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?!

Agree. Don't see the appeal in the typical fight for a sunbed then sit around a pool all day while kids run riot. Plus being so careful what you eat and drink so you don't end up with D&V.

Book flights and a private apartment - much cheaper - get shopping done on day one and then just go out of an evening

@LittleBearPad how much are you actually want to spend ? You are complaining at spending £2k last year.

I absolutely agree - been on 2 and have loved it. But have you looked this year - prices have gone up significantly! And in any case, still comes out close to 3k once you factor in travel and food whilst you’re there

That’s so rude and snobby We do uk and overseas holidays and they are all holidays. Some people can only do a uk self catering break.

If children want to travel, they can always save up and go once they’re adults. That’s what I did. I didn’t think any less of my childhood because my parents didn’t take me abroad.

Holidays are always worth the money, in my view. But you have to plan carefully to find the right one for you. Maybe you need to move on from the stereotype of an AI/package holiday on a beach in the Med? There are so many other options, just use your imagination.

I love it when I’m there. The kids do too. BUT I just can’t shake the cost!!!

We’ve been on some amazing trips.

We aren’t in bad financial shape particularly - maybe I need some therapy!!! (Maybe I need a holiday!)

And it’s a break. Not a holiday.

You're only looking at the holiday itself though.

I look forward to a holiday for at least a good month before I go. The fact that there's a holiday booked in actually lifts my mood.

The same with afterwards. I'm more relaxed than if I hadn't been away, more able to deal with whatever work or life will throw at me. It's a reset.

Yes, if you look at it as something that only affects you for that week away, then £500 a day is a lot. But something that improves your life for months either side. Definitely worth the money.

Those sorts of holidays sound awful. Definitely wouldn’t appeal to me!!

I think I want to go and I want to feel like it’s worth it.

We can afford it.

I just can’t shake the cost thoughts.

We used to have a holiday pot too and got rid when we needed to pay off some debt. Maybe I need to bring it back so it feels paid for. We have a separate pot so things like car insurance don’t feel like a big hit. Thank you for reminding me - I think I will set the pot up today.

My youngest asks me all the time to go.

I took the kids to Paris for a weekend 6 years ago. They still talk about it. I'm so glad we went. It cost 1.5k all in and it was the best money I ever spent.

Maybe it genuinely isn't worth it then. Because it's not just about having the money, it's your subjective perception of whether the costs are justified. I know you say the kids enjoy it, but I bet that's not the only thing they'd like. How old are they?

Well tell that to the travel industry who make a fortune from self catering holidays every year!

My happiest memories are of our travels with our children. However, we didn’t spend anywhere near £500 a day.

Have you looked into house swaps?

Holidays are more expensive because the cost of living stuff and the fuel shite impacts everyone on earth. I’ve paid £3k this year for a week in the sun and it’s looking like £4k next year for the same thing. I am debating interrailing as the pass is £900 for a family of 4 but I imagine once I tot it all up it will be thousands for a fairly basic trip.

i can afford the holiday. If my mum gave me the money for it I think I’d be sat there feeling guilty that it wasn’t value for money (not necessarily that it needed to go on bills etc as everything is paid for - we are fairly comfortable)

If I won it - game on - I’d definitely enjoy it!

OP, you want to go abroad with four other members of your family for a week, it was always going to cost at least a four figure sum in total. Why not stay in the UK instead for a break?

But no one is making you go anywhere hot, or involving pools or the beach! Go to a cool city and spend the entire time in museums, looking around historical sites, eating beautiful food and taking day trips to other interesting places? To say you don’t like holidays because of heat, pools and beaches is like saying you don’t like eating out because of carrots. Just order something that doesn’t involve carrots.

Because when the children are begging me to go they are asking because they want a warm beach and an outdoor pool.

Please share where you have found return flights with checked bag for five people for £200 return.

I think you need to just book it and let it go if you can afford it. 3k is not expensive if you can afford it for 5 people.

This. My kids first holiday abroad was when they were adults and paid for by themselves . We always had holidays at holiday parks. They loved it and have great memories.

The upsides are new places, new experiences. And that is fun. The draw.
The downsides are the journey to get there often via an airport, or travel in the UK. Queuing at some point. For hours. Which is not fun.

Hotels do charge a fortune because they can. They have so many people chasing a limited number of rooms/villas etc so can charge what they want.

Airports I think need to wake up a bit. Dreadful most of them. Herded around like cattle. Get there earlier and earlier - all to get you to spend money. Nothing to do with the flight time. They have become so bad, charge for this that and the other people are proactively avoiding them.

I think sadly too, poor service standards in places do not help. People expect a week or two of bliss. Which might be unrealistic. Other people can cause problems, less than good accommodation too.

The price though, I agree can be limiting.
I think too that the whole booking a holiday I think can be really stressful these days. Years ago you could pick up a load of brochures, go through them, turn to the back page, look at the cost of the flight, rooms etc and work out your price. And go and book it with the travel agent. It is not the same online.
Now you have a load of reviews, book yourself, try to work out the best price etc. Navigate a really unhelpful website. Holiday websites for me are the worst.

They have made it as unpleasant and difficult as possible to book. And yes, some people give up. And don’t bother. Or don’t bother to book as much.

But having said all this, cling onto the hoped for new experience, keep to a budget and do go !