To think people are too obsessed with taking a holiday?

[Tepoi]

I don’t get the attraction of saving for months to go somewhere for 10ish days. Fine if you have money but hearing how people are spending the equivalent of 1 - 2 months take home pay on a holiday strikes me as very odd. Maybe because I don’t have the money to spare.
if you do go on holiday, and it takes 4-6 weeks’ take home pay, can I ask why you go?

It's been an absolutely dreadful summer, hasn't it? It felt like we had a few weeks where it was almost too hot, muggy and gross, and then non-stop clouds and rain.

I usually take my holidays in spring and autumn/winter and enjoy summer in London, but it's been a horrible one this year.

Getting away from it all is good for the mind, body, and spirit. Whether it's at some 5* resort or driving an hour and camping by the sea or in the mountains. I don't think doing that is 'obsessing' for most people. Those 'obsessing' I think are mostly those who post their travels all over SM as a way to impress others. That's not what 99% of people who take holidays do. They go, send/post a few pics on their SM for the family/friends and that's it. They're 'too busy having fun' and don't bother doing anything else.

If someone is spending money they have 'on hand' or have set aside for a specific purpose, just as one might do for new living room furniture or a car, what's the problem with that? It's all about prioritizing what's important to the family. If the Smiths want to sit gazing out the window at their brand new car whilst the Joneses drive their clunker to the airport to jet to far off shores, each to their own. I do disagree with going deeply into debt or making one's children do without to finance a holiday, though. But if someone has the finances to pay for it or even if they do want to go into debt, it's nothing to do with me. It's their money and as the saying goes 'Not my circus, etc etc'.

We always 'cut our coat to fit our cloth' so when our sons were growing up we and had less money our holidays were less costly, but we DID still holiday. As they got older and finances improved, we were able to do more and spend more. But we always had a great time and there are holidays they still talk about now in their 30s. Now that we're retired our holidays (DH & I RV) are 1 - 6 weeks and can cost anywhere from (usd) $2000 - 12000 depending on where we decide to go and how long we want to stay. One thing that helps is that we needn't travel internationally to take advantage of the weather nor to visit different climates. Where we live we can travel to hot weather to swim in the sea or to chilly weather to snow ski. And often all in the same day!!

Haha, well I guess it is what you make of it. Right now I dream of going to England, just to buy salt&vinegar crisps and go to a nice pub..

I’m the same as you OP, I can’t relate at all.

I especially can’t relate to people who “live for their holidays”, I work with a couple of people like this and they genuinely do live and breathe holidays. As soon as they’re back they’re changing their screensaver and profile photo to their favourite holiday snaps, and then they’re planning the next one. And they love talking to each other about holidays.

But each to their own! We do spend money on things I’m sure others consider unnecessary, we do like eating out for example and I know lots of people would see that as a huge waste of money.

I absolutely live for holidays, it's my reason for working! I love exploring, the food, beaches, cities, theme parks, swimming, family time together ❤️ Just absolutely everything about it!

We go abroad a couple of times a year, and then smaller breaks most months. Doesn't mean we don't enjoy life at home but despite enjoying my job I do prefer being off!

I have no holiday snobbery, I'll go anywhere, Disneyland, Europe, Costa del Sol beaches, culture, city breaks, far flung destinations, caravans! Anywhere at all!

Its something to look forward to and it is nice to go somewhere you love to visit or somewhere new. I don't go abroad or pay a lot of money for a break but I do have to save up to go away. (I have been abroad in the past, no desire to atm).

I'm not really a "holiday person". We spend our money making life nice the other 50 weeks of the year. So much so that often a trip ends up an anticlimax. I like my own bed. I like spending early mornings pootling about whilst my husband sleeps... a shared hotel room is my (personal) hell.

I've been to Disney world, Alaska, Italy, France, Norway etc... all were good holidays... but I like my own bed better.

Everyone is different and enjoys different things. Would recommend getting any holidays in sooner rather than later... climate change is going to change the way we do things... heat, fires, flooding... summer in some places may be changing for good.

Not a stealth boast but we are fortunate in that my husband works in a lovely country and we’ve been here three times already this year for barely any money.

Swings and roundabouts and all that but I don’t think I would ever be happy paying 4.5 for a week or two.

It’s ridiculous.

We've just arrived in Mallorca. I haven't been on a plane for 12 years and it was my children's (9 and 11) first flight. Time will tell if it is worth £3500 but it's a new experience for us all.

Holidays and travel are what make life special and memorable to me so I think yabu.

And I know I’ll be ostracised on MN fir saying this but I love spending hours on end laying on a sun lounger by the pool, smothered in Plz Buin only moving to get a drink or eat lunch.

Travelling is a huge part of my life. I LOVE seeing the world and hope to see as much of it as possible before I die. I can't imagine spending my life in one place and I'm happy to save and spend lots of money on travel. I personally wouldn't spend a fortune on the newest tech or designer clothes or a brand new car. Whatever floats your boat. My memories from a two week holiday or a weekend break be it in the UK or far away mean so much to me.

This completely sums it up for me! I feel exactly the same.

For a week?

Oh lots of reasons.. the break, the escape from routine, to experience different culture and food, to see the world, to show my children different places and give them a new experiences.

Many of my childhood memories are from our holidays, whether it was a caravan in wales or our first ever Spanish holiday when I was 8. We always had a holiday.

They are expensive though and I have to plan and save, but it’s worth every penny.

I just love being somewhere else, no day-to-day routine but exploring. We did a bit of everything, UK s/c, s/c in France, Spain and Germany, 5* resorts in Greece and Caribbean, short city breaks. This year as a 16th birthday to DD and a 50th birthday present to me we are off to the US.
Before DD we did a couple of road trip holidays and a guided tour though Thailand and explored Hawaii and French-Canada.

I don't need an AI resort holiday, in fact, I think we did our last one last Summer, but I do need a different location. We have a mix of years of low-key s/c with the odd long-haul saving up for.

Neither of us is interested in expensive hobbies or cars. We are lucky to be financially secure and most of my bonus money is earmarked for holidays.

I have never spent a lot on holidays (easyjet/ryanair and cheap hotels) but I LOVE them.

I have a nomadic sole, I spent 3 years living out of a bag travelling place to place and its a freedom Im sad most people never get to feel.

Most people from my small town barely ever leave the town, they are 'homebodies' and frankly I don't get it. Especially as the town is an infamous shit hole overrun with crime and poverty (and yes we fall in the poverty spectrum, I started moving round because I was homeless anyway).

I'm so jealous of Jeremy Clarkson (except Im glad I dont look like yellow teeth stuck in a pile of mash potato) because he gets paid to literally go to every country in the world and have fun and do stuff most people never will. What a incredible job/life that must be.

I would love to see the world.

Some people spend a lot on cars, toys, or their homes. I prioritize travel. 2 big trips a year and a couple run around and see friends and family long weekends.

My house still has it’s 1950’s wallpaper, I drive cars into the grave, and I’m not into toys like snowmobiles and boats. If I didn’t travel my entertainment would be watching the interest grow on my money? That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.

The real question is why anyone is interested on how I (or anyone else) spend my money

Because food in the UK is beyond bland and overpriced. My taste buds need a reset.

Yes this bothers me too, I feel very guilty about the environmental impact of holidays.

My neighbour is very snooty about the parents who drive their kids to our local school from the nearest village (“what about the environment?!”) and then jets off on four foreign holidays per year…

I love them as you get nicer weather and a change of scenery - it’s exciting. We save a lot so can afford to spend a month’s wages on a holiday - what else will we spend our money on?!

Love a holiday, next one is India, counting the days……

I find this a bit of a weird question. Presumably people go because they enjoy it and think it's worth the money. If you don't particularly like holidays or would rather spend the money on other things, then don't go.

I don't mind paying it if I didn't have so much to spend on my house

I think they are.l totally worth it! Love being in a different environment, trying new things, new food, love seeing my DCs have new experiences. Now the DCs are in their 20s sometimes they still come with us which we also love.