How do people afford holidays?

[OneHornedFlyingPurplePeopleEater]

We usually book a UK holiday, cheap and cheerful.

We're now in a position to save approx £300/month towards a holiday. I thought that was great, it's the bulk of our savings each month.

I recognise that we're in a very fortunate position, and I thought this would get us our first abroad holiday.

I'm looking at 10 nights all inclusive at a nice (but not luxury) hotel in Europe. Shit flights, they all are. And school holidays, so paying a premium. And its coming in at £4-6k.

Is this crazy or has it always been like this? How are people affording this?
That doesn't even include any spending money, or any clothes or suitcases (we wouldn't need much - and can borrow suitcases).

It's really got me down. Am I doing something wrong?? Looking in the wrong places (tui, on the beach, jet2holidays etc)? Is it much cheaper if I booked closer to the time?

We don't bother with package holidays/AI; far too expensive.

We tend to go to European campsites with lovely pools and beach for the kids. We choose France and Italy mainly, but Spain is definitely cheaper. There are a few nice sites near Cambrils and you can visit Barcelona for the day too.

SchoolBlazers · 21/08/2023 22:53

Every couple of weeks there is a post with someone wondering how other people afford things.

Answer always the same. They have more money than you.

Yes, of course - but I know what OPs mean.

I know lots of friends who live in modest houses (like mine) and work for the public services (like us) and are retired. They never seem to be at home!!

We spend about 1 - 1.5K on a holiday each year and that takes some saving for. Despite what you say, I still scratch my head about this issue. Partly because I just wonder what we're doing wrong!

If they lived in mansions or were hedgies, I wouldn't be asking. And I can hardly ask them, can I? But I know (because they tell me quite openly) that they spend thousands and thousands on holidays each year. Also have nice cars and eat out etc a lot.

I'm SO NOT JEALOUS, before anyone comes up with that line (travel isn't my luxury of choice) but just baffled that they know a secret I don't!

We spend about 1 - 1.5K on a holiday each year and that takes some saving for. Despite what you say, I still scratch my head about this issue. Partly because I just wonder what we're doing wrong

If they genuinely don't have more money than you, it's because they spend less on other things.

Some people spend hundreds of pounds a month on eating out including coffee and lunches, the same again on clothes and personal grooming, ditto cars. Add in variations in spending on things like mobile phones, food and petrol and this adds up to thousands of pounds a year in spending, much of which can be trimmed back to free up money to pay for holidays.

Also forgot to mention decorating and 'things for the house' as another thing that might be diverting money away from a holiday fund.

Yeah we are "out a lot" and spend a bit on holidays but we don't have a car and barely spend any money on electronic stuff (cheapish mobiles, 8 year old TV, a shared laptop). Our sofa was bought 15 years ago for £100 from a friend whose new wife didn't like the colour.

Our flat is well decorated and kept nicely but we are not really "our home is our sanctuary" people.

https://www.loveholidays.com/checkout/offer-summary?shortRef=GB8JZ436

full board so drinks extra - you can go all in but this is another £400

Yesterday I booked flights to Rome for next August for 2a2c for £1000.
We’ve booked euro camp just outside Rome and that’s cost £1000.

I looked at flying into Naples and could have got flights for £650
We’re more excited by this than the All inclusive weeks holiday at Easter that has cost more.

October half term is very expensive as it's usually the same week that everyone wants and prices are demand-driven.

When we wanted to go abroad when thekids were younger we knew we couldn't afford AI packages. We opted instead to drive to France (Dordogne area), use the tunnel, and stay on a gite complex. Other people around to chat to, usually a games room, always a shared pool with usually other kids for the kids to play with. We always booked walking distance to restaurants but also did a couple of easy meals at the gite - always a bbq, and that's not really a chore if you're standing throwing steaks on a bbq in lovely evening sunshine with a glass of wine in your hand. Always insisted on a dishwasher. Lunches were always something very simple like cold meats, cheese, bread and salads etc, or we had something out when we were going out exploring for the day.

Re budget for food, dont' forget that if you were at home and not going anywhere you'd still be doing a food shop. And maybe going for days out. And days out in England can be extortionate. It's often cheaper in places like France.

I hope you find something < prices have gone up something shocking> I was saving about 300 quid a month about 6 years ago for a self catering week in Majorca in our own villa. I dread to think what it would cost now.

If they're retired then that could be your answer. Many older people have been very lucky with pensions and get more than they did when they were working. They have no dependents, no work expenses such as commuting costs etc, and can pick the cheapest times to go. They've also usually paid off their mortgage, didn't have the university costs that have to be paid for now. Might only run one car as a couple instead of both needing one for work. They can pick the cheapest times for 3 course lunch meals out if they go mid week instead of having to go at the weekend where you pay full a la carte prices, cheaper matinees at the theatre, off peak travel etc

I'm not saying all older retired people are in this bracket but many are. They may also have savings from an inheritance etc etc. I can easily see how many retired people go on many holidays a year. My mum and dad did. My mum is widowed and her pension income is more than 3 times what I earn in full time work. She didn't work most of her life but my dad had an unbelievably good pension which meant that even on his death she still was entitled to, say, 70-80% of it.

I was thinking the same recently. We’ve never really done holidays abroad so I was also a bit shocked at the prices. I know people without much money who manage a few holidays a year and I also wonder how! Our household income is similar to yours OP.

But recently I looked at Jet2 and was pleasantly surprised by the prices. A week in May half term to Madeira with decent flights, breakfast included, was coming in at around £1,500-2,000 in total. I’ve never booked on there before but the hotels were nice with great reviews, etc. On Tui the same week and hotel was an extra grand.

We have 4DC so holidays were never going to be cheap! When the DC were younger it was Centerparcs out of school holidays.

Then it was one foreign holiday such as a week in Spain in school holidays using DHs bonus. This year was different we went to Florida for 2 weeks using DHs redundancy and I saved up a lot.

You need to look at Turkey.

I also think you need to be patient and keep looking as prices can and do change. Just spotted someone saying they couldn’t find flights at October half term for under 4k. We ‘re going to a 4 star all inclusive that is beach front for 2.5k. There were lots of cheaper hotels when I booked.

Looking at some of the salaries reported on here I can see why people afford them

I'd expect to pay min 4k for a week's all inclusive for 4 so yeah, that sounds about right.

If I were you I'd save more and get the holiday you want.

I'm looking for outside of school holidays and still struggling, I can get 10 days all inc in bali for 5k and if it wasn't for the flight I'd go lol

Don’t go all inclusive - absolute rip off. Go to a cheaper country like one in Eastern Europe or less popular parts of more common holiday destinations. Book an Airbnb and flight separately, and self cater.

Try the canaries in the summer holidays OP. Often cheaper than the med. I've been doing some hefty holiday searching lately and you can definitely do a week on your budget..not so sure about 10 days.
We earn significantly less than you but have a bigger holiday budget, no mortgage or nursery fees though and we definitely don't spend much on the house.

Oct half term is possibly the most expensive week of the year.
Try the June half term unless you have exam age children. More choice as in October you are stuck with turkey or canaries for warm weather.

Yes, I can't afford a holiday for my family. The most we can do is a 4 nights campings in the summer once a year and that's it. It's truly soul destroying having to listening to friends talk about their lovely holidays and my children asking why they can't go to Italy, American, Disney, France etc, on a plane etc.

I'm currently paying off £51 a month for a full board Norwegian fjord cruise for June 2025. Cost £1400 for two adults and two children including return coach travel from the north west. I think that's pretty amazing to be honest and I'm mega excited about it.

My DH is paying £121 a month off a full board Caribbean cruise in march 2025. Flying from Manchester into Barbados and then stopping at 6 different islands on the way back to the uk. That was £2100 for us both. Again, for two weeks and including flights I think that's mega cheap. These days you would struggle to get two weeks in a nice clean caravan in the summer holidaysin the uk for that.

I know you would prefer 10 days but seriously look at 7. There is much more availability for 7 or 14 nights and so the 10 day ones tend to keep the prices up.

The next thing if your school age kid is in primary is to look at booking a couple of days either side of the summer break. They will only miss 2 or 3 days of school but the prices really come down. Look at coming back 2 of 3 days after the end of easter or spring break and you may be pleasantly surprised. Obvs I don’t know your kids ages or your airport but I have just put some dates into TUI with my minimum criteria which is 4 stars and 4 on trip advisor and there are a few options for a week all inclusive in Spain for a family of 4 at around the £2.5k mark.

i never did AI before having DS but we found it cheaper than self catering and eating out. Buying every ice cream, coffee or glass of sangria really mounts up. Also we found than in a big hotel the buffet usually has plenty of choice and we didn’t need to fork out for trips when DS was younger. A boat trip and bus to the nearest town/beach was enough so we barely needed spending money.

It is so easy for tiny differences in people's lives to make huge changes though, which their friends/neighbours wouldn't know about.
For example, I started uni in 2009, at the time there was a subsidy for Welsh students staying in Wales, so my tuition fees were just over £3k (in total, not per year). Whereas my sister was only 2 years younger but due to her birthday just missed her school year cut off, so started uni in 2012 - her fees were £27k in total). I paid mine off within about 5 years, she probably won't ever pay her full loan (inc maintenance) off - if we were on the same wage that's an extra £100 or so I have, every single month for 25 years.

Same with house prices - my first property, my neighbour's house was identical to mine, because they bought just before a boom it was £30k cheaper, less than a year earlier. Getting on the housing ladder a few years earlier, or with a bigger deposit can make a huge difference over 30 years.
The difference between 1 and 2, or 2 and 3 kids can make a huge difference. etc. etc.
You've mentioned most of your friends work in the public sector, so this might not apply, but there can be massive salary differences between different organisations that people don't necessarily think of - an EA in a local council might be on 19k, and EA to a senior executive in a multi national bank could be on up to £90k, but someone might assume 'Oh, Emma does the same job as me, we're probably paid about the same.'

Plus, it's true that you rarely see/notice what other people don't spend their money on, only what they do!

If they lived in mansions or were hedgies, I wouldn't be asking.

I find this judging how well off people are by the size of their house hilarious. To go on holiday you need spare cash not a big house. If you have a big house you are surely less likely to have spare cash?

Go at half term instead of summer holidays?

find this judging how well off people are by the size of their house hilarious. To go on holiday you need spare cash not a big house. If you have a big house you are surely less likely to have spare cash?

So people in small houses are rich and can afford holidays?

Big houses are still 4 times salary .
Sill have the same disposable income, if not more.

Besides we couldn’t afford our house now if we had to pay market value, we just have equity we can’t spend.