Holidays are just not worth the money

[Phonicshaskilledmeoff]

Holidays are just not worth it.

The kids are desparate to go on holiday. I struggle to see the value though. For the 5 of us an abroad holiday is about £3k minimum. I struggle to get over the cost whilst I’m there - £500 a day and I sit wondering whether it was worth it.

The kids are excellent travellers and beautifully behaved when on holiday so it’s nothing to do with them. I just think it’s insanely expensive for what you actually get.

I enjoy it whilst I’m there - how do I stop being a cheap killjoy?!

I have come to dread them. DH has dementia and I have to think and take the stress for both of us. DH prefers self-catering so I end up doing the same jobs I do at home, in unfamiliar surroundings with fewer facilities. There are good moments, of course but overall the stress outweighs the pleasure.

Honestly I love it. It gives me a chance to slow down, clear my head, take a break from the mundane cooking/cleaning/washing up etc. I love being able to get some sun, swim in the pool, go for walks, have a morning coffee on the balcony and order breakfast to the room. It feels like I have worked all year for a nice treat and that I’m investing in me and my kids, creating memories and happy times they will hopefully remember long after I’m gone.

Yeah you are coming back to it all but it gives me the energy to cope better and something to look forward to next year.

Because I can’t see the point - even in the UK. I don’t think it’s something that I would enjoy. Paying out a load of money, packing, travelling, spend a few days somewhere, then back to packing and travelling.

I don’t want to piss away hundreds of pounds for a week when I could buy something exciting which would last me a lot longer.

But isn’t it more depressing when you come back, having had a nice time?

That’s such an odd mentality, why do anything nice if it can’t last a lifetime? That’s what life is, a long string of moments, all we have are our memories really, I like to make sure I have lots of wonderful memories, which holidays give me.

Ikos Andalusia……been before and it was amazing and it’s what life’s alll about, love making memories with the kids and feel blessed I can give them these holidays. We couldn’t afford it as kids ever and I want to be able to do it for mine now we are lucky enough to be able to. Which one did you visit? They are an amazing brand.

No, I feel blessed and grateful. I feel refreshed and raring to go. Life is too short and making time for the people most important to you is a blessing not afforded to all.

Why not just stay home and save money, OP? Put your mind at rest @Phonicshaskilledmeoff

No I wouldn’t say that. I’m ND so it may be different for me.

For me it’s like Christmas. Everyone makes a huge deal and puts up ridiculous decorations and lights but then they come down, making everything feel even greyer than before,

I practically have to be forced to take annual leave anyway - I had to take a whole week off recently at HR’s insistence and by Wednesday I was going insane!

I do make time for those people though. I just don’t see the need to rinse hundreds or thousands on the off chance of having a good time.

Fair enough if it’s your thing but I would sooner spend the money on something that I enjoy

@Anarchy99

so…what’s your answer then…? Never have a break?!

How completely and utterly depressing

Out of interest, what sorts of things do you buy? Like what gives you pleasure to spend money on that a holiday wouldn't? Is it interior design, cars?

It’s not on the “off chance” though, that’s the point, holidays are 1-2 weeks of your unapologetic wishes, be that sunshine, pools, mountains, sight seeing, whatever floats your boat. You go on holiday expecting fun, ok sometimes things go wrong, but on the whole it’s what you want it to be, what you plan it to be. It’s the whole point.

Sounds to me like you are going on the wrong holiday. A week in Greece on the beach and in an inclusive hotel is my idea of hell so £3.5k spent on said adventure is my idea of hell and I would feel resentful. Booking a euro camp as a base and then going out exploring every day and trying new restaurants or booking a city break, 100% my idea of heaven and I would happily spend that money on a family holiday and enjoy making memories. Maybe you need to change the holiday type and it won't feel like such a waste of money. Also budgeting for it ahead of time makes such a difference so you go and have the money to pay for what you want to do rather than coming back to a hefty credit card bill to be paid off till next year's holiday.

I have had much the same thought as you, OP. And in recent years I've changed the type of.holiday i've gone on.
Whereas before I did the whole 'week in the sun's thing in the summer, I have recently done more city breaks and gone abroad at different times (Christmas, Easter, half terms). I find it much easier to get VFM out of this type of break, because there is so much more choice.
Last year I went to Rome for four nights at Easter. It cost the same as a week in a holiday resort over the summer but I felt like I got so much more out of it. I had miles more choice over what to do, where to eat, when I did stuff. I've done Paris, Amsterdam and Singapore in the last couple of years and loved them all. And I look back on the weeks I spent on beaches in the Med and wonder why.

Lots of great staycations you can do, very sensible! Even abroad, you aren't guaranteed good weather.
And not having to go through security is worth 2 holidays.

My life isn’t generally grim enough to need to ‘escape’ for a couple of weeks every year to be honest. So it’s not remotely depressing

I was also just at Ikos Andalusia. 4th visit. I love it - it's like going home.

Oh I’m with you @Phonicshaskilledmeoff ! If we didn’t have kids dh and I would barely go away for more than a weekend a year! As it is we take our kids on 1 week uk based summer hol and previously 1 week uk based autumn hol (but we’ve stopped that one now). I've always said that we put all our spare cash living somewhere we love everyday rather than having to go away to enjoy our surroundings. I always feel sad for people who feel they need to leave home to be truly happy🤷🏼‍♀️. But I also know lots of people will feel differently to me: each to their own!!

Something technology related. Which could be sold if needed. If I had £6k I could have the absolute best there is

Holidays don’t have have to be abroad. You can holiday in this country for much less than £3,000. It’s still a holiday, it’s still a place to make great memories with those you love.

That’s amazing, so glad you had a nice time and fingers crossed for many more visits for us both.

I just really don’t find this. I don’t camp so maybe that’s the difference?

Last summer holiday I had in UK (Norfolk) was about 3k for 3 adults, 2 kids - car rental for a week over £500, basic cottage self catering for a week was closer to 2k than 1k (school hols, needed 3 bed). Adding in activities, a few meals out, nothing excessive imo probably means all in it was about 3k. I thought it would have been cheaper to get Ryanair flights and go abroad. I looked at Cornwall and that was not affordable at all.

And for me that would be not a treat or something I enjoy. Technology is something functional for me, useful but I don’t enjoy spending money on it.

everyone has different priorities and how to spend the money they have left over.

I don’t see a holiday as a waste, I just budget £15K for a holiday next year and I think we plan around £25k in 4-5 years if all goes well.

I lost my dad after 15 years of various cancer illnesses at just 68, I don’t want to life my life not seeing the world.

Eurocamp...we've paid £200 for a week before (mobile home only) and used tesco points for the euro tunnel over. Amazing experience and memories