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?

Highly recommend eurocamp. No not all inclusive but it's not like a shitty UK parkdean thing ( been there done that, repeatedly!)
We take the car and self catering but with spends to eat out if we wish.
School holidays aren't cheap obviously.. but.. a couple of days before the end of term makes all the difference in price and school seem to be okay with it.

I have never been on AI, but I would imagine it being a bit like all the people on your flight there going to the same place as you and all their noisy kids in the same pool as yours.

We have always done SC. So many lovely places on Airbnb with so much more space than a hotel room. I don’t mind doing some cooking on holiday and we also eat out. I rather spend my money on doing things while on holiday than on a hotel.

i bet the cheaper the AI holiday, the worse it is. I am thinking Benidorm.

There are some great deals out there if you’re prepared to go outside the summer hols. We (family of 4) are going to a 4star resort in Corfu, all inclusive for October half term week. £2300 all in. We’d spend more on a self catering holiday in the UK probably!

I have never been on AI, but I would imagine it being a bit like all the people on your flight there going to the same place as you and all their noisy kids in the same pool as yours.We have always done SC. So many lovely places on Airbnb with so much more space than a hotel room. I don’t mind doing some cooking on holiday and we also eat out. I rather spend my money on doing things while on holiday than on a hotel. i bet the cheaper the AI holiday, the worse it is. I am thinking Benidorm

@Potatooooooooo
your post is so snobby, Benidorm is really lovely. And you open your post by stating you've never done something but here's my opinion on it anyway. Open your mind a bit!

For campsite holidays I prefer to book through eurocamp/canvas holidays. I like that I have a rep on site to go and moan at if anything goes wrong with the accommodation.

We have booked a couple of times direct with campsites but I found that more of a pain as either we had to wait to be inspected or I had to queue up to pay for end of let clean (which baffled reception staff as I was seemingly the only person who had ever done this).

With eurocamp you pay a small damage waiver at the time of booking, sweep out (useful for finding stray socks/toys under beds), leave the key on the table and go.

We did once have Siblu reps try to con us into doing an end of let clean. Told us we wouldn't get our deposit back if we didn't. Told them we had paid the damage waiver so had no deposit to get back. They went off in a bit of a grump and we were left wondering how many people they had conned into doing their job for them.

We did exactly what you’re doing. £300 a month for just over a year. We rated for a week AI in the canaries for £3k with tui first week of the school holidays x

We've booked to go to abroad with Jet2 next summer holidays - a week for 2 adults 2 children bed and breakfast in a family apartment was just over £3k. It is expensive imo but out holiday house that we have stayed in every year in Devon for the last few years is also now coming in at £3k for a week and we figured we'd like to have guaranteed sunshine.
We'll have to spend a lot more when we get there on meals out etc but we'd prefer to eat in different places so will have to just budget for that. If you broke that down it was be saving approximately £300 a month to go - it is expensive, we just have to kind of prioritise that money as holiday savings budget but I appreciate we are extremely fortunate to be able to do so. My husband does quite a bit of overtime to put money aside for holidays l.

Sorry for all the terrible typos 😩

I just had a look on jet2 flying from stansted end July 2024 starts from £3189 all inclusive mainly canaries for 2 adults 2 children including luggage and transfers

@founddory , Benidorm has a beautiful beach, but I have been there on a day trip and it’s all fish and chips and people drinking outside bars at 10am. Depends what you like. On AI holiday, you only need a couple of really loud families with kids taking over the pool and your holiday is ruined.

We're a family of four and we went to Tenerife in May half term.
Flights out £60pp from Gatwick
Return £47pp both British Airways.

Rented a apartment in a hotel complex, we got this cheap through a friend but lots of deals on booking.com/Air b&b

£1300 In spending money. We ate out for breakfast and dinner and did Siam park and a dolphin boat trip.

We went on the Thursday so only missed 2 school days.

Or save up and book last minute on TUI/Jet2.

The Cala D'Or holiday someone linked to is room only which wouldn't be my idea of fun as a family of 4! All in one room, no living room or kitchen facilities and no meals included either.

We always book self-catering - either as part of a package or through Air BnB / Eurocamp etc. Even if you don't cook at all, it gives you more space (living room, kitchen, etc) and gives you the option of breakfast at home, simple meals in when you feel like it.

Well that’s easy to say if you can happily afford to go away in the summer holidays. ‘Harshly judging’ someone whose circumstances you have no idea of for missing a few days at school to give their child a holiday seems a bit OTT

If money is tight op why are you looking at catered hotels? We had great self catered holidays which really work with Dc. Our now young adults say their favourite holidays were Eurocamp or similar- caravan in France. Ferry and driving was an adventure plus you pick your stay of any duration, empty beaches, no parking fees at beaches, cheap wine! We once did AI and never again. A villa was my favourite by a mile and is not necessarily expensive, last one was in 2018, late August, £2.5k for 4 incl flights. But dropped massively out of hols obviously.

Just looking on Jet2 and there's all inclusive holidays from £2000 leaving tomorrow. I always think you get better deals if you save and book last minute.

We're going to eurocamp in the south of France for 9 nights.

That costs 1900 for their latest model three bed mobile home with air con.

We drive and take two little tents and stay with friends/camp on the way and the way back (three nights each way, one in southern England, one in Picardy, one in the Jura). That's about another £100.

If interested in Eurocamp type holidays. We saved £££ by booking direct with site and getting ferry crossing separately.

Sorry to hijack - how far in advance can you book them I can’t seem to find availability for next year yet when I’m on the website?

The ‘but’ in your reply is irrelevant - the answer from @SchoolBlazers is still the same. They still have more money than you.

Compromising their education ??

How about the 6 strike days dd had off the last year

She has more time off school with teacher strikes then dh and I taking her out of school

And we got fined for it

I work nights so having her wasn't an issue but for many friends who work days they had to pay extra childcare or miss a days pay to have their children

Most of my holidays with DD have been AirBnBs in Europre or the UK for four/five nights to keep prices reasonable and I've yet to spend more than £1200 on a holiday.

It's just DD and I so not like I'm taking a family of four but I don't think the typical all inclusive beach holiday is either very nice or particularly good value.

I'd rather have a shorter holiday in a beautiful, quirky and individual place than two weeks in a resort with nothing to do but lie by the pool. Call me a snob but spending 14 days sitting around the same pool and watching Brit families going red as they get stuck into the lager before lunch is not my idea of a good time.

How the hell did you get flights from Gatwick for that cheap amount in May half term ?

We spent £2000 for 2 adults and a toddler (free) for 7 nights in Alcudia AI in August, the water park next door is free in if you're staying at this particular hotel. I think my sister paid around £2400 for herself and 2 children. The AI is great for the kids, unlimited milk shakes, ice cream, lollies, slushies etc. It's not luxury but ideal for children.

This. I dont just want to be at home somewhere hot with all the same responsibilities.

I'm leaning towards self catering, as long as we can afford to eat out every night and at least half lunches.

I think we'll get better food that way. And the drinks will be better not AI anyway - not that I can get trashed with the kids anyway, so AI is wasted.

TBH I think we need Italy, because I know they'll eat every day (husband included). But Italy is expensive!

Yes, Italy is expensive. Spain and Greece are much cheaper.