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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your tips and hints on how to afford abroad (school) holidays?

183 replies

ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 06/04/2023 20:29

Hi all,

Our oldest son started school in September and we've entered a new world a world of being incredibly boundaried by our holiday availability.

Before this we managed to do it fairly frugally least once a year- we'd usually manage a d.i.y break- skyscanner cheap flights and an air bnb sort of thing. We'd keep costs down by shopping in supermarkets there, doing free stuff and staying in of an evening (no worries with two under 5's).

We'd occasionally go on holiday in the U.K instead but to be honest it never worked out cheaper and was usually a lot more expensive. Last year after swearing I never would, we had our first ever all-inclusive resort holiday (and it was absolutely fantastic with the free booze and the kids club and i had to swallow my words!)

We're on a pretty low income and I just physically cannot afford to pay well over 50% more for a holiday due to having to be so limited by school terms.

I'm hoping I just don't have to suck up the next 15 years of not having an annual week away to look forward to but I fear that might be the case.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom? Do people take the kids out and pay the fines? Cheap companies who offer it all-in? Camping in Wales forever more? I'm struggling to see how to do it.

Thanks for your help 😃

OP posts:
Marchforward · 06/04/2023 20:32

You definitely won’t be fined until the term after he turns 5. Many LEAs don’t fine for 5 days anyway.

ghostyslovesheets · 06/04/2023 20:33

Eurocamp - we go May - usually miss the last day of term and stay for a week - it get's pricey in Summer but still worth looking nearer the dates as they do go down

Hullabalooza · 06/04/2023 20:35

Take him out of school and ring up every morning at 8am to leave a message on the absence line saying he’s under the weather and won’t be in. School can’t prove it, no fine, cheap holidays.

Alternatively, book well in advance, pay off in instalments or via a direct debit scheme and be prepared to literally spend days of your life online researching the best value options. This is the option we take as I am the one whose holidays are severely governed. If I wasn’t, I would 100% do the above first option as the whole situation with the prices is rubbish.

percypig · 06/04/2023 20:37

Your previous method - cheap flights and Airbnb is the way to go. I’m a teacher so have been limited to school holidays for 20+ years. We’re fortunate to holiday fairly frequently, but almost always at a fraction of the cost that friends and family spend on AI and package holidays. I do this by spending quite a bit of time searching and researching and also by being savvy re destinations. We’ve mostly been to sunshine destinations (Spain, Croatia etc) during off-peak times - Halloween, Easter etc. In the summer we’ve more often been to Central/Northern/Eastern European destinations.

Original poster
ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 06/04/2023 20:37

Marchforward · 06/04/2023 20:32

You definitely won’t be fined until the term after he turns 5. Many LEAs don’t fine for 5 days anyway.

Thanks, this is handy to know
So you mean 5 days as in a school week? So if you took a few before/ after a half term they'd not fine?

OP posts:
Tiredforfive45 · 06/04/2023 20:37

Just go in term time.

DH and I are both teachers so we can’t, but you better believe we would take the kids out of school if that was our only obstacle.

Tarantella6 · 06/04/2023 20:40

Camping in France, the tunnel is much cheaper than the ferries and the campsites vary depending on facilities but generally I think they're cheaper than UK (and the weather is usually better!)

Having said that, the Gower in Wales has beautiful empty sandy beaches so don't write it off 😉

And yy to missing a day or two or utilising inset days - we saved £1k on flights for Feb half term by leaving the Thursday before.

Original poster
ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 06/04/2023 20:40

Tiredforfive45 · 06/04/2023 20:37

Just go in term time.

DH and I are both teachers so we can’t, but you better believe we would take the kids out of school if that was our only obstacle.

Yeah I think this is going to be the case. I'm quite governed by my holidays (work in a school but our terms are slightly different so there are a few weeks in the year that my kids are in school but I'm not).

OP posts:
Tarantella6 · 06/04/2023 20:41

Just another note about taking dc out for a whole week - if you both work, that's an extra week of school holidays you'll need childcare for. So depending on your childcare options your holiday might not be cheaper!

slamfightbrightlight · 06/04/2023 20:47

Some authorities will fine for a day’s absence, so you really need to check and/or factor the penalty notice into your holiday costs.

We used a Hays travel agent, and paid in instalments for our first abroad holiday this summer.

anerki10 · 06/04/2023 20:57

My DC just started school. I'll be taking him out in term time for a holiday. Can't afford otherwise. If they fine me, I'll pay it. Cheaper to pay the fine!

anerki10 · 06/04/2023 20:58

Although we won't be fined this year as we're going away in June and DC doesn't turn five until July. So fines are a next year problem for us. (:

FrumptyMumpty · 06/04/2023 21:00

I’m well off and I still have no idea how anyone can justify a holiday abroad during school holidays.

I honestly can’t get my head around spending ££££ on bed and board with a pool. Our summers aren’t even that bad anymore.

DiscoBeat · 06/04/2023 21:01

We've never wanted to take them out of school but if it were the only way we would have done - we have family overseas.

DiscoBeat · 06/04/2023 21:03

Plus this is the first year we've been abroad since lockdown. £7000 for flights alone (no accommodation). An eye watering increase!

Oblomov23 · 06/04/2023 21:04

What's your budget?
I can always find cheap flights abroad. A good AI week at Easter. Italian flights for £30 return. You can find cheap options if you put in the work.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 06/04/2023 21:06

I don’t take the kids out of school but something that being the cost down a bit-

Booking the very last week of the summer hols will save a bit as lots of European schools go back on 1st September
Or look out for dates throughout the year when UK and European dates don’t line up - sometimes Easter hols are different for example
Book a year in advance or more
If going to an AI place, look out for free child places

Or move to Scotland where the summer holiday dates are different!

GandTtwice · 06/04/2023 21:42

Or move to Scotland where the summer holiday dates are different
Flying from a Scottish airport once their summer holidays have finished can also be a lot cheaper.

DutchCowgirl · 06/04/2023 21:58

We have our own tent and camping-gear. We don’t need luxurious campsites to have fun.

Original poster
ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 06/04/2023 22:10

Oblomov23 · 06/04/2023 21:04

What's your budget?
I can always find cheap flights abroad. A good AI week at Easter. Italian flights for £30 return. You can find cheap options if you put in the work.

I've been looking at AI places (not really fussed where because we'd mostly stay in the resort if it's paid for) but only on Jet2 so far. They're the only ones I've found that have the actual upfront costs in an easy to read way. Others I've found seem to give a price and then charge if you want things on top. Can you recommend any companies? (We'd be flying from Birmingham).

OP posts:
Original poster
ErikaReadsTheDailyMail · 06/04/2023 22:12

FrumptyMumpty · 06/04/2023 21:00

I’m well off and I still have no idea how anyone can justify a holiday abroad during school holidays.

I honestly can’t get my head around spending ££££ on bed and board with a pool. Our summers aren’t even that bad anymore.

I agree - that week or so last year was hotter than anywhere I've been abroad.

I think for me it's more about having a break from life/ bills/ routine/ responsibilities to look forward to. I can't do that so easily at home.

OP posts:
BigcatLittlecat · 06/04/2023 22:21

Are you able to fly from Scotland at the end of August when the English schools are still off, but Scotland's are back? We've done that and it made a big difference, apart from the travel to the airport being longer!

BeeBB · 06/04/2023 22:22

Pre covid we used to book flights when they first came out and rent accommodation separately and in infants school if you take them out of school a day or three early it is cheaper. Fly from Scotland after mid August and go for 11 or 13 days and fly from England if going in July.

ParagraphOne · 06/04/2023 22:26

I do UK holidays OP I rent a cottage in the west country usually. So much cheaper than abroad, kids love it, if it rains one day we have our a house to enjoy!

Iam4eels · 06/04/2023 22:34

Take him out of school and ring up every morning at 8am to leave a message on the absence line saying he’s under the weather and won’t be in. School can’t prove it, no fine, cheap holidays.

Don't put your DC in a position where they'll have to lie to cover for you. It makes them feel terrible when they come into school and excitedly tell us all about their holiday then realise that they've dropped you in it, really takes the shine off it for them. Plus were not stupid, we know you've been on holiday so just be upfront about it.

Flying from Scotland and booking far in advance are good options, October half term tends to be cheaper but still good weather. If you can face the journey then going by coach can massively reduce your costs - Siesta Holidays do Spain and France by coach, you can get a lodge on a holiday park for a week at the end of July for under £2000.