To wonder how people afford to do anything much these days?

[Bouncingavocado]

I’m working most of the summer so have my dc with family / in childcare which is costly enough.

I’ve had a couple of days off this week and because I’m not getting much time with my dc I’ve taken them out and about and basically just burnt through cash.
I don’t even feel we’ve done that much?! I mean we could have gone cheaper but my older dc is 12 now and a bit old for the park / a picnic.
We’ve been out for lunch, been to the cinema, a trampoline park and to a local museum.
It is just as well I’m back as work next week tbh.

I don’t know how anyone affords to do anything these days. Everywhere we went was very quiet too which makes me worry that a lot of places aren’t going to survive because actually people cannot afford to go out in the way they used to.

Well, very simply, they have more money than you to spend on these things.

Probably.
But we are a high income household.

They don't have DC.
Their DC aren't in childcare, which frees up a lot of income.
They have lower outgoings or are mortgage free.

All sorts, really.

They earn more and/or have lower other outgoings (eg have prioritised downpaying mortgage in past) or they are living on credit.

I work in a school so have the whole holiday to try and fill. I'm extremely grateful that we live close to a lovely beach and that DD is a water baby as we've been there almost everyday with a picnic to keep costs down plus its cooler at the beach.

Threads like this come up all the time and there's not really a set answer. Everyone's financial situation is totally different maybe they have more disposal income, or save up or borrow from family/credit cards. Its impossible to say. I wouldn't say its fair to say places are quiet though everywhere is mobbed near me same as always in the school holidays.

Many high-income households are paying £2k to £3k plus a month mortgage though. High income does not always equal high disposable income.

We've got one child, annual passes for everything locally, and a cinema pass each. Days out only cost whatever we spend on food and if we do loads of paid days out (2 days at Legoland booked in September) we put less in savings.

I’m in the London suburbs in the south east and honestly you’d never know there’s any cost of living crisis, restaurants, cafes and kids activities are full even though the prices have all jumped up. It’s affecting some but not all. And most bills haven’t actually jumped up yet

We earn enough to be able to afford to is the simple answer.
DH is a high earner. I work school hours so no childcare costs. Our mortgage is relatively low.

I think you did in a few days what many people can afford to do in a couple of weeks, they were quite high cost things

If you are worried about that simple day out, you aren’t probably a high income household as you think

There are so many permutations across millions of households. If you want actual help post your budget.

Threads like this come up all the time and there's not really a set answer. Everyone's financial situation is totally different maybe they have more disposal income, or save up or borrow from family/credit cards. Its impossible to say.
This
If you are worried about that simple day out, you aren’t probably a high income household as you think
This - or of course you do have a high income but are rubbish at budgeting

There are so many permutations across millions of households. If you want actual help post your budget.
and this

I mean, it is such a daft question to ask - clearly, everyone has different budgets, and then every family prioritise different things. It isn't that hard to grasp.

I share your feelings OP. Things that used to cost £5 now cost £10, little things that used to cost £2 or £3 are all shooting up, and there are fewer good offers or bargains to be had. And I am on a bog standard income so I notice every penny.

I think it will get harder and harder for people to find the money for trips out.
Its easy when they are little and like the park etc.. My dd is now 11 and it’s harder to find things to do that don’t cost a small fortune.

I work too, and feel the pressure to do nice things with her on my days off.

Roll on September.

By not being poor

Not everyone is on <30k a year and struggling with life

Agree with you, OP. Things are just so much more expensive than they were this time last year, two years ago. We also have a decent income (or so I thought). We used to try and overpay some into the mortgage each month and then save towards holidays too. Now we don’t overpay the mortgage as that £500/month has become an extra £250 for energy and the rest has topped up food and petrol bills. The holiday fund will go next.

When we bought our house a couple of years ago, we honestly thought we had a decent margin. We didn’t max ourselves out and fixed for a good long period. Our costs had been stable for years and we budget well. We’re not frivolous, I love a bargain, I’m always on the Xmas bargains threads, save and plan and recycle and so on. But now I’m worried, worried like I used to be when we first bought 20 years ago and things were tight. So far, we have managed to do what we want to this year but we have two weeks at the end of August with nothing planned for the kids as yet and I’m dreading how much it will all cost, even if we stay local and have picnic lunches and so on. We can’t be the only ones like this!

Are you a one-car family or do you run two cars? I see so many with two cars these days and I don't know how they afford it

I work long hours in term time to.afford the holidays off. I build up debt in the holidays. We never go away on a big holiday- always super cheap camping trips- ie one with nothing but a portaloo.

For us...mostly its debt. My boy has additional needs so I try to expose him to different activities as I hope it will help him

Yes but there's a difference in not being able to do anything, and paying for multiple people (because in most of your examples kids cost hardly less than adults) to do multiple fairly expensive things within a short space of time. Surely most people will just do one of those things each week/weekend, e.g just go to the cinema. You've done about 2 months worth of 'activities' in 4 days, of course that's come to a lot!

• Also some things are cheap, either in and of themselves, or people can get them cheaply e.g. for a family out of area to visit the seaside for the day it would cost petrol, parking, paddleboard hire, spending on food, ice creams, etc. For those who live (or have friends/family they stay with) within walking distance and can go home for food and drinks, already have their surf kit or whatever, the same day out will be free.
• other people prioritise things differently - so will spend more on going out, but less on new clothes/takeaways - you won't know about the savings, only the expenditure
• lots of people are really good at getting deals, so they could use money meerkat and get their meal out and cinema tickets all 2 for 1
• or they still 'go out to eat' but it's the supermarket 'meal for £1' or 'kids eat free' deal rather than nandos,
• some people might earn similar or less than you but have much lower/non existent mortgages or smaller houses so much lower bills, flexible jobs so save 1000s on childcare, etc.
• lots of people don't have kids! the biggest saving of all!
• lots of people haven't yet been affected hugely by the cost of living, e.g. I'm still on a very low fixed rate deal for energy, wfh so no need to spend much on petrol, so have only really noticed a bit of a rise in food prices
• put it on the credit card
• have had promotions/inheritances recently
• built up savings from not being able to go anywhere for 2 years because of covid so are spending it now

Things are much more expensive I agree. We spent 100 quid on a trip to the cinema after snacks and tango ice blasts etc. I think if you are someone who isn't working all summer then maybe they have more money as spending less on childcare. Or have saved up for the holidays but also they won't be cramming as many costly activities into just a couple of days like you did and like I'm planning on my two days off next week because I'm feeling guilty Iv worked most of it excluding our holiday abroad the first week of the hols and our weekend away this weekend which we are having as its the last free weekend of the holidays as next weekend we will be preparing for the return to school on the Monday.

Realistically my kids except my nine year old wouldn't want to do much with me at all anyway if I wereny working. They'd be away out with their friends. My eldest works full time hours just now. My middle one is out down the beach, at the river, in town with her friends etc not wanting to hang around with me if I were off.

@User112 this!

You may consider yourself a high income household but I guarantee there will be families on more. There will also be families with lower bills, childcare costs, mortgage payments etc. Families were grandparents or other family members will take children out for day trips. Lots of different scenarios.

We do things that don’t cost anything or only very little. It’s not about the age of the DC - you can’t outgrow going to the park, you just do different things when you are there. You can’t outgrow picnics either!

Things we have done so far this year
Go to the park - to play tennis on the tennis courts. Go to the river - so the teens can mess about for hours getting wet on the rope swings and sliding off an inflatable ring. Back to the park - for a scavenger hunt (so popular we had ten teens join us on it last week). Sunset picnic - unwilling kids/teens trekking a few miles to the nearest very big hill became happy kids/teens after a stunning sunset, chunks of chocolate cake and the return journey lit with head torches. Camping in the garden - there have been several sleepovers in the tent so far and they’re out there again tonight with one extra friend. (It’s a cheap tent that cost £40 a few years ago). The older ones have got on the bus to the shopping centre “shopping” - no one buys anything but they spend ages trying on clothes and exchange computer games for new ones. Back to the park for park run. One of the dcs friends is very into climbing and they’ve been bouldering and something to do with trees and long ropes - in the woods rather than the park. They’ve been to a silent disco and have another next week, I’m told they are very much the thing. One of the dc has been out a lot doing a dog training activity with her friends dogs - in the park. Den building has been an ongoing playing-out thing that involves lots of older kids and teens for days on end seemingly in the wood at the back of the field. We have been wild raspberry and bilberry picking. Been scrambling in the stream catching crayfish in nets and getting wet. We’ve also been to three local museums all free and done their various school holiday offerings. Done a heritage trail round our city centre which was all about architecture. Went to the (free) art gallery. Walked from town to town along the canal towpath, ate chips and got a boat home (not free but not expensive). Walked the grounds of the local stately home which has llamas and some follies to explore and play in. Went to a beer festival and got gently sozzled whilst they rolled their eyes and sat on a separate table. Went to the arcade and to board games club.

the most expensive thing we have done is visit the school uniform shop.

We'll simply they earn enough to be able to. Im a high earner, DH is a teacher so we have no holiday care to pay for.

I feel you op