To think it’s fairly normal to put a holiday on a credit card?

[isobelok]

And pay it off over the year?

I’m not talking maxing out the credit card and letting the interest build, more putting it on a 0% credit card and paying it off over the year, even if you’re still paying it a couple of months after your return from holiday

Talking to a friend who said they’d never go on a holiday that they couldn’t pay for outright and that they would save up first. We are in a different situation where holidays will be cheaper until baby turns 2 as they will travel free so it kind of makes sense to do it now rather than wait and save and inevitably pay hundreds and hundreds more when we do go. I also think it is easier to travel with a non-mobile baby so will probably make the most of going abroad in the first year, and then maybe just enjoy UK holidays whilst they are very little and reconsider going overseas when they’re slightly older

I always put holidays on a credit card for the consumer protection, but it gets paid off in full the following month. When I get 0% deals there's always a fee for the balance transfer, so it's not worth the hassle, and I don't get sent 0% spending deals these days.

We have a decent amount of surplus income every month so we always have savings available to pay for an expense like a holiday. So it doesn't really enter my thoughts to build up debt to pay for it, even if I could theoretically earn more in interest by using 0% deals.

I would never put a holiday on a credit card and in fact I'd never purchase anything I can't pay outright. To me these are the basics of responsible financial management.

No but we are lucky we don’t need to. I don’t actually think it’s terrible to put it on a 0% card given inflation will actually make it cheaper than buying it out right. Could actually be a sensible thing to do.

Nothing goes on a credit card unless I have the money to pay it off in full sat in another account somewhere.

The only reason I've got a credit card is for the protection it offers and the rewards. I'd never use it to pay for something I can't afford, it's just gambling that you won't lose your job.

I would, but ai have friends with a different way of handling finances and I know this would be really stressful for them to use a credit card like this. You can't tell people how to handle their finances.

I might use a credit card to pay, but only if I could then pay back the card in full. For me a holiday would never be worth borrowing for.

Loads of people I know do this. I would. I think I’m a different demographic to the average mumsnet user though.

I’ve got my first holiday in years booked recently over credit card, hoping to pay it off over the next year

If you are not paying any interest then I think what you are doing is fine, but I am like many others who book and pay on the card but pay the bill in full as soon as it is due. I wouldn't feel comfortable booking anything I didn't immediately have the money to pay for.

If I pay for stuff on credit card I pay it off the next month. If I can't afford to do that then I don't go away.

Presume you don’t have a mortgage, car finance agreement or mobile phone contract?

Finance used properly is sensible. Of course racking up debt for items you can’t pay off is not. But there is a middle ground.

I put holidays on credit card but for the added protection and sometimes to avoid using savings, so then pay it off over a bit of time and keep the funds I would otherwise use to pay for it in savings account - but I wouldn't want to come home from holiday with some still to pay on it, that can be a very slippery slope and is a case of not being able to afford it in my eyes. If all cleared and paid for before departure then I don't think it matters how it was paid

I wouldn't in your situation unless I had the money sitting in a bank account earning higher interest than the debt was accruing. I also felt it would be a lot of hassle dealing with the baby at an airport, on a plane, in sunny climates etc. We took baby/toddler DC on cheap UK term time holidays, still loads to see, access to NHS services if required and no debt.

Always put on CC, why would I ever risk giving a travel company my own money and debit card details when I can give them the CC companies money and pay the CC off.

I would always pay it off that month though, because I also don’t want to give the CC any of my money through interest either. All the benefits of using them and rewards they give for doing so, zero risk and the best of both worlds.

Like most of the posters, I pay with my credit card to get the added protection but then I pay the balance off.

I don't book holidays I can't afford because my credit card is my emergency fall back

Those posters saying it's not normal and they don't know anyone that puts holiday on credit card how many people have you actually asked or had that conversation with? Several holidays a year here, same as wider family and friends circle, all can afford it and the vast majority put them on credit cards at point of making the booking then pay it off. Many will pay the card off within the first month but not all, but will be paid off by the time they go, but most definitely using their credit cards for the booking itself, it's not unusual.

There are of course many others that can't afford it putting holidays on cards and delaying the inevitable that they can't pay it off - not the same thing

Just because it is common does not make it normal.
It is definitely not a financially savvy thing to do..

I’d put on a CC for the protection and the loyalty points I get then pay it off out of savings. I wouldn’t buy a holiday we couldn’t already afford but using a CC isn’t an issue- spending beyond your means is.

I would always put a purchase of this size on a credit card. I refuse to pay any interest though so I'd put it on a 0pc card or pay it all off in full. Many people are scared of using credit, and quite rightly so in many cases.

We save up over the year but always pay on the credit card in case the holiday company goes bust. Then we pay off the card with the savings. We can claim on the card if the company does go bust..

If it's a 0 percent card then it is absolutely the financially savvy thing to do for multiple reasons. The extra protection for a start. You may received loyalty points. And then if inflation is rising, the price you end up paying will be less.

I always put it on a credit card so I’ve got the Section 75 protection. However, I always have the cash in my current account to immediately pay it off. I’d never book a holiday without having the funds available, what if I lost my job or something? I also wouldn’t want to come home from the holiday still owing money, how depressing!

I love Disneyworld and I saw someone on a facebook group say they’d remortgaged their house to take their family 😮 I was gobsmacked at the stupidity of that,

It IS pretty normal, outside the Mumsnet universe of course.

I pay a deposit and save the rest. Don't own a credit card.
They scare me.

I think there's not much I would buy if I couldn't afford it immediately. Necessary dental treatment maybe. Ransom for a kidnapped child. But something as unnecessary as a holiday, no way.