I hate my budget holiday

[ValentinaTheVampire]

We have small children to do things on a budget so we tend to do self catering in the UK to avoid paying for flights and also so we aren't all squashed into a hotel room.

But ugh, it has been so miserable this time (we are away at the moment). The weather where we are staying is pretty miserable. We are staying near family where I grew up as we tried to do holiday and family visit in one and I am honestly just counting down the days. I'm so tired from all the driving about and visiting and trying to keep kids entertained in the rain with none of their usual stuff around to help.

The cottages we've had the past few holidays have been so tired looking and even then they are so expensive.

I have a small but perfectly nice house at home. Kids aren't exactly getting a cultural experience here (although they are loving seeing family).

Dh wants to do another holiday cottage for my 40th birthday which is coming up over other school holidays and I've just told him no fucking way 😂.

I'd rather spend the money on my house or save for a nicer holiday even if we don't get one as often.

I can't tell if holidays have got worse or if I have become a that who just likes staying at home.

I think the prices for self catering cottages in the UK is ridiculous. Center parcs are renown for being expensive, but were only around 20% more expensive than a cottage with no real facilities for little ones. So guess which we picked?

I would go static caravan. They tend to be really modern with all the facilities now and because you are on a site there is usually a free swimming pool and playground you can go to. I look for good prices and tend to pay £800 for a week in the summer for 6 people. Haven, Parkdean etc good. Butlins is the king of UK holidays but usually a bit more expensive but with an outstanding pool, entertainment and a free fairground you can go round all day. Plus parks provide jobs and holiday let's are just paying off the mortgage of someone richer than you.

Ps hope the weather improves and you can enjoy the rest of your stay.

YANBU. sounds grim and I’d honestly not bother.

I did suggest Bluestone for my 40th for that reason @Mum2jenny, but it was working out expensive. I've actually said to dh that we're either going there if we can afford it or I'll vote for staying at home!

Kids are young primary age and I work in a school so have to go during holidays. That's another reason the cottages we can afford are so much worse!

Not sure the age of your kids, so this may not be helpful, but the best holiday I had with preschool kids was leaving them in the nursery and having a child free day out with DH. It was BLISS! Not sure if some version of that could work for you (maybe yours are school age and you work in a school)? Or a babysitter for the day (not a couple of hours) and you go out with DH. It's an expensive day on the surface of it, but cheaper than a holiday cottage and WAY more relaxing as kids are in a familiar environment and routine!

I found when the kids were small ex DH and I liked the idea of a family holiday but the reality was very different. Crap weather, rented cottages that weren’t as easy/ well equipped as home, kids who wanted the toys we’d left at home. I think every holiday we came home a day or two early. Post divorce I couldn’t afford a summer holiday but could afford mid-week in June half term. Worked much better, cheaper, shorter time & if the weather was bad just chose a couple of indoor things to do.

Don't then - go somewhere else?!

How old are your children op? I know what you mean. UK holidays can be so overpriced for what you get which is often £££ for a run down cottage or caravan, rain and no food or activities included.

Sometimes you can make the best of it but other times it just doesn't feel worth it.

Holidays with small ones are over rated. No matter the budget. They’re especially over rated with teenagers 🤣🤣.

Definitely look at Eurocamp or Canvas Holidays. Yelloh in France is also worth a look. You can often get discounts on the ferry. Check as well booking direct.

We’ve gone for static caravan/holiday parks for the past few years as the DC are younger. Must haves include a swimming pool and some sort of playground and when they were smaller ideally a soft play. It then doesn’t matter too much about the weather and most have some sort of restaurant/cafe/take away so you don’t end up cooking all the time.

If you have a lovely home then I fail to understand why you would go and pay to go somewhere worse?!

@Royalbloo you are being SUPER unhelpful. Would you mind not posting again on here please? In the nicest possible way.

Enjoy your holiday and all the best

You're just rude- really poor manners to be this abrasive.

Stayed home this year, we now have a dog. no way I’m spending £2k+ a week to stay in a boring and totally average house when my own house is amazing and has everything I need

we are looking at a boating holiday now tho until dog is old enough to go spend time with other dogs and friends

You sound miserable

Have you considered a cruise? I'm a TA so don't make a massive amount and we're tied to to the school holidays but I've just booked a cruise for the Christmas holidays at £999 for a family of 4 with MSC includes food, drinks and kids club! You get to see different places and if you live near a port there's very little travel time.

I’m totally with you @ValentinaTheVampire 😂

Stillcantbebothered I'm really not, we are going to have a brilliant time. Not sure where you got that from! Are you the Op?! Lol

I’d also recommend a static caravan over a cottage. Cottages pretty much always have something weird or unpleasant about them. With a nice high quality caravan you know exactly what you’re getting, there are other children to play with and facilities on the site.

Static caravans on holiday parks with pools and holiday clubs. My children enjoyed them and though they were not exactly my ideal holiday they were happy so I was.
Eurocamp is also affordable.

Kind of the point. @Royalbloo

uk cottage holidays are not good value for money atm imo.

Parks/ resorts etc aren’t the right places for us, but I am sure they are great if you’ve got small kids.

A down market holiday cottage can be v tatty and depressing. When D.C. were little we used to stay in Parkdene/Butlins type resorts in the top of the range caravansor chalets which were much better value, particularly in term times.

It absolutely was not my type of holiday but the kids loved it all - the pools, on site playgrounds, the little discos, sleeping in bunk beds, even having the variety pack cereals in little boxes was a massive treat. They would go to sleep exhausted and happy leaving us to drink wine and play cards.

when they were older we could afford to take them to much 'naicer' places but they still reminisce about the happy days at campsites.

Love a caravan!