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Original poster

How are so many people booking holidays if they are struggling with the cost of living?

255 replies

Brinnyloowho · 22/07/2022 20:42

This is definitely not meant in a snarky way but so many people around me are going on not one, but multiple holidays over the next year. Ordinary, not particularly well-off people. All the news of airports and travel being pushed to their capacity. All at the same time I'm seeing about the cost of living crisis. Yet, in reality I'm not seeing it.

Maybe all of these holidays were booked pre-crisis (I know ours was). Does this mean travel will slow down again after the summer?

OP posts:
whynotwhatknot · 22/07/2022 21:38

my sisters holiday this year was rolled over from 2020 i reckon alot of people are the same

usernotfound0000 · 22/07/2022 21:41

We booked last year before prices went up. That said, I would always prioritise travel and would look to cut back in lots of other areas in order to still be able to go on holiday. We are having quite a luxurious holiday this year and we probably will lower our standards next year but travel will definitely still happen.

TuftyMarmoset · 22/07/2022 21:44

We aren’t struggling with the cost of living and travel is my priority for the next few years. We are extremely low users of energy and petrol so haven’t been affected by most of the price increases so far.

VestaTilley · 22/07/2022 21:44

Loads of reasons - my DH’s DB and SIL are off to Disney Florida with their DC: they freed up a load of equity when selling their old house. They also live in a cheap part of the UK and get a lot of Nana help to cover childcare costs.

MIL and FIL went to Barbados and are having a new kitchen: they have good workplace pensions and MIL got some massive payout from overpaying pension contributions years ago.

It’s not all loans, credit cards etc. Everyone has different circumstances, not everyone is struggling with the cost of living.

DH and I earn a lot more than DB and SIL, but we live in an expensive part of the country, have a high mortgage and pay for nursery 4 days a week. We are not having a holiday this year.

Ilikewinter · 22/07/2022 21:45

We're holidaying in the UK now so our allocated holiday fund that used to take us long haul goes a long way, DH is WFH and im home 3 days a week so petrol costs are negligible, we can afford to absorb the cost of living rises for now, although I am making conscious decisions in the supermarket, and weve pulled back on takeaways.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 22/07/2022 21:46

I wonder where all the traffic is coming from when petrol prices are so high!

Had to drive 320 miles the other day through England. Only 30 miles of it didn’t have a traffic jam. Took 10hours. No accidents, few roadworks. Just volume of traffic.

Superbabe64 · 22/07/2022 21:48

The crux of it is...we are not all struggling with the cost of living...just some of us are...

Bubblebubblebah · 22/07/2022 21:48

Not that much changed in our bills. Energy bills are up like... 16 for now? Petrol is annoying. Food a bit, but I would say 10%max.
Tbh it may be because we basically live "frugaly" in some way. Both immigrants and lots of the "frugal" ways are just normal thing for us. Cooking from scratch, using cheap cuts, not buying stuff we don't need (hell when I get to B&M😂), don't eat out much, moved to cheap area and so on.
What we spend all that money on is meat and holidays and family visits (abroad).

MANY people are not affected the way it's portraide here or in media. And we are not on some super high incomes. Both about 25k

Bubblebubblebah · 22/07/2022 21:50

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 22/07/2022 21:46

I wonder where all the traffic is coming from when petrol prices are so high!

Had to drive 320 miles the other day through England. Only 30 miles of it didn’t have a traffic jam. Took 10hours. No accidents, few roadworks. Just volume of traffic.

I guess they also needed to make some trip...

Sh05 · 22/07/2022 21:50

I think we will see a major impact on luxuries and holidays next year, this year lots of people even those not on massive incomes still have savings so feel okay about going on holiday.
There's also lots of people who are possibly using credit cards with a plan of paying off later.

Whatever00 · 22/07/2022 21:55

Does Butlins in November count? It's as close to a holiday we will get this year.

jimmyjammy001 · 22/07/2022 21:56

House prices have gone up £32k in the past year, so a First time buyer needs an extra £32k more than a year ago and houses are selling like hot cakes at the mo around by me, the cost of living crisis is effecting a minority, most people I know arnt being affected and are happily splashing out

fingersg · 22/07/2022 21:58

I have to say I find it a little confusing, we could spend more but I'm conscious of saving as much as possible due to all the doom & gloom. But there's also lots of inequality.

Kennykenkencat · 22/07/2022 22:02

jimmyjammy001 · 22/07/2022 21:56

House prices have gone up £32k in the past year, so a First time buyer needs an extra £32k more than a year ago and houses are selling like hot cakes at the mo around by me, the cost of living crisis is effecting a minority, most people I know arnt being affected and are happily splashing out

I saw some absolute bargain holidays earlier in the year

Could people have booked then

Kennykenkencat · 22/07/2022 22:03

also if you haven’t moved house then whether house prices have gone up ir down it isn’t going to show in your pocket unless you remortgaged

fingersg · 22/07/2022 22:07

Am I overly cautious by trying to save as much as possible because of all the uncertainty?

whiteroseredrose · 22/07/2022 22:10

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 22/07/2022 21:10

the cost of living crisis is just warming up.

I think this is it. It hasn't actually bitten yet.

Notimeforaname · 22/07/2022 22:11

I live for my 2 week summer holiday. And other mini breaks in between.
I am by no means well off but nothing stops us from going.
We have no children so keeps costs lower.

We always save and pay for the flights/travel ourselves at the beginning of the year, then book accommodation that only takes payment on arrival.
We take a loan from the credit union for the accommodation and spending money just before we leave.
Since we save money in the credit union anyway it makes no difference to us to throw an extra 50/100 each week. By the next summer its paid and we do the same again.
For mini breaks we just save a couple months in advance.
And shopping around and booking things separately can make it much cheaper.

BlueIvy11 · 22/07/2022 22:12

I booked one because I know its the last one we will go on for a while abroad, due to rising costs. I've worked hard and my children have worked hard too so we deserved the break. It's not left us financially vulnerable or anything though. We haven't been away in nearly 3 years due to the pandemic so I have saved during that time.

Nothappyatwork · 22/07/2022 22:12

Whilst I definitely would not spend every penny of my savings on a holiday I think the last couple of years has taught us all that life is short and I’d rather cut back on the shopping a little bit than miss out on a family holiday if it came to it.

but compare it with 2020 I have had a whopping pay rise that definitely outstrips inflation for now.
in terms of the house prices rising by 32 grand you wouldn’t even notice 32 grand on your mortgage over a 25 year period, so that’s not going to day to day affect most people’s habits.

stratforduponavon · 22/07/2022 22:14

If you read Mumsnet you would sometimes think most people are struggling, using food banks regularly and looking for money down the side of the sofa. Whilst there are people like that it isn’t like that for the majority.

Certainly round here people aren’t struggling. Come winter the energy bills will hit but not for everyone.

Felixsmama · 22/07/2022 22:15

Different priorities , We aren't struggling household income of 140k I drive a city car , OH drives a clapped out 15 year old car with a hobby sports car. Live in a modest house mortgage is £400 a month. We prioritise holidays and eating out might move one day but taking it easy for now.

TheCanyon · 22/07/2022 22:15

We booked our haven holiday 14 months before going, before dh was medically booted from his job after a VERY severe sudden onset lifetime illness that's not yet under control. I've been suddenly neuroligically unwell 18 months, 18 months ago I couldn't walk, lie down, even breathe etc without feeling like I'm falling, I had no feeling in my limbs. I have good and bad hours now, still not fit enough to hold down a job but able to recognise when I need to stop and lie down or just not do anything. How long do you think I should give it before I'm holiday worthy? being

My kids fucking deserved that holiday after the last year of worrying if they were coming home to a parent in hospital as happened several timea or indeed having both parents in hospital and being with our friends on a rota, or effectively babysitting me if dh had to go out.

Since January this year we have received ESA and UC worth a whole 950-975 a month. Four kids, rent 500, bills and food astronomical, that's what being sick serves you in this country.

I'm skint yes, but I'll cut every corner to make my kids happy. And I won't feel guilty about a second of it.

Changemaname1 · 22/07/2022 22:15

These type of posts recently confuse the shit out of me

what’s hard to understand ?

Even with a cost of living crisis some people still have plenty of spare money . the end .

RichardMarxisinnocent · 22/07/2022 22:16

Summersdreaming · 22/07/2022 20:51

Not everyone is struggling yet. 5 years ago I would have been, massively so. Equally I don't have much of a commute or any childcare costs, some people spend a grand a month just on those, so I can still afford holidays for now.

Same here, no children, free commute as it's a walk.
I also had refunds from cancelled holidays in 2020, barely spent any money in 2020, and not much more in the first half of 2021, didn't go on anything more than a couple of 2 night UK city breaks between October 2019 and March 2022, and am currently on a reasonably priced fixed term energy contract until September 2023. So at the moment I can still afford a holiday. They're not very extravagant ones - a few days in a European city earlier this year, 5 nights on a part sunshine/part sightseeing break later in the year.