daily budget uk camping - family of 4

[needtoleaveukforsunshine]

we are off camping on friday for 10 days - devon for 5 and cornwall for 5. Campsites are coming in about £250. We have also filled carup with petrol and I have a good idea of what out petrol costs will be while away and for return trip ( so have set this aside with the campsite money)

However - why is there always a however??

Just got bill for work done on roof and it has come in quite a bit higher than expected. had to be done as we had leaking into attic over winter. Also builder is a local guy who we have used before so I know cost is genuine (he gave us an estimatd but as was doing it realised there was more extent to the damage than intiially seen).

So - that means I could do with having a nice holiday but keeping budget low. Have been to Aldi today and bought box of wine - crisps- snacks (all the unessential stuff). Have also got pasta/pesto/rice/noodles in the cupboard to take. have got coffee/tea/cereals too as well as loo rolls and toiletries for all.

So - how cheaply could we do this trip. We still want to enjoy it -but I don't want to come back and spend a few weeks worrying about buying food etc.

Do you think £50 per day will do it?? We will probably spend most days on the beach or coastal walks in Cornwall. We have done Devon and Cornwall quite a bit before so don't feel the need to visit lots of places this time.

We will take a cool box to the beach with cold drinks rather than buying from beach cafes and if we remember we will take a flask.

Any other suggestions? Do you think my budget is realistic? thanks

I think it's possible- the main expense of being on holiday is food and drink I find, so if you self cater that helps a lot. As well as taking food/drink with us, we also fill an extra bottle or two of squash/water to have in the car. Do the camp sites have a freezer you can use? If so buy a stock of supermarket ice creams. If not, it can still work out cheaper to buy a box when out and about rather than buying from a van. I think you could still eat out a little with that budget- buying lunch and self catering for dinner I find works out cheaper than the other way round.

I think this could work - if the weather co-operates! This was my plan for a week in devon last week. Planned on beach every day with low/minimal spend...sadly however if POURED with rain non stop after the first day - hence having to spend more money than hoped one day on indoor attraction to save our sanity...before bailing out and coming home after 5 days...
Maybe have a back up plan for if weather is V bad as that is when I find the costs begin to go up...

I'd maybe freeze a couple of things, like chilli, and sausages/veggie sausages, bacon and so on and take eggs so you get a good spend free start More money for eating out later on.

That porridge you just add water to is a tasty cheap breakfast too. Mine like the golden syrup ones.

Homemade samosas are a good camping snack, and cheap: I do the pea and potato recipe off the BBC site.

Wraps are also really tasty heated in dry frying pan- add cheese, yum.

I also saw a tip on here that to save money you should take kids out for pudding, as opposed to necessarily a whole meal. That's what they're often really after and make a nice treat.

I think its do able too, just make sure you have wine!!!!! but seriously, plan meals ie, 8 easy meals you could do ie, pasta, curry, risotto etc, take the bulk store cupboard ingredients, buy the fresh stuff as needed and then you only have 2 meals to think of, which could be a bag of chips on sea front, or a pizza etc, buy nice little treats each day so you feel like its a holiday

not sure how old kids are but get them do do a daily diary etc, take lots of colouring pens and paper, and cards, mine love playing snap.......keeps them entertained..........

have a fab holiday

thanks - you have all made me feel better. Realistically -we dont spend £350 on a normal week on food so if I think of it that way I know it is doable.

We will take flask to beach as I am often partial to a coffee or two from the beach cafes and OH is too - but at £2.50 each (or thereabouts) - that can be £10 just on coffee. Now when I think like that I am more determined to take a flask.

Will make a chilli and that will do for the first night - good suggestion.
thanks again.

Oh - and if it rains heavily and persistently!! we will be heading home

If you are driving to the beach you could take your small camping stove and tea/coffee making stuff, and make it yourself?!

I think that's a lot of money for a weeks camping provided you won't be going to amusement parks etc. We've been in Tenby for the last 4 days and spent about £50 max so far. That's me and 3 kids. But we're cooking on the camp stove and taking picnics out in the day (boiled eggs, crackers, apples) all bought from aldi beforehand. I actually think we spend no more when camping than we do at home. That's what's great about it! Can be a bit grim if it pees down all week though, but, as you say, you can always pack up and go home!

We are going on an overnighter this weekend, and I've made our sandwiches for the 2nd day lunch already. They are in the freezer ready to go in the cool box when we leave, along with the milk, and bacon. Might be an idea for you?

We spend very little. We cook all our own meals, make picnics and drinks.
I also shop at aldi and we have some lovely meats, cheese and lots of fruit and wine.
We were lucky this year that we had access to a fridge/freezer for our week holiday. For shorter trips the cool boxes do fine.

To be fair it's been sunshine for all of our trips this year, but games, colouring and a DVD player will get you through the odd wet day. You could also look at swimming pools.