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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is spending 10% of annual income on a fortnight’s holiday unreasonable?

113 replies

liloandtitch · 03/12/2022 10:54

I’m late 30s and on a middle-income salary (comparable to a teacher), not a high earner.

Love long haul travel, did some shoestring / backpacking adventuring with friends in my 20s and had the time of my life.

Now 10 years on my friends are settled and I would love to travel again, but don’t want to travel alone, so have been looking at group travel.

I’ve found a company I like the look of, but their long haul destination group tours for 10-14 days are in the region of £2500 - £3000.

Add a long haul flight, and that’s £4000 gone before even factoring in spending money or new clothes and kit for the trip.

If I put savings aside for a year, I could ‘afford’ it… but it feels like ridiculous money for a middle-income person like me, it would be 10% of my salary

I have been thinking about doing a trip like this for years and always dismissed the idea an unaffordable having seen the prices.

But…. the idea won’t go away. Prices aren’t coming down. With prices shooting up in comparison to my salary, I almost feel it is kind of a now or never situation.

Do I need to put this idea to bed because spending 10% of my annual income on a holiday is obscenely irresponsible, especially in a cost of living crisis, or is this something other people in my situation would consider doing?

I do wonder whether other group members on such a trip would very very high earners with whom I’ll have little in common.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:

ChickyNuggies · 03/12/2022 10:58

Absolutely not unreasonable, book it and go! You only live once.

Thethingswedoforlove · 03/12/2022 10:59

If you can pay your bills and are not sacrificing pension contributions then I think you Shd go for it!

user564576 · 03/12/2022 11:00

We've paid more on holidays than we have on our mortgage some years, it's a priority for me, life is for the living etc. if it doesn't leave you in debt or destitute, go for it!

MarianneVos · 03/12/2022 11:00

If you can afford it, do it.

I used to go away on really nice holidays and have lovely memories and don't regret the money at all. Not really viable now with young DCs so I'm very glad I did it when I could!

BonnesVacances · 03/12/2022 11:01

Go for it. There's no substitute for life's experiences and there's nothing wrong with prioritising travel while you still can.

Stopthebusplease · 03/12/2022 11:02

Go for it OP. In years to come you will always have this special holiday to look back on and remember. While if you spend money on say furniture, you won't even think about it after the pleasure of seeing the new sofa or whatever arrive.

Cheesuswithallama · 03/12/2022 11:02

If you can afford it and want it why not.
I am spending about 15% a year on holidays and trips (+family visits).
This sounds like once in a decade experience so I personally would go for it if I still had savings left over

RedHelenB · 03/12/2022 11:02

Holidays are a priority to me.

mincepiepie · 03/12/2022 11:03

Yes do it. I'm earn the same and for years felt the guilt of spending on Holidays and now I really regret it.

I was always jealous of those who went long haul but I realised that, actually, I can afford it and I deserve to do it. I don't do every year. I get good deals too.

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 03/12/2022 11:04

Would do it in a heartbeat.

Inezza · 03/12/2022 11:05

We spent half my annual income on a family holiday once - saved 10% for 5 years then spent it all on one big holiday. I would do it again in a heartbeat, the experience and memories were absolutely worth it. Sadly unlikely to be able to do it again anytime soon but I'm so glad we did it when we could.

honeylulu · 03/12/2022 11:06

If you were doing that every year and were struggling with other outgoings to afford it, it might be U. But it's a once in a lifetime special experience that you've planned and saved for and no one/nothing else is going to suffer for it. Do it!

Mamai90 · 03/12/2022 11:06

Our annual holiday costs us more than 10% but it's worth it, life is for living and some of my favourite childhood memories are from holidays abroad so it's all worth it in my eyes.

AnyFucker · 03/12/2022 11:06

Travel, travel, travel. You’re a long time dead.

poppym12 · 03/12/2022 11:09

Do it. Make sure you can pay all of your bills. If so, travel travel travel. Experiences are worth far more than 'stuff'.

MerculesHorse · 03/12/2022 11:11

We also save up for big things like a serious holiday every few years. I've not regretted one yet!

Luredbyapomegranate · 03/12/2022 11:12

Sounds like a great way to spend 10% of your income if you can.

Original poster

liloandtitch · 03/12/2022 11:12

Oh wow lots of people saying to go for it!

I could afford it in the sense that I can save up the amount in 12 months (at a stretch!) and would not have to go into debt, but I can’t help feel I should be doing something else more sensible with the money such as overpaying the mortgage or putting it aside for home improvements or the day the car packs up.

I could go to the same destination for cheaper if I went alone, but it’s really the group aspect that I find appealing.

OP posts:

MrsSkylerWhite · 03/12/2022 11:14

Any thoughts?

hell yes, wish we could do the same. Go and have a wonderful time. Plenty of time for common sense the rest of your life.

MerculesHorse · 03/12/2022 11:15

I think I would want to have emergency savings first too. That's fine though, you could just go a bit later.

user564576 · 03/12/2022 11:18

@liloandtitch everyone has a different approach to money. For me life is too short to overpay the mortgage at the cost of life experiences today. We have a mortgage we can afford, over a time period we are comfortable with and insurances should something go wrong (appreciate they can't cover every eventuality) but what use is getting the mortgage paid and then by the time you do a pandemic has stopped travel, or your health is deteriorated, you just don't know what the future holds. Life is a balance, you can be sensible whilst still having some fun. Don't put your life on hold for a mortgage. (In my opinion at least!)

HungryandIknowit · 03/12/2022 11:19

Do it, just make sure you book a good company. I'd personally see if I could persuade a friend to come and go more cheaply!

latetothefisting · 03/12/2022 11:20

As long as you can afford it, why not?
If you divided your salary equally throughout the year, each fortnight would be equally to about 4% anyway (based on each fortnight being roughly 1/26th of a year) so 10% for an amazing experience isn't that excessive.
If you haven't been on a big holiday for the last few years then it will work out even cheaper on a overall basis - e.g. it's only 2.5% of your salary over 4 years.

I doubt the others will all be very high earners, probably a mix.

Mrsjayy · 03/12/2022 11:22

Honestly just go the experience and memories will be worth it, I have a friend who goes on group/ excursion holidays and they look amazing.

Whichwhatnow · 03/12/2022 11:24

I've done a couple of these group trips - one cycling round Myanmar and one trekking in Nepal. Also done a lot of solo or couple travel but the groups are so much fun! And I really didn't get the impression that any of the others were fantastically rich at all - in fact on the Myanmar trip there was a teacher and a retired teacher haha.

Where are you thinking of going OP?

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