weekend job to give them a cheque (they never cashed it).

YANBU.

£1,500 is a ridiculous amount to expect you to cough up at short notice for a holiday your daughter would be going on without you.

Do you have other DC? Would you give each of them the same amount of money?

The friend's parents should have called to sound you out about it before getting your daughter's hopes up like that. She's 11 and clearly doesn't understand how much money £1,500 is and how long it would take most people to earn that kind of money after they've paid tax on it and then covered all their essential expenses.

Even then, park tickets were about £1000 (we went to most of the parks), they also ate out sometimes (they paid for me, including a character meal at DisneyWorld), plus some evenings out to the cinema.

Worth noting that I got interrogated by border control (with guns!) because I was travelling with a different family. I was 18 at the time and travelling with my boyfriend's family, so it was totally fine if a little daunting as they had all walked through and I was held back briefly. Just a warning if something similar maybe could happen now.

Unfortunately @9amTrain I have neither Beyoncé's looks or money

£1500 sounds not bad for Florida. Must admit I doubt I could say no, I would feel really mean. But only you can decide if it's worth it and whether you can afford it.

I imagine the children cooked this up between them.
Have you been in contact with the parents to find out what is going on?

"The wife's a cf"

Course she is. No need to fill in any facts here.

Ds1's friend asked if he could come on safari with us recently (mad keen on cheetahs). I said sure - as long as he found £2,000 to cover his costs and got all his vaccinations. I wasn't really inviting him - we dont even know when we are going yet (2020 probably).

He asked his mum. She laughed and told him to start saving. We agreed to discuss it again once he'd got the money together.

Are you sure this is actually coming from the parents at all? Sounds more like something cooked up between the dc.

Surprised at the number of people that appear to have NO access to £1500. What do you do if there is an emergency that you need a larger amount of money for?

No I will speak with the Mum in the morning, too late now. Been in work for like 10 hours today then college after, can hardly think. The Mum is usually fine got no problem speaking with her about this, just needed to vent 😆

I can have access to that money, just not for a holiday for DD in 3 weeks time

@starzig Not everyone is financially able to save £1500 and anyway, we are talking about a holiday, it's about not having access to £1500 for emergencies to use on a last minute holiday, which is not justifiable. If they NEEDED to, I imagine more people could find it...