AIBU to wonder how anyone with kids can afford to go on holiday?

[stilltiredinthemorning]

My husband and I both work. We're not huge earners, but both professionals earning above the average wage. We have 2 kids (3 and 6). I know this has probably been raised many times before, but honestly, how to 'normal' people possibly afford to go on holiday??? Just for giggles I just had a look at Centre Parks for either half term or Easter - it's £1800 for 4 days!!!! Even bloody Butlins in Skeggy is over £600 for 3 nights. Cheap package holidays seem to be at least £1000 (but at least feels like your getting a bit extra for your money). Even if we had £1800 sitting about, which we most certainly don't, I really don't think I could bring myself to spend it on 4 nights in a very average log cabin in Suffolk (especially since pretty much everything else costs extra). I'm honestly thinking that we just won't be able to go on holiday again until the kids are finished at school. I mean we could save up the money over a year or so, but the pressure of spending that much would undo all the pleasure of the holiday I think???

I book easyJet and pay off over a few months or a year depending on the cost. You could do open a savings account specifically for a holiday and add what you can then book something in budget when there's a reasonable balance.

I remember before dc me and dh would just book last minute and go anywhere that was cheap- it wasn't an issue if it was a bit rubbish as we'd barely be in the hotel anyway but with dc we want a good AI resort with plenty for the dc to do (kids club is a bonus to get a few hours to ourselves!) and it's 2k+ easy.
This year we're headed to our favourite short haul resort, just under £3k for a week off peak (but still summer). It could have been less but I chose better flight times as travelling with small dc and a lodge upgrade for extra space.

It's doable with planning and shopping around, you can also take late/early flights to bring the cost down for going abroad. But holidays and travel is horribly overpriced. Haven/centre parks type used to be a lower price alternative to overseas holidays but they have increased so much it's now often more expensive. I priced up a haven break and it was almost £2k for a week, then add on food and activities for a family of 4 and it's the same as a week AI somewhere sunny!