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

[Brinnyloowho]

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?

We are currently on our second foreign holiday this year. It was booked and paid for a year ago, next years is already booked and half paid for. The year after that? God knows. But I do know I'm handing my mobility card back at the end of the year instead of renewing it to save the £80 ish a week to mitigate the costs of living crisis. Lots and lots of sitting at home alone in my future. Missed DR appointments too.

This is a very good point. The holiday we had earlier in the year was a rollover that were had to use a voucher for and it had to be used in a set time. Otherwise we would have only had 1 holiday this year.

I would assume that those booking the holidays aren't struggling with the cost of living increase. Some people have high incomes or are not committed to huge outgoings and while no-one likes paying more for things, plenty can and still have money for travel.

Booked ours last year before everything went up. It's quite a worry.

I’m on mat leave and we went on two this year - one aboard for a week and one for a few days to a UK destination. How we afford it - we have savings to fall back on, and also our salaries are enough to cushion cost of living crisis so far ie rising energy bills. However, we have cut back on other things such as eating out and takeaways, and the holidays aren’t 5 star luxury, just air b and bs and cheapest flights. Realise we are very lucky compared to some

Maybe it’s just the circle of friends you know who aren’t struggling so much. Those with salaries that enabled them to have lots of disposable income beforehand won’t struggle as much

I have a niche business.
The Labour rate increased by 30%
The markup on sales (materials) increased by 25%.

Dp has seen a £6000 increase in her salary over the past 18 months. They want to keep her. She's still leaving post-baby to set up a business.

Covid was a great opportunity to increase revenue. There's loads of money sloshing about.
Although inflation is driven purely by supply issues.
Travel is cheap and we both enjoy it. So why not.

Example
Some of my work colleagues spend £15 per day on lunch
£90 per week
£360 per month
I make packed lunch & buy yellow sticker food or use food waste apps

My savings help towards my holidays!

That's a great example.👍👌

We pay the balance of our holiday with credit card and clear it the next month so we have protection on the credit card in anything goes wrong with the booking. Debit card protection doesn't always cover the full amount.

Even paying the deposit, which is usually £50 or so, on your credit card, will cover the entire cost if something goes wrong.

Plus we get cashback for our credit card spends and it's cleared the following month.

Credit cards are not bad if used correctly.

Nearly all of my friends and colleagues are going away ; only one can't because of money , but she did manage a very short break last month but that had been put off previously due to the lockdowns. Mix of Uk and abroad.
I think it's a case of credit cards, inheritances ( I know a few who are now loaded ) or just savings. Some tour companies let you pay it off monthly too , so may have been booked over a year ago as well.
It is a necessity for so many people when years ago Dh and I wouldn't have bothered if we couldn't afford it and we often went years without one or just a long weekend somewhere if we were lucky.
People's expectations are much higher these days I think too.

To be honest, I don't know what is real anymore.

On the one hand, it's being reported that people are barely scraping a living and are being topped up by food banks.

On the other hand, we have people on Mumsnet are telling us that their son Tarquin has just secured his first job out of uni on £80k and are asking about his benefits package and share options.

I've never known so much inequality and I'm a bit of an old bird.

I'm a sp to two young teens. They are really really keen to do a foreign holiday next year, and I'm conscious of the years slipping past and them growing up. There isn't time to just always sit and do the sensible thing so I'll be booking one..I work ft, earn 30k plus so no benefits other than CB but not much headroom either...BUT I am making a conscious effort to stop buying random clothes etc and trips to trampoline parks and cinemas which will fund it.

I know not everyone is struggling (we're certainly not) but the people I know on much lower incomes aren't struggling either
@Brinnyloowho and what? You want them to be struggling? Why, does it make you feel better about yourself?

Tbh that is caused a lot by the fact that averagness is just not interesting so no one talks about it.

You’re missing out by not having a credit card. I get free flights every year from mine!

You’re missing out by not having a credit card. I get free flights every year from mine!

Not only that but paying on a credit card offers protection if everything goes tits up with a purchase. I don’t know why people are proud of it.

Cutting back on everything and then getting so desperate I can't cope so book a holiday regardless...

I disagree. Depends on their situation. Loads of people are struggling to pay gas bills. But loads of people aren't. Mn always insists that people are living off their credit cards, but my friends aren't. They've already had their covid rollover holiday. Now they've had another. And booked next years too. No credit card in sight.

Not everyone is struggling, I suppose. We haven't been, and things would have to be a lot, lot worse than this before we would even start to be concerned (for our personal situation I mean, we don't think what's happening is okay by any means).
I know quite a few people who are only just going on a holiday that was postponed due to the pandemic.

I haven't heard from anyone really about job losses yet, until then most people will manage.

There was mass unemployment in 2008 creating the hardship so far prices are rising alongside job opportunities if the momentum continues there won't be a massive recession IMO.

Tbh the people I know who regularly go on holidays and drive new cards don't live on credit cards.

I do know their personal finances as they're close friends and family.

I also have local friends struggling to pay the bills now, not sure what they'll do in the winter.

I'm concerned myself about the oil prices but thankfully with two average wages coming in, we won't freeze though will feel the pinch.

€1500 for 1000 ltrs of kerosene.

*new cars

The people who are struggling to pay bills are unlikely to be going abroad. We on the other hand are seeing our bills for everything going through the roof, but are lucky enough to have a combined income that means we can still go on holiday of that's what we choose to do. It'll mean we have less savings and less money for other stuff, but our needs as a family are met plus we have ££ left over.
Not everyone is able to do that though.

Most of our friends are duel income, professional families - everyone's complaining about the cost of living but it's not really affecting them. We also have friends who are teachers, public sector workers, single income homes and they're starting to say no to coming out, can't afford to come away with us, having something like unexpected bills for. car repair set them back.