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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think you can’t get a family holiday for £500

244 replies

Lalalawhitenoise · 26/04/2023 20:18

inspired by a thread of a woman who’s taking her kids to florida, one of the poster said It was obscene spending that amount of money and that some families spend £500, maybe £1000 max on a family holiday for a family of 4.

I read it got me wondering, can you really get a family holiday (not tent camping) for £500? If so where? That would really help us out as was maybe thinking we might not be able to get a hols this year, what hols can you get (summer time ish) for under that £1k mark? Is it even possible?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lalalawhitenoise · 26/04/2023 20:42

Daydreamer123456 · 26/04/2023 20:39

I take it by £500 people mean accommodation only?

Then yes, maybe agree if you’re not fussy, it’s possible.

However, when you factor in travel expenses/food and money for things to do it just spirals

I assumed the woman meant all in, perhaps not including food, because the woman on the thread had spent something like 4/4.5 on 10/14 days in Disney, and that was all in (minus food) but I think she had some sort of food voucher too

OP posts:
Quornflakegirl · 26/04/2023 20:43

It is possible. We booked a gorgeous cottage in rural Scotland for £400 for a week last August The trick is to book the last week of August when Scottish children are back at school and it is considerably cheaper.

RandomGeocache · 26/04/2023 20:44

Daydreamer123456 · 26/04/2023 20:39

I take it by £500 people mean accommodation only?

Then yes, maybe agree if you’re not fussy, it’s possible.

However, when you factor in travel expenses/food and money for things to do it just spirals

Exactly. We could all go online and find a cottage or caravan for under £500. But then you have to get there, feed yourself when you're there, have days out. Even buy the odd ice cream or too.

I think most of the people who claim to have very cheap holidays are not factoring in the whole cost.

PurBal · 26/04/2023 20:45

I like the challenge of camping and taking as little as possible (we’re backpackers). But if I’m not camping then the accommodation has to be as good as or better than home. There are very few occasions where “just a place to sleep” is enough. Great thread… I’m curious 👀

WombatBombat · 26/04/2023 20:45

Normally get some decent bargains last two weeks of August in Scotland.

WoodenFloorboards · 26/04/2023 20:46

Self catering food can be the same price as at home if you need it to be.

Petrol is unlikely to be more than one hundred and fifty quid there and back even for a long distance: significant, but not enormous for a week's holiday for a family.

dawnc27 · 26/04/2023 20:47

whatthebejesus · 26/04/2023 20:40

I've got mon-Fri for May half term at haven Skegness for £369 for 4 of us in a caravan. Booked early tho. But with spending money it'll be more than £500

fingers crossed things are open by then....

Daydreamer123456 · 26/04/2023 20:47

Lalalawhitenoise · 26/04/2023 20:42

I assumed the woman meant all in, perhaps not including food, because the woman on the thread had spent something like 4/4.5 on 10/14 days in Disney, and that was all in (minus food) but I think she had some sort of food voucher too

Show quote history

I find that incredible then!

Obviously I’m doing something wrong!

Because of all the chaos at airports last year, we chose to stay in the UK.
Went for a week and split our time between Weymouth/Bournemouth and we certainly spent a lot more than £500 for a family of 4!

Original poster
Lalalawhitenoise · 26/04/2023 20:51

Daydreamer123456 · 26/04/2023 20:47

I find that incredible then!

Obviously I’m doing something wrong!

Because of all the chaos at airports last year, we chose to stay in the UK.
Went for a week and split our time between Weymouth/Bournemouth and we certainly spent a lot more than £500 for a family of 4!

Show quote history

That’s what I thought! My last uk break was Cornwall with my parents, we rented a flat for a week and that was £1800… stank of sewage as well (no children at that point)

OP posts:
RandomGeocache · 26/04/2023 20:53

I also think when people say "a holiday" they mean a week, possibly a fortnight. that's not to say a break of 3,4,5 nights isn't a holiday, but it's obviously cheaper to go away for a shorter time.

NameChangeSorryNotSorry · 26/04/2023 20:55

I really don’t think you’d get a decent holiday for £500 for a full family! We are incredibly lucky to stay at a family members holiday home but for flights and car hire along it’s £1200/1300!

SisSuffragette · 26/04/2023 20:55

Haven 4 nights in a bronze caravan

Daydreamer123456 · 26/04/2023 20:56

Lalalawhitenoise · 26/04/2023 20:51

That’s what I thought! My last uk break was Cornwall with my parents, we rented a flat for a week and that was £1800… stank of sewage as well (no children at that point)

Show quote history

Sounds like somewhere we’d book!

I put lots of effort into finding places but just don’t seem to get any of these bargains.

My husband has always been so reluctant to stay in the UK because of the prices as can go abroad for the same price.

BetweenWhatAndWhat · 26/04/2023 20:57

We camp in a tent but I don't think we rough it. We have an electric hookup and only stay at sites with toilets and showers.

Swingoutsistersledge2 · 26/04/2023 20:59

We booked a last minute holiday through Booking.com last year for 4 nights for £450.00 . Accommodation was above a pub in Knaresborough. It was fab ! Beautiful room and brilliant location for York , Robinson Bay & Scarborough!

Bemyclementine · 26/04/2023 21:01

Friends have just had 7 nights in a cottage in Cornwall for £450 . Very very basic, but walkable to the beach. Missed 3 days of school.

Swingoutsistersledge2 · 26/04/2023 21:03

Robins Hood Bay !!

itsserendipity · 26/04/2023 21:04

Also, air miles credit cards. We get our holiday flights for free every year using this. We use the BA Amex. Makes a big difference to us.

canonlydoblue · 26/04/2023 21:06

We are tent camping (our own tent) in France for £1000 in August.

Merryoldgoat · 26/04/2023 21:06

EarthwormJane · 26/04/2023 20:34

A week self catering at pontins comes in at £329 if you're not fussy. Although, I'd rather just set fire to the cash than spend a night there

🤣

Ted27 · 26/04/2023 21:06

We have a lovely flat for the second year running in Shanklin Isle of Wight for £450 last week of August
It's small but sleeps 4 comfortably. Beach literally across the round, nice row of pubs, tea shops, mini golf etc 2 mins walk.
Yes you have to factor in food but you would be buying food if you were at home.
We eat put at a decent pub/restaurant once, possibly twice if we havent spent a lot on other stuff that day, get fish and chips/ take away pizza a couple of nights, breakfast out on the last day, so not hugely expensive

UnaLaguna · 26/04/2023 21:07

We paid 450 for a week over Easter this year. We had a couple of lunches out, coffee and cake some days, fish and chips one night etc but spent less than 150 total. Yes, we still had to sort some meals but less than a normal week at home so still felt like a break.

Days out were a couple of national trust places (no cost as we are members) and the beach.

Justalittlebitduckling · 26/04/2023 21:10

Eurocamp?

bellac11 · 26/04/2023 21:11

Soundofshuna · 26/04/2023 20:25

Wasdale View is on one of my holiday cottage lists. Its just down the road from Wastwater, you could walk it on the country lane

These types of threads really annoy me to be honest. They crop up again and again, holiday self catering cottages are extremely affordable, I dont know why its such a difficult thing for people to search things like airbnb or cottage websites.

Hotvimto3 · 26/04/2023 21:12

I went to Devon for a week April half term - paid in installments over a year. Posh caravan not crap. Pool. On beach.
£470 for a week. £100 petrol.
£60 food shop £200 spends.

3 of us. But caravan slept 6.