To be surprised that family attractions are so busy?

[cattyfranny]

I see and hear a lot about families cutting back due to the current economic situation and yet attractions (theme parks, zoos etc) and holiday parks (Centre Parcs etc) seem to be packed. I thought Christmas businesses might suffer but those that have started taking bookings are already selling out. Are people going into debt for this kind of thing? Or are there more people with high disposable income than I realise?

I've just bought Coldplay tickets. My dd was desperate to go and I couldn't afford the Harry Styles ones that she also wanted. If they were on sale in January I might not have been able to afford them because my electricity bill would be kicking in around then. But, I have time to make up that money before winter hits and have taken a view that life has to have some fun in it, otherwise what's the point? Maybe lots of parents are spending now, so that they can give their kids some good experiences before the shit really hits the fan?

I think next summer will be more telling with regards to finances. Middle income families will just move money round, it’s all about priorities. Things such as parents cancelling gym memberships etc to make sure kids still get days out and holidays. It’s only people with no disposable income who will suffer. Those with any amount of disposable income will just re-prioritise what and where they spend it.

I refuse to give up my annual two holidays a year. To manage finances I have started cutting my own hair and will buy hardly any takeaways or new clothes unless needed.

Probably 30% of families aren’t feeling the pinch chance much at all, and probably 10-20% won’t feel the pinch even if things continue to worsen.
And the vast majority of those families will probably vote Tory again in 2024. Britain has one of the very most unequal societies in the developed world. There is no “in it together”. FPTP is war and people need to wake up and fight for their interests.

We didn’t go abroad this year (usually going to see relatives). Have some moderate savings needed for renovation. Living in a tiny old place but in a nice area (happy about that now due to energy prices). Have some disposable income, not a lot, but want to spend on children because they are growing too fast and year after year there are new nasty surprises, we cannot wait forever. I’m very scared of what happens this winter, but we will deal with it as it comes and for now I’m taking children to the attraction park.

@tjupiter I’m not surprised they’re having lots of days out on 30-40k a month!

All about priorities for us - we have stopped eating out and takeaway, new clothes but won’t compromise on family days out and activities for the kids. We still go to attractions and have booked lots of Christmas things but will bring packed lunch rather than eat at their restaurant, for example

We are already officially in fuel poverty. We went a camping holiday and went out and about having fun as normal. The price rises predicted are so large we can not cut back to meet them. So if we are going to freeze this winter then we can at least have fun this summer.

This is us. Massively cutting down on food etc but have got discounted tickets to attractions so going to them as we haven't had a holiday for about 5 years. Taking our own food/drink and snacks.

Your just seeing a snapshot though you dont know what people have gone without/will go without to afford these things. Today we went to an Aquapark and bought McDonald's on the way home, people would see us and think "well they aren't cutting back" what they dont realise is this has been out first and last family day out this summer holidays. We have worked all summer holidays, leaving 12 year old DS to fend for himself (play on the Xbox) even 15 year old DS has worked 30 hours a week all summer holidays in order to fund his own going out with friends etc.

Media reports state that energy price rises may wipe out savings of 6m people. While that is awful and concerning, it's what, 10% of the population? Still plenty of people to fill up Centre Parcs etc.

There's probably the same number saved money during Covid (UK savings ratio was astonishingly high for a while) but the media are hardly going to make a headline out of that.

Our summer holiday was paid for last year, we have family season tickets for a couple of local attractions (which won’t be renewed again) and we are cutting back when we do go out by taking our own food, not buying anything in gift shops, cafes, etc. I can see next summer looking very different.

It's not verboten to say you'll do ok, but its insensitive.
So many people wont be able to keep up with fuel bills and will be going hungry and or cold this winter. Mostly those who cant do anything about it.
Even if I had to cut back seriously on heating, cooking, showering, I have other means to keep warm, eat decent food cheaply, wash myself.
Those who are already doing these things have nowhere else to save, and also are hugely unlikely to be making day trips or going to centre parks. They will be badly affected and I feel terrible for them.

The cost of living will affect everyone because everything is more expensive, but many will be able to accommodate this quite easily

The big bills haven't really hit yet, food is more expensive but if you already bought expensive food it's pretty easy to cut back. Many people might not have felt it yet

Cutting back doesn't mean doing nothing, it maybe they are taking a packed lunch instead of buying. It maybe they will buy less clothes or have one less fancy meal out a month. It maybe less spa days or cancelling the david Lloyd gym membership

There's lots of people who have lots of money, their standard of living will go down but if that standard of living was already high its easy to cut back and still have a good standard of living

An awful lot of people live their lives in quite a short term way. Yes big price increases are coming but they haven't hit yet and I know of quite a lot of families who, instead of saving now to cushion the blow of the big costs coming, are instead having 'one last hurrah'. There's a reason lots of people buy cars on finance, put holidays on credit etc, in general humans are optimists and I think until the bad stuff actually HAPPENS a lot just hope govt will step in before then and it won't turn out to be that bad after all so why be miserable now.

No one is going to come on a thread where people are worried about being able to afford their heating or afford to feed their families and and say they've just had to give up a few luxuries but it doesn't mean these people don't exist

I agree Op, none of the people I know appear to be struggling (which is a good thing).
Bigger houses being bought or renovated, new cars, lots of take aways and restaurant outings still.

we’re not rich, and my friends are in fairly normal jobs.

When I was in America this summer, the cost REALLY Shocked me. Our normal weekly grocery bill out there was £200, it’s £70 here. It made me grateful for the prices here.

I think many people have changed mindset during and post covid and partly as a result of a lot of home working- less clothes buying/keeping up with fashion- cut back on going to pubs and bars and more taking care with food and waste- but will spend money on coffee, holidays, trips to coast, days out with family etc -

Also? Not everyone is affected. A huge number of people have moved jobs post pandemic and no doubt secured themselves increased salaries which will negate price rises, as well as things like WFH reducing their commuting and childcare costs. If you WFH you can collect your kid from wraparound at 5pm instead of at 6pm after a commute.
WFH people often spend less on stuff like coffees out, lunches.
And then lots of people like to have lots of slack in their budget just in case. My family all choose to live in more modest homes than we could afford, drive much more basic/older cars, and generally have spent years living more modestly than we needed to bevause we worry about debt. As a result we are reasonably cushioned against the current conditions.

My brothers survive on inheritance so they can still spend even with low income.

The rich are obviously not impacted, they will continue to enjoy spending.

Some can't see it coming until there's no more money left to spend like my husband and kids. (Who turn on the airco on at 24c ? It's bloody annoying all the money spend on crap! We don't even have anything left for day trips!)

I know that a lot of people will be struggling however, I think the constant doom mongering by MSM is following the same pattern it did with Covid - all bad news, we're all doomed, repeated every news cycle. My reality is that my gas and electric DD is £200 a month, I do a reading every week and my use is circa £20 per week (a good chunk of which is the standing charge), I'm currently over £700 in credit so hopefully that'll see me through winter. I'm not cancelling my DD but if Eon tries to increase it again they are being told that ain't happening.

I really wish people wouldnt keep trotting out this simplistic and naïve phrase 'two tier' society

There isnt a two tier society at all. There are huge variations in terms of this particular issue - what can people afford, how is the cost of living crisis affecting people

Right at the top there will be people it wont affect at all, not one bit
There will be some who will be affected only in as much as perhaps they have fewer savings to put away because the bills are too big to save, but ultimately life continues as normal
There are others who will make swaps and compromises but at a higher end, perhaps not going to a bespoke rented villa abroad but choosing a cheaper AI break. Or instead of continuing with an expensive finance deal for a car, they go for a cheaper finance deal
Others will have much cheaper holidays insted, camping instead of a trip abroad. Keep the car they've got, not renew the finance borrowing. Get rid of one of the cars and manage with one. Take packed lunches instead of eat out. Eat out still but go cheaper places.
Others cant go on holiday at all, or for days out no matter how cheap,, they can just about to pay for basics and renew clothing and school uniform but dont have any 'fun' spends. They spend time with their kids in the garden and dont even run a car. Perhaps those same people still have a holiday to take from one that was put aside during covid, it will be their last one for years now
Then there are others who are on a low income and dont have space for any increase, they are on their knees, the kids clothes dont fit already, they are just about managing a couple of meals a day, they cant afford the heating now let alone with prices go up, they dont go out etc etc. I work with a huge number of service users in this category, there is no where to turn because you can only have a certain number of food bank parcels a year, can only apply for hardship so many times, can only get referrals to charities for clothes and white goods so many times, there are limits to the help

And within each of those categories are where some people can budget and prioritise really really well and so even if they are on a much lower income they are managing just about, and there are others whose priorities are poor, their budgeting skills are really poor which exacerbates the problem

To talk of a two tier society packages up the problem nice and easily. It is not that easy to talk about or to solve.

agree with this, I buy a lot of my sons clothes especially things like winter coats in the sale the year before but people living hand to mouth I’m guessing don’t have the spare cash to buy things when they see a good deal

A lot of mortgages got paid off during that period because people managed to save money by not having lunches at work and not paying for commutes.

Things will change from October - we have a fixed deal due to run out then I imagine many others will to. If covid taught us one thing its to live for today - I imagine, and pp have said this, that people are doing days out and maybe choosing a cheap trip to the seaside and than one big outing to an attraction, or maybe grandparents have given some a gift of an outing for the dc? A lot of people have decided for one of several reasons not to travel overseas this year but spend it at home - and I have always thought centre parks was a bit yuppie territory (there are loads of places in east anglia I would rather be!)
I think next year we may find a lot more people picnicking and going out to places and a lot of shops restaurants pubs will be in severe troubles let alone some companies and factories

Plenty of people reportedly saved a lot of money during Covid lockdowns. They may well think that now is the time to spend some of that money.