To be shocked at the cost of holidays?

[Fourpawsblack]

We haven’t been able to go away for years (pre DC!) due to finances. A falling down house, part time work due to childcare and the cost of living has made for a rough time.

Just started to look at a week away for a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 DC under 6) in Spain for August 2026…£4k was the cheapest I found and that was not a great hotel. It was more like £6k for somewhere with half decent reviews. AIBU to think this is crazy? Is this just what I am looking at?
It would mean saving at least £400 a month for a year to be able to do it which would be very rough.

How are almost all of the kids in my DC classes on holiday every year. Maybe I’m missing a trick. I feel sad for my DC that they should be able to experience going on holiday and can’t. I know it’s a first world problem.

Before anyone brings it up, there’s 0 way we can go at a time not in the school holidays so we are stuck with over inflated pricing. The joys of teaching.

So you know anyone/ friend of a friend who rents out an appartment? I know a couple (not wealthy… Just Boomers!) with a 2 bed appartment (3 kids can go in 1 room or there is a sofa bed too) in Gran Canaria. it’s not
jazzy - it’s 20 mins from the Beach but is
clean/ nice/ has a balcony. There is a lovely
shared pool and lots of local things -
shops / restaurants and even with kids
its only a short walk to the Beach / centre. I think it ranges from 300-800 per week (so I suppose €800 in school hols!) but that
leaves flights (even at €400 each it would ok!) and then it’s not so pricy in the canaries. Food, wine etc is pretty cheap if you self cater lunch and breakfast.

We go quite regularly and it’s lovely. It’s not the kind of holiday I had before kids (well… we used to do both- this appartment and fancy hotels!) but it’s all the kids need.

id suggest October/feb/easter for younG kids in the canaries as it’s not as hot as summer.

maybe have a look for an appartment? (I know they apparently ‘hate tourists’ in the canaries, but we’ve never had issues.

Look at Easyjet or Ryanair flights from regional airports and then sourcing an apartment and hire car or using public transport. You'll get a much nicer apartment for half the price and food doesn't need to be expensive. We did the Algarve last year, used a local supermarket for breakfasts and lunches and ate out in the evening.

Or if you like a package try Tui but search their city breaks which are often cheaper, places like Valencia.

See my next post

I think it’s extortionate. Whilst I can afford to pay 6k for a family holiday in August, I just don’t want to, I can’t justify it at all. Especially with young children. They still whinge and argue and it’s still bloody stressful.

August is the most expensive time but if you at the end look at flying from a Scottish airport where it will be much cheaper as the Scottish schools go back in mid August.

Def look at October or May HT. Much cheaper and still lovely weather.

I think holidays or travelling and seeing places is so important for children. I travelled lots with mine, but never used companies like Tui. We travelled abroad during the Easter breaks, booked cheap Ryan Flights and travelled very light with bags under seat only. There are airports you can get cheaper flights to ie.Pisa and Bergamo in Italy. We always booked Airbnb places. We stayed lots of nice places, but often got it cheaper we select places with no dishwasher for example. I know people don’t want to do the dishes on a holiday, but these are compromises we made and it has been so worth it for us.

Ok OP - here’s some excellent ones for you on VBRO ( you can read reviews) I’ve picked Spanish ones as flightswill be cheaper than say Greece- picked 21st to 28th August as many European countries back at school- add on flights, restrict luggage to 3 hold cases only plus 2 carry ons- should cover you fully - including flights all these should come in at under£3k - with Ryanair and BA by the way - you can pay in 3 stages for flights. Realise it’s next year you are booking for- but this should give you some idea of what you can get- these are all 3 bedrooms and will give you way more space than a hotel too- hope you find it useful

https://t.vrbo.io/oZ4IDRZpaSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/4KU4gg5paSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/IEHnob7paSb

Download the Vrbo app to look at this great place. https://t.vrbo.io/IFQj5e9paSb

Do you need a fly/hotel set up?

We camped in France from kids 6 and 4 until A level age.

Mix of sites from Camping Municipal to places used by Canvas Holidays etc where English speaking friends were guaranteed.

Both are now in their thirties and would repeat those trips at the drop of a hat

I’ve done the city break idea a few times and found a hotel with a nice pool that’s near interesting things and often near or nearish a beach too.

Is last week in July cheaper? I work with Spanish people and the are all not working in August

Tui are notoriously expensive. Look at easyjet holidays and jet2 holidays. We've got a week in Greece at a lovely hotel in August for 4 of us for 3.5k. All Inclusive but higher end so really good food, wine by the bottle etc. Small hotel not a sprawling complex full of brits abroad types. I know cause we went last year and it was just perfect. They are out there but it takes patience and scrolling and scrolling as well as date changing and considering different airports to get a better deal. Oh and the sprawling 'brits abroad' places with big water parks and theme parks are always more expensive for some reason! Best avoided!

The weather in the October half-term has been getting milder over the last few years too. It can be a really lovely time of year weather-wise! Maybe not for a European beach holiday but nice for somewhere like Paris or Rome or Madrid. You could have a nice time in Scandinavia or somewhere like New York then too. If you wanted somewhere hot though, you could find some good deals for hot destinations further afield during the October half-term.

Forget vacationing in the summer holidays as a teacher and start to consider the October holiday as your annual getaway break instead.

The very last week of August can be cheaper, or as PPs have suggested, try Easter, May or October half term. Also if you can fly just a day or two either side of the school holiday it can make a difference (and often these can be teacher days so the children aren’t in school anyway).
We’ve always travelled by booking flights and accommodation separately (normally use vrbo for accommodation), but you will get a much smaller pool and not the kids clubs that way, if that’s important to you. In fact if you are booking private apartment accommodation on Costa del Sol it’s worth double checking if the pool will be available as some have been closed over recent years due to water restrictions.

We have always managed Spain for less than £5,000 for five of us but this year we have a gorgeous, and I mean gorgeous, barn conversion in the Lake District for £2,000…accommodates six.

We had a lovely week in Zante in the October half term. Yes it was the end of their season but there was plenty to do and it was warm.

That's how we Eurocamp.

The Hull Rotterdam ferry is so much easier than airports.

Roompot website in English.

Roompot | Your holiday starts here

Don’t look at package holidays in resort hotels in the med. Look at France, ferry or Le Shuttle, staying in a gite or on a campsite.

Look at Ireland or camping in Italy or camping in Spain. Cheap flights in the January sales on budget airlines and AirBnB.

We’re going to Cornwall for a week in a cottage in August courtesy of my DM and DF and having a week in Devon. I’ve ruled out August holidays abroad for a few years while we’ve got big mortgage payments and are about to return to mat pay/nursery fees. It’s not worth it, and we’re lucky in that we live near beautiful countryside and beaches anyway.

God willing, if we get through the next few baby years we’ll explore France options and look at going abroad in May half term after that.

We did Disneyland Paris and Paris itself for a few days last May half term, but it was a big one off treat as DH had done well at work and we wanted to take DS abroad. But it won’t be an annual thing for us to go abroad. And we’re high earners.

Hotels with flight packages are expensive. But you can have a reasonable cost holiday if you book (early) separate flights and an Airbnb or holiday let via local agents.

That way you don’t have to buy food and drinks out and can make your own food and packed lunch for the beach. Young kids don’t eat much for breakfast or dinner. They prefer light snacks, fruit etc, especially when it’s hot. You wouldn’t get a pool, but if you’re a local bus ride from the beach, you can hang out there most days.

You can get some beautiful town houses with outside space. That way you can hang out in the place some days and have a nice stroll or go to the playground. Houses are easier if you have young children as they have space to play, have a siesta or go to bed early while you chill outside.

We very fortunately have family in America, Hong Kong, Norway and Spain. Plus the New Forest, Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight. Many holidays over the years. Just lucky I suppose.

Could you share some links please 🤞🏻

Mine have never been abroad on a holiday, I do have times when I feel guilty, but we have had some great holidays in the UK. What always surprises me about holidays is the stuff they remember, its like school trips, you can take them somewhere gorgeous and all they remember is the dead seagull, or the fact that someone threw up on the coach !
I did once go into a travel agent to look at going abroad during August, we usually book a three bed cottage within a stones throw of the beach, for double what we pay for that here, we could have a one bedroomed apartment, which would mean half the family sleeping on a sofa bed, in a massive holiday complex. Personally I would rather have the space, I live up North and don't mind a bit of rain, so UK it was. Although I would have considered a Gite in France with a pool, but DH didn't fancy the driving, or forking out for everyone's passports, or just doing anything mildly different, so Cornwall it is !

I wouldn't go to Spain in August too hot, and a stay cation should be warm.
Ferry and car and Eurocamp etc in britany should be nice? Or uk?

@Unexpectedlysinglemum I like Brittany but had 8 days of drizzle last time in July - by that nature, most places outside of northern Europe will be too hot- in which case OP could price up the kind of thing I sent her but for October half term.

I was going to say that too... I'd think August 2026 may be too far in advance