Nicer outside area or mini break?

[Heyhotherewegohey]

I’ve been working a fair bit of overtime in order to afford my Dds 5th birthday party. We have some left over, not a great deal, but some.
We desperately need the outside area doing, it needs painting, we’ve just thrown the old bbq and table away. I’d love to paint it, new bbq, outside sofa and small table, fairy lights and some lanterns and plants. We can just about afford it.
Alternative is going away for a short break-2/3 nights in another country in a 4 star hotel, pool, kids club etc.
In the past I’ve always gone for a holiday, lots of bits in the house need doing up because of this, well, they don’t *Need it, but could look a lot better.
If we choose the outside area, won’t be able to afford anywhere else, perhaps camping for a night or two later in the year.
What would you go with?

A nice place to sit or a short, lovely break away?

I'd do the home stuff first.

I would say to go with your garden as well, you can always have some parties, or do some nice things over the summer in your garden. I don’t know where you are in the UK, but could you maybe do a staycation? You could enjoy things local to you, maybe check what events will be held over the summer and go to those, do you things like breakfast in bed, or breakfast in your garden and set it up like a Buffay in a four-star hotel. if you don’t want to use plates that you have to wash, do something different, you could always get some pretty napkins and have some pastries, toast on those, get creative. You could watch some nice movies, I saw a list of nine movies that were made in grease on Instagram a few weeks ago, maybe you could choose one of those, you can make fun experiences at home too.

Off topic but how much do kids parties cost if you have enough left over for a holiday? 😳

That’s what I was thinking!

What on earth are you doing for the birthday?!

Sort the garden out. You'll use it all summer
Rather than a couple of nights away.

The OP could have done extra overtime, earned £700, spent a few hundred on a party and has £400 left for a holiday/garden makeover.

Garden. We've just had ours done and I am not exaggerating when I say it has transformed our house. We absolutely love it.

Exclusive use of a soft play centre starts off at £395, then there's sweet cones to do, decent cake, extra things like cake boxes, balloons and hiring a face painter, which could be £150+.

OP because of the way our weather is going I'd do the garden. Can you cut down and possibly have a week away next year?

Bloody hell, not where I live it doesn’t.

Garden!

Garden definitely. It's something you can enjoy every day. I did this in lockdown, sofa, huge parasol, lots of new plants and fairy lights. It's become an extension of the house, I love it, it's my little urban oasis. I spend as much time out there as possible. Teenager also likes to hang out there with me so win win.

I’d go away. I’m sure you can make your garden more presentable for very little. What’s wrong with your existing table? Was it not useable - a table cloth or oil cloth could easily give it a new lease of life. A bbq can wait, buy some disposable ones until then maybe. A good wash-down might make the area more inviting ? I

I'd give the 5 year old a much cheaper birthday party and do both!

The five year old will get more from a nice holiday and having a nice garden all summer than an afternoon at softplay or similar.

Have the birthday party at home, do up the garden, then find a cheaper campsite where you can have a week away in the summer.

Have a look on Marketplace / Gumtree for garden furniture etc. and it might cost less than you think.

I’d go for garden! Will enjoy it all summer instead of just a couple of nights

I'd try to do a cheaper version of both

Garden - could you paint yourself, get a garden sofa / pots from Facebook marketplace, fairy lights don't cost much

I would spend the money on the garden to enjoy all summer. Holidays come and go so quickly, all the hassle of packing, airport stress etc. rarely does the brochure like perfect holiday exist. But it’s your life & cash do whatever you think will be best for you and your family.

I’m doing a big class party for her this year, has only been family and close friends before, so this is the biggie, it’s around £500 all in, already booked and paid and bought her presents, cake to pay for too. I worked and saved the extra bits for months, party came first.
So I’m going to go with garden, as a poster said upthread, I want a relaxing place with big pillows, plants, fairy lights etc. I’m thinking breakfast in the morning, nice lunches and bbq dinners and most of all
a quiet place to read/have a glass of wine when Dd is in bed, gets me away from just watching the tv.
I think if I can then try to save some back maybe for the end of September for a maybe break, then great, if not, then next year
Any photos/internet pics would be helpful! It’s a good space with a rounded wall and stone/tiled floor

We did the garden up over the pandemic and I don’t regret it. It’s fab to sit outside and have a nice area to sit in lovely weather.

Garden. Absolutely. With children you spend so much time in the garden especially over the summer holidays, so it would be a no brainer for me. Plus you can't ever guarantee you're going to have a good time when you go away, especially with little children.

Instagram and tik tok good for garden on a budget ideas.
An outdoor rug on floor looks good. Lights on wall or fence.
Facebook selling sites are great for second hand solid wood furniture you can paint.
Looks at shops like homebargains, poundstretcher etc. poundstretcher had decent quality fence paint £3.75 5 litres. Much cheaper than diy stores.

Start a new thread with a picture and people can advise.

I assumed you were in the UK and flying somewhere… I’d probably still do up the garden rather than go away for 2 nights…