Many people prioritise/ live for holidays above all else

[Elizo]

Recently went on a wonderful/ expensive group holiday with DC having saved up/ extended mortgage. We aren’t wealthy/ don’t go abroad often but from the chat with others think holidays are huge priority and what they really look forward to all year above all else. Saving/ working hard all year for ski-ing/ trips to US etc - clearly that sort of travel out of reach for most of us. Loved our holiday and wondering if we are odd ones out in this!

Just to clarify. I extended my mortgage for house renovation. It ended up a small bit underspent which I put towards the holiday. I didn’t remortgage for a holiday..

I’d never go into debt for a holiday, but we go away during most school holidays because we love holidays & have the money to spend.

After lockdown, I went on a bit of a holiday spree and a lot of our disposable income went on holidays from 2021 to this year. We've decided we will be scaling back next year as I want to start saving for some house renovations.

I think its a balance. I feel happiest when on a city break. Its not a waste of money to me. Most of us can't do everything so I don't have a nice car or designer clothes because I'd spend my extra on holidays instead. Next year, I'll choose my new kitchen over a holiday and that's fine too.

Sure sure. Then why even mention extending mortgage in original post? This is like Truss trying to re write her stint as worst PM since John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute.

We prioritise holidays & have more than one per year

We save up, work extra, do not spend on other things, look for bargains

I have never been in debt for a holiday

We have friends who travelling is very important to them. They save and don’t have fancy cars or do much to their home (it’s fine) they could get a bigger house or spend on home improvements but to them travelling is more important.

They wouldn’t get into debt they save - and plan the holidays independently - very jealous of some of the amazing trips! But it’s what’s important to them.

My auntie is obsessed with holidays, but her life is not great with her DH. She once said to BIL (who hadn't been on one for a few years, 'how can you live without holidays' going on and on about it. and he said, well I actually like my normal life so... i thought that was quite funny

I keep getting asked about holidays, not been away for years. Got pets and a business to run, no help with them but it's fine as I've set my life up to suit me and it's pretty good.

I wouldn't get into debt for holidays ever.

Holidays are important to us, but I wouldn't borrow for one. I wait to see what my annual bonus is first, then use part of that to pay for 2 weeks abroad in the summer. If I didn't get a bonus for some reason, we wouldn't go, which would be sad for us all, but I won't spend money I don't have on them.

We don’t prioritise holidays at all. I’ve dropped to 4 days working during the last year and to me that day off each week is far more valuable than an expensive holiday once a year. We’ve also prioritised house renovations in recent years. I’m very lucky to have traveled a lot when I was younger. Still dreaming of taking the kids on an aeroplane - maybe next year…

We don't get in to any debt but we prioritise holidays. Our daughter does all the clubs she wants so doesn't miss out, but we don't eat out often or have takeaways often, i don't like spending loads on clothes so buy from Vinted, i don't spend money on skin care/make up/perfume etc. Lot's goes into savings inc birthday money from parents and work annual bonus. We are very fortunate to have a very good household income which does go further where we live, if we lived in or around London we'd have a lot less spare income.

Glad you’ve clarified the mortgage point, I definitely couldn’t get into debt for a holiday or I wouldn’t actually relax or enjoy it. We prioritise family time when we can as both DH and I work full time. But family time doesn’t need to be an extravagant holiday for us to enjoy it or look forward to it, DC loved a hike in the woods this morning.

@Elizo what was it about the holiday that made it so good and special?
People often talk of "once in a lifetime" holidays. Was this your moment? Something you've always wanted to do?

NO. we do English ones and I come from a country where I can go back and have any amazing sea, golf, inclusive, whatever....these things are not my appetiser. I love churches, nature, cliffs, old ruins, quaint streets.

I grew up in a resort and have been a witness how they pulled all the lovely little hotels peppered in amazing greenery and built these all inclusives with pools, etc. The trees were all cut and it looks like Las Vegas. I hate the stink of swimming pools and had the amazing life of jumping from rocks and swimming in the sea when was a child....

when Turkey or Spain or Florida will attract me? - Never.

my only dream is to go back home , open the old house, smell the old mortar and see how everything is the same left as it was 50 years ago. This is me. I live with ideas , not objects

One of my friends is similar. She lives in a very small house in a dodgy area. She has one child and her DH doesn't like travelling so she and her teen go. She travels ten times a year (she doesn't travel in November or Feb). She goes on weekends away and during the summer attends games all over Europe. She never buys new clothes, she drives a very old car, she doesn't wear make up or dye her hair and she stays in caravans abroad. She grew up in a family that prioritied travel and she is the same. She does what makes her happy.

Good question. It was that me and DC did lots of active stuff together, it was organised as part of the trip, beach was near, amazing weather - it just felt magical. We won’t do those sorts of hols v often, tend to do UK based which I also love. If abroad I would book cheaply usually. DC getting older and made me reflect on fact have never seen holidays as big priority, but joy it bought us would prob like to do 1-2 more such holidays before they are independent. Would also love to ski but I think that would be out of reach…

Well I wouldn't borrow money for a holiday any more than I would borrow to buy a car.
We do spend a lot on holidays, we are retired so not restricted to annual leave. I confess I look forward to holidays more than I should which may be more of a problem.
I'm fairly frugal otherwise just by nature.

I prioritise holidays but that doesn’t just mean saving for them. I research them a lot. I’m always thinking about the next trip to book. I have a BA Amex and obsessed with collecting Avios and reward flights.

Because I am so invested in travelling our family of 4 goes on at least 4 amazing trips a year and we probably spend less than £10k per year on flights and accommodation. I don’t factor in spending money as living in London, our costs are usually cheaper when we are away than at home anyway.

I’m the opposite. I hate the post holiday slump, and each time I’ve come back from a holiday I’ve been motivated to try and improve day to day life. Over the years, big expensive holidays have become less important. It’s got to the point where the discomforts of travel are a consideration because home is just lovely.

A lot of my money goes on holidays but my parents died fairly young and whilst a lot of people plan to travel when they retire, I prefer to do it now while I am healthy. You never know what could happen later in life so I believe in maximising my living now. I am lucky that I can afford it and realise that many can’t.

I wouldn’t borrow money for a holiday, but we do prioritise them over most things. Smaller house than we could have for example, older cars,

Holidays save my sanity.
I don't drink/ smoke.. but unessasary.
I love being in the sun it's the best medication for my physical and mental health .. it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be .
I'm retired so can go any time.
Grandkids home educated so the same for them.
We don't like big hotels and AI.
We find a flight.
Look for accommodation.. SC in an apartment/ villa.
Always have car hire from airport.. works out cheaper than transfers.. then we have car for travelling to different places.
One person once said to me " l don't know how you afford all these holidays " .
Then went on to say she spent £180 on a night out .
Well £180 is more than l pay for a return flight.

I'm not too fussed about big holidays – there are some bucket list big ones I'd like to do, such as Disney Florida with the kids. But I don't 'live' for them. I really enjoy my home life, my work and days out all year in general, so I don't build my year around anything really.

We could afford a bigger house but don’t actually need one. Would rather spend our spare income on holidays and travel.

We don't prioritise holidays but we do prioritise family time and having a break. We do this by having breaks in the UK cheaply or just day trips and staying home.

I'd much rather put thousands of pounds into making our everyday life more wonderful. Not that we have thousands of pounds. I'd find it very stressful to stretch ourselves or go into debt for it. Plus small children big holidays are just not fun. I'm exhausted after a day trip.