Help me enjoy my holiday

[Dacatspjs]

I just live by myself no dependants, earn really well. I am lucky, but I hate spending money. I went through a tough time when I was younger, and am really aware that with it just being me if something were to happen then it's just up to me to pay the bills. There's no one else, no back up.

I'm currently on holiday, I booked a cottage and planned to eat out in chain restaurants and pubs each night. But I can't stomach £20 for a burger or £24 for a proper main course. Instead I've reverted back to a supermarket meal deal and half a bottle of wine each night.

I can afford it. I know everything is expensive now. I just want to cut loose and enjoy my holiday, but see the prices and head back to cook for myself. I'll regret it when I'm home.

Where are you?

Your issues appear to be deeper than a reply here will allow! Insecurity about money is a difficult thing to overcome, I've seen people I know who are quite wealthy balk at buying an ice cream!

All I can say is maybe do what I do for breaks and hols. I am not in the least bit worried about money BTW but it's a comfort and organised thing for me.

So I have a sub account on Revolut for holidays. I throw some into that every month, and that is my treat money for hols. No guilt, I know that it's partitioned and I spend every single penny of it while away. I often add more if needed, but it's still in the "holiday fund wallet" so it will never impact on other essential bills etc.

What do you enjoy doing? Have to say I resent £20 on an average burger myself and can easily afford it. Are there any nice restaurants nearby that offer something you wouldn’t cook at home? A tasting menu or something? So at least you go out one night? Or if the idea of a restaurant by yourself doesn’t appeal, instead of a supermarket meal deal could you get something else? Get ingredients to do some tapas or something you wouldn’t normally cook for yourself?

it’s too late for this holiday, could you do a bit of research for your next trip, finding an option that doesn’t give you the opportunity to stay in with a meal deal? A good quality all inclusive, a small group tour type holiday? Do you like to/enjoy travelling, your issue with finding it difficult to spend money aside?

That sounds soulless.
If you can afford it and know you'll regret it, pay the prices.

Try the too good to go app, find local restaurants on it and then take back to the cottage to eat it?
Near me I get tobys, 2 Chinese restaurants, a sushi restaurant and loads of other places

Could you book a nicer restaurant? For alternate evenings?

Why don't you do

One night cook
One night eat out or takeaway
One night cook
One night eat out or takeaway

Our local nom chain restaurants are cheaper than the chains, or are much nicer. Perhaps if you say where you are people can suggest somewhere cheaper.

Wetherspoons is your answer

Tonight I had a takeaway, just as sunset was occurring with a beautiful view in the car.

Sometimes, it is about the location

I can be a bit similar but it is more that I have a tight budget and I want to spend it wisely so lots of expensive eating out isn't that enjoyable to me when I could spend it on something I would enjoy more. What would you like to do on this holiday that you could treat yourself to (not necessarily food)? Or maybe have a lunch out (might be better deals) or go out for dessert? I also have a holidays pot now which makes spending a bit easier as it has been saved specifically for that purpose. Hope you enjoy your holiday

This isn’t about the price of the menus but about how you’ve conditioned yourself. This is a HOLIDAY - time to treat yourself for all your hard work. If you’ve not eaten yet, could you get a takeaway in? You don’t have to go mad. Just indulge yourself a little.
A few nights of food you haven’t had to cook yourself is absolutely not going to send a single person with financial security bankrupt. You are going to bankrupt yourself of joy at this rate though.
Whereabouts are you?
Please treat yourself. What about a cheeky extra glass of wine if you fancy it with a nice film tonight?

Life's way too short to think like this! Go out and enjoy yourself.

Secondly, if you dine out, you might meet someone interesting to talk to.

Some people have interesting stories to tell or places to recommend for you to visit or eat.

Some pubs have interesting objects & history

You can always take a book to read with you or your phone

I doubt OP will treat herself to some nice food. Hard to change these habits.

Best thing to do is not have any breaks at all, stay home and count your pennies. I am not trying to be horrible here, but if spending money doesn't appeal to you, don't do it, that takes away the angst immediately.

I wouldn't spend on crap food in a restaurant either OP. Is there anything you would like? A lovely massage? A trip to the cinema? A shopping afternoon with a new outfit? Put the £ you have saved on meals aside and treat yourself to something else. We stayed somewhere with no decent places to eat last year and I cook every day but I also ordered myself 2 books and a new dress that were waiting for me when I got home and extended my 'fun'.

Ironically I think you need to think the worst… if you lose it all again, you’d cope -
just as you have before.
But if you don’t lose it all (much more likely), you’ll have deprived yourself of lots of happy experiences.

You need to get better at budgeting.

I don’t worry about the price of a meal out as I have a budgeted amount for meals out so I treat the money as already spent in my head.

I make sure my budget is generous enough to have fun things planned in, but that it leaves enough for me to save each month that I don’t feel guilty about the fun spending.

But I’m of the view that if you don’t cut loose and enjoy your holiday, you’ve actually wasted the £200 you spent on accommodation, which is worse than “wasting” £30 on a meal out this evening.

Abandon the chains and find little independent places. And know that your being a customer is supporting independent traders, and their suppliers, and ultimately contributing to the monetary merry go round that at some stage supports your own income.

Maybe go for lunch, and then stick up on lovely cheeses and salad for an in-cottage supper

Also… you are not paying for the burger (or whatever) you are paying for a night off, a treat (another reason to avoid chains unless there are ones you especially enjoy.

Financial catastrophe will not come via a meal out!