To be relieved families probably won’t be going abroad this summer?

[Summermummer]

To keep a long story short, we as a family are fairly tight on money. I love my DC and would do anything for them. We live in a good area and my DC go to a good school and live in a safe place.
However, in order to afford to live where we do and pay the bills, money is tight. This means no “frivolous” expenses, which usually means no holidays.
Every year my DC return to school after summer to hear about all of their classmates summer holidays which are usually ‘big’ holidays (Orlando, Spain, etc) and they always ask why they can’t go on holiday and how I’m not as nice as their friends parents.
AIBU to be glad that just for once my kids won’t be made to feel left out?

@bubbleup you're completely right. We've had to move 3 holidays this year to next year that we're all paid for but we already had two booked for next year, so we have 5 booked. I cannot bloody wait

'It's unfair!' Diddums, that's life.

Max excellent. Just keep away from my best friend who has been in lockdown in Spain (and I mean proper lockdown, not the shit UK version) and her immune compromised DH would you?

What a nasty post.

I'm sure the poster hasn't got the slightest interest in going anywhere near your mate. If your mate is that worried, she should shut herself up at home, or better yet, take it up with the Spanish govt. They are desperate to get tourism up and running again - their economy is highly dependent on it - and Britain is their number one source of tourists.

Does your friend want the millions of Spaniards whose livliehoods depend on tourism to beg on the streets or what? While observing social distancing, obviously.

Yanbu I understand where you're coming from OP. It's hard if you're working full time but still find it hard to afford 'luxuries'. Maybe you can save up for next summer? Lots of holiday firms let you pay a deposit then final balance closer to the time.

You’ve chosen a ‘nice area’ over experiences. This is your choice.

I’m a self employed single parent and looking likely to be hard up for a few years. I’m taking the decision to move to a cheaper area so that we can have some money for things like holidays (though they’ll be low key - definitely not Florida etc.)

To me, being able to afford to join our friends for days out, occasional meals out, holidays and the ability to replace broken appliances/cars is worth the sacrifice of moving to a different area where my income will be a better fit with the other people living there.

Iced that's just the point. She has been shut up at home in a studio flat since March. Why should she shut herself in for the rest of the summer/autumn just because folk need a holiday?

Quite. I'll be able to go on an amazing holiday next year if I fancy it. The holiday pot has doubled. I didn't realise I was on a "playing field" either

Plus, why single out holidays? Some people can afford better houses, cars, clothes, mobile phones etc than others. Should we all wear Mao suits and own the same number of material possessions just so we're all on an 'even playing field'?

Whilst I do understand your feelings, children need to understand what you can and can not afford. They do not need to know all the ins and outs of your finances but need to know every family is different. Yes they may be disappointed/envious of school friends holidays but that is life, you do not always get what you want.

Funny Does it really make a difference where people are from? It makes no difference to your friend if they are Spanish or English if she is so vulnerable that she can’t leave her flat.

You can’t expect people to never travel again.

Make the most of it tho, there will be lockdown again once they have their second wave, thanks to the tourist dollar on which they rely

that's just the point. She has been shut up at home in a studio flat since March. Why should she shut herself in for the rest of the summer/autumn just because folk need a holiday?

Alternatively, why should the Spanish economy collapse, millions lose their jobs and thousands of businesses go to the wall just so your friend can go for a walk?

It's not about 'folk needing a holiday'. It's about rescuing an industry which is essential to the Spanish economy and which helps pay for the vital services everyone in Spain depends on.

@DisobedientHamster I never said I was happy, I said I was relived (and I’m not happy you’re all suffering, I’m just trying to point out there’s bigger things to worry about)

Also, I group up on a council estate so I can only judge from experience of my childhood. I want my children to have better than I did.

In a normal year I don’t even think about holidays, it doesn’t bother me at all,

Thank you to everyone who understands where I’m coming from - I’m not happy at the pain of others, far from it, I’m just glad my kids won’t feel like they’ve missed out this year

I get where you are coming from OP, but there will always be someone better off. Holidays are my priority after food and rent therefore I drive a 16 year old banger and my house looks like a charity shop, both of which makes my dc feel embarrassed/inferior. I don't care though, the way I see it is that going to different countries is a great form of education and although they are budget holidays they have been so enriching.

Nick I can expect people not to travel until their countries have a low level of infection.

BTW I know this is all fruitless, it just makes me angry that folk travelling think nothing of the locals of the places they are travelling to.

All I’m trying to say is it’s unfair - so many people are making a huge fuss about no holidays when so many of us can’t afford that luxury

And I will never be able to afford to buy a house, will always have to rent. Is that unfair on me? Honestly I really am quite disgusted by this petulant, whiny thread. You chose to prioritise and use your finances to better a certain area of your life - nice house in a nice area and now you're here saying it is unfair that others choose to use their finances to prioritise holidays and travel and you're glad they now can't so that you'd kids won't be upset. Why can't you take your kids on a holiday ffs? It's not THAT expensive. You can do February half term in Spain very cheaply especially if only one adult and children. Don't blame others because you're too tight to take them on a cheap break.

There are lots of things some people have or do that others don’t or can’t. Contrary to the views of some on MN foreign holidays aren’t the preserve of “the elite” 🙄. Millions of ordinary people go away once or more every year and by ordinary people I do mean retail workers, care workers and so on. Surely your children aren’t actually being “shunned”?

The tone of your posts is a bit self pitying and everyone else is luckier than us, imo. I think it’s healthier all round to focus on what you do have rather than looking around to see what someone else has that you don’t.

Everybody has something, which doesn’t go well in their lives. We have the money. But I’m too ill. All these people getting mental health problems because they’re stuck at home for a few month when I’ve been stuck at home due to chronic illness for for almost a decade and have good mental health. A few of us wrote on here of how you all just got the tiniest of glimpses into our world. It would have been spiteful to say oh I’m glad this is now happening to you. Besides if you have your health, you still cannot relate. You’re doing the same thing. YABU

IcedPurple thank you. We're not even going on a holiday, it's to try and sort out our move over which got horribly derailed.

Funny I am in Scotland, there is a good chance we would be welcome abroad!

And as soon as I can manage it, I’m on a plane abroad.

I can expect people not to travel until their countries have a low level of infection

The Spanish govt clearly believes that it's safe to admit visitors from the UK. Why do you think individual tourists should make this decision?

it just makes me angry that folk travelling think nothing of the locals of the places they are travelling to

Except that the locals are often desperate to get the tourists back. Nobody's forcing them to open their hotels, restaurants, pubs, etc, are they?

Your kids will feel they’ve missed out though. That’s harsh, but it’s life. They won’t have a foreign holiday to envy - but what will those kids have instead? I can’t go abroad, so I spent lots of money on an iPad. I don’t blame your kids for being jealous - it’s all very well saying comparison is the third of joy, but the jealousy doesn’t make them bad kids. But deciding you’re not as nice as friend’s parents? I’d be VERY disappointed in children with that shitty attitude towards me.

I think you need to check your priorities, perhaps ponder the meaning of life and quit allowing money to define you and your family.

It’s toxic.

Well you can go to Spain from tomorrow so the op’s wish for everyone to stay home for the summer ain’t gonna happen

I get you, OP.
My DC attend a leafy suburb school in one of the wealthiest parts of our city, although we live in a tiny ex-council house on an estate bordering the nice area. Boy, do they feel it. I've had a kid come for a play date, walking in and saying, with eyes like saucers "Wow, your house is sooo small!"
But I am mainly glad that travel may drop this summer for environmental reasons.

I live on a council estate. Should I be glad if you lose your house because I can’t afford to live in a nice area?