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???

£700 for a cottage for a week in Wales in August school holidays booked for our summer break. Also grandparents are very generous and invite us on holiday with them where they pay accommodation, we pay spends.

We save every month for holidays as it's important for us. Both ours are in school but when we had nursery fees we only went in term time, UK. We always self cater, only eat out once or twice, and limit paid activities, can be quite cheap with small children. I imagine it gets more expensive as they get older and are less content with an afternoon in a park in a different location and an ice cream

We have one holiday a year in the UK in aug, usually caravan,primary aged kids. I book the next one straight after the last, and it takes me all year to pay off and save the spending money. We have several friends who take their kids away several times a year- no idea how they do it!

Center Parcs has always been expensive, and their target market has always been the middle classes. Pre-pandemic their occupancy was always >95%, so they must be doing something right.

@TheVolturi

For the first time ever, we are taking the kids out for one week. Two weeks after Easter to go to Center Parcs. It was a grand less than half term, it's crazy. We've had a really tough year out so, like many, but have made the decision and school can like it or lump it. It's just the once, we have three young dc, one with sn and we've not had a proper family holiday for so long, it will do us the world of good.

Nice attitude towards the teachers who will help your child catch up.

We caravanned a lot when the kids were little. Wonderful way for kids to grow up tbh. They still love coming now and the oldest is 20.

I booked a nice little cottage for a week I don't think all schools have, for £700. Reasonable-ish.

I've just cancelled it, as 3 months after booking it, they decided the price was "an error" and asked for £395 more or they would cancel the booking.

U.K. holidays are expensive!!!
How much do you have to put towards a holiday OP- work backwards

I book very far in advance! Just booked a week all inclusive holiday in Menorca for August 2023, managed to get a free child place, but haven't got much change from £3k 😱
We have two standing orders amounting to £175 that come to an end in the middle of this year, so I can start putting that towards it, also I'm pretty much guaranteed a bonus from work so can hopefully pay for the majority with that.
I love my holidays so would find a way to pay for them!!

I'm a lone parent on 23k a year we always manage a little break in the summer.

We do a b&b in West Wales, or another coastal town in the UK, spend all day by the beach if it's sunny, ice creams, fish and chips on the pier. Penny slots.

We go in camping trips also, little two man tent, hire a pitch, little one ring gas hob. Pitches are as little as £6 a day, we go on country walks, or play ball games. Spend the night cuddled up in a double sleeping bag, I take some power banks all fully charged so we can watch Netflix on the tablet in the evening, read a book together. Local pubs for some meals.

I have also done the odd last minute package holiday all inclusive to Croatia in a 3* hotel. Again days by the beach them and no worries for food.

I keep it simple so, no stress and we have fun. Cheap and cheerful, not everyone's idea, but it's the time together we enjoy, as I work full time and DS is only 7. There's only 2 of us also, so that obviously keeps cost low.

Holidays are my only big expenditure. I save like crazy and me and DD go for cheap and cheerful abroad. I'm buggered if I'm saving my arse off to spend a grand in this country, I want sun.

The answer is in your post - they save up over a year.

I think that the money seems like a waste because you have other prioritises, but I would be willing to forgo other things through the year to afford a holiday.

We also camp a fair bit which is very affordable if you already have the equipment (obviously less so if you don't).

Center Parcs is expensive!
People either have higher income, save all year, prioritise holidays over other discretionary spends, have lower overheads, search for cheep deals, go in term time, dont go. There are lots of reasons.

You might see nextdoor having a £30 takeaway every fortnight, but next door but one arent seen not having the takeaways - but over a year thats £750 that is well on the way to a holiday that you do see.

Camping. I do love camping but also wish we could afford the school holiday prices but can't justify that amount.

We have 3 young kids. Slightly above average income. Last year we had a caravan in wales in August for 4 nights, £600. We have done center parcs but did a weekend rather than mon-Fri and did it when we had an inset day, I think we paid £600 for that too.
We’ve looked at going abroad this year and the best we can find in school holidays for the 5 of us is about £2k. We try and put aside £150 a month for holidays so will probably put it on a credit card then pay it off with the £150 a month.

I have 4 dc, 3 in school (7,6 & 4). We camp in the Easter & summer holidays and weekends. We used to hire a holiday cottage but the prices have become expensive since last year so will be giving it a miss for a year or two. Centre Parcs is booked but we aren’t going in the school holidays as we can’t afford it. Hoping to get abroad later in the year or next but again will take the kids out of school and pay the fine. We save an amount for holidays and if DH has good years (self employed) we may do more or go further. Always found going abroad much better value too. Unless it’s an important exam year I will be taking the kids out every year as the prices in school holidays are a piss take.

Scale back Christmas, and use the money towards a holiday instead.

I know I'll get flamed but we went in term time until high school

😂😂😂 The teachers will not care. So many kids are in and out of school with covid and isolation etc what difference does it make? Our mental health and general wellbeing is more important than what a keyboard warrior on mn says.

@awalkintime

I spend hours snooping around for a good deal, looking at reviews and comparing prices. We usually go to a cottage down South but it won’t be right on the beach, doesn’t have a hot tub etc. Take food from
Aldi, look ahead for local restaurants that do
deals on meals etc.
We save for this from now and prioritise this over doing more lavish things at Christmas that other people spend lots on.

Centreparcs is silly money, plenty of options for self catering far cheaper. Many families go to france and either camp or stay in mobile homes or gites

Have a look at glamping pods, they have ensuite shower rooms, a proper bed and a kitchen/lounge area. Wigwam holidays have loads of locations in the uk

House swap! Life changing.