AIBU to not want to pay £5k for a school trip?

[Lincspeeps]

In short, DD's school are running a trip to South Africa in 2021 - safari, time in Madagascar, trekking, social responsibility work etc.

Problem is, its £4.5k plus spends and optional extras - the safari being one. So, with insurance, visas, inoculations etc it'll be five grand and more.

DD's three best friends are all going and we, at a massive stretch, could probably afford it BUT in reading where they stay etc it just seems like such a rip off. I want her to do something exciting but £5k just seems a ridiculous amount.

She's not spoiled and completely understands the value of money but she'll be devastated if she can't go and I'll feel like a demon by preventing her (she's 15 now, will be almost 17 when trip takes place). I just feel that £5k could be spent in a much better way where travel is concerned - I'm sure you can buy a round the world plane tickets for a couple of grand, for example!!

Help...…..

Apart from the fact it's a ridiculous amount of money, I'm another who questions the balance of the trip. Trekking, Madagascar etc etc and one week volontourism - doing bugger all for either poor kids who must get sick of people coming in for a week and then leaving and nothing for local people who for a tenth of the money can do the job or upskilling those who can't. Does the academy school not have the imagination to do the same thing in the UK/Europe with perhaps a bit more consistent help for people in local areas?

Not sure about Raleigh - just remember Prince William earnt some of his money from organising a polo tournament, but may be I got it wrong.

It's bizarre. Mine went to independent schools: sports tours to SA, Sri Lanka, S America were about £2 to £2.5k. Generally parents cd afford it and it wasn't unreasonable. There was a trip for £4ish to The Galapagos Islands. Most parents laughed - parents who could lay their hands on £4k and it was cancelled. Years ago now.

Is it so expensive because you are also covering the teachers?

I remember a huge outcry in my school many years ago when it emerged the teachers children also got a free ride on the expensive trip.

The school argued it was only fair because the parents were on the trip working. Many parents argued they saved hard for their children to go, and hadn’t expected to also paying for other children (accepting that teachers get a free ride as a necessary part of the trip).

Still talked about in my home town😂😂

Oh God no. She could do SA for half the price. Adding Madagascar for 4 days is pointless as you'll see so little - I'm just back from 2vweeks and will need to do another trip to cover off the bits I didn't see. Voluntourism is more harm than good. Just a no all round. There will be other chances.

My DS goes to a famous private boarding and and I have never come across this... £5k is a huge sum of money to find

Blimey! I've never ever been on a trip that cost even half that amount! As a family of 4, our annual holiday is usual around 1k. I absolutely could not afford that!!

However, if you can afford it, or nearly can, then my suggestion is to ask your DD to save up 2k through a Saturday job. If she can do it, you'll fund the difference. She's got 2 years to get saving. She could get inventive too - do some cake sales with her friends, sell her old stuff on eBay, start a student newspaper, etc... alongside the obvious Saturday jobs in supermarkets etc..

If she wants it badly enough, she'll get saving.

I’ve already commented on this but it’s annoying when poster keep banging on about going on “family holidays” instead
Speaking as someone who never went on family holidays and never wanted to ( saw enough of them everyday) why do people think a holiday with mum and dad will be anything like you and 30 other teenagers?

I wouldn't be sending my child off to South Africa for a month.
My SIL is South African and if you'd heard some of her stories you wouldn't consider it.

I remember a huge outcry in my school many years ago when it emerged the teachers children also got a free ride on the expensive trip.

Blimey - on the trip DD did a while back, the teacher who went paid for her husband and son to go, even though her husband was helping out. The Rotary club member paid her way too.

You say the trip is 2 years away, could your dd get an after school job? Then Perhaps you could say you’ll give her 1,000 if she comes up with the rest?

Aren't they supposed to earn for trips that much??

Aren't they supposed to earn for trips that much?? Like with World Challenge

Post GCSE if she want to volunteer she could do the citizenship program .Cost £50.Save the money for driving lessons when she's 17.
Some children learn more from being told no and why.£5000 iswhatthe government expect you to pay towards your child's living expenses each year if they go to uni.It is still a lot of money for most families so to squander it on 'holiday' is mad.
Time to teach your DD the value of money.

There are people who need help everywhere.

” I’ve already commented on this but it’s annoying when poster keep banging on about going on “family holidays” instead
Speaking as someone who never went on family holidays and never wanted to ( saw enough of them everyday) why do people think a holiday with mum and dad will be anything like you and 30 other teenagers?”

Two reasons. Most people who went on family holidays growing up did enjoy the experience, myself included. Spending time together as a family outside the day to day grind is very helpful in many ways, plus obviously most children don’t get to go on holiday at all unless it’s family holidays).

And, perhaps more pertinent to this, £5k is a huge amount to spend on one person. Most people would rather spend that amount (assuming they have it) on something that will benefit all members of the family, not just one.

That’s why people “keep banging on” about family holidays.

I think I’d be asking for a cost breakdown from the school as that seems ludicrously expensive considering they are camping for the most part and it doesn’t even include the safari!

South Africa is the most dangerous country outside a war zone.

I have been there many times over the years but nothing would persuade me to return there. And this was my first thought when I read your post.

Op - Please read @Linning 's two posts again. Here speaks a woman with direct experience and wisdom.

The cost is ludicrous but that issue would only be secondary for my refusal.

That’s madness. And what exactly are the school trying to teach the children about social responsibility? There’s nothing socially responsible about taking long haul flights when we’re facing imminent environmental collapse.

The country is too dangerous imo - I'd never let my child there with someone else looking after them

Not in a billion years.
My DC's would have more financial responsibility and realise how ridiculous this is

I know someone's DD who raised £1.5k herself to pay towards a simlilar trip

The school should be ashamed of themselves.

I did world challenge back in the day and the trip was a great experience. I saved about half from my Saturday job (was older than your dd though) and raised about half of the rest. There were a lot of extra costs-buying kit etc though so my parents probably paid out about half of original total.

The volunteering bit was definitely a waste of time though. Looking back would definitely have been better to pay local people to do what we did.

Overall I have mixed feelings. It was definitely a great experience for me and set me up to go away on my gap year with more experience about how to travel alone, however it was expensive and the volunteering was rather dubious.

I probably would encourage my kids to look for something more ethically sound and cheaper.

Absolutely not, 5k is A LOT. Book a nice family holiday instead.

She won't be devastated. I remember wanting to go on a £500 skiing trip which was contemplated but ultimately they decided they couldn't afford it. I was disappointed but I got over it. And so will your daughter!