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Original poster

How much have you spent over Easter school holidays?

69 replies

emhg · 16/04/2023 08:24

Was just thinking about this.. not including normal things eg eating at home which we would have to do anyway, we have spent a small fortune in the last 2 weeks on holiday clubs, days out, activities and eating out/ drinks out and travel

Days out have included crazy golf, entrance fees to attractions and day out in London
3 evening meals and a few lunches

I think it would have been cheaper to go on holiday abroad!

We only have 1 dc so I have no idea how people with multiple dcs can afford it

OP posts:
DanceMonster · 16/04/2023 08:27

A lot. We have 3 DC. No holiday clubs as I booked the time off work (DH had the second week off). We did a trip to a farm park, a ‘dinosaur trail’ attraction, cinema, a couple of meals out, a NT place then a few days by the coast in an air bnb. Probably about £1200.

HistoryFanatic · 16/04/2023 08:31

By not eating out, going to parks or other things that are free provided by the council. The main cost is the snacks! We don't need holiday clubs luckily.

Bearonthestair · 16/04/2023 08:35

A huge amount. Eldest son did an Easter camp. We had two nights away in Belfast. Usual easter egg hunt and celebrations and a couple of free / cheap days out. It has all really added up. I'd say we'll over €1000. I'm keeping my head in the sand about the actual figure!
I really enjoyed the break but looking forward to school tomorrow 🙂
I'm dreading the summer holidays. We get 8 weeks here.

OhSmitty · 16/04/2023 08:37

We've done nothing this holiday, DH and have been working through it so £0. The kids have chilled at home or been out with friends or had a sleepover here.

HelpMeOutOfHere · 16/04/2023 08:37

My DC (11 and 9) are aging out of some of the free/cheap activities we used to do in the school holidays.

We've spent loads over the past 2 weeks and I'm really looking forward to the start of term 😬

Dox9 · 16/04/2023 08:38

About 80? Hosted lots of playdates but only did one day out. Dh took dc to the cinema too.

Slimjimtobe · 16/04/2023 08:40

I spent 100 on an attraction (theme park) and 10 on the cinema (we go to older movies)

the theme park was great but I normally don’t spend that much but the fact we didn’t get a night away eased it for me. Other than that everything we did was free

cosmiccosmos · 16/04/2023 08:41

All these activities are a choice and aren't essential by any means. I am in my fifties, when I was young there was no expectation of going places and doing stuff all the time. Besides there wasn't all this stuff available!

There is plenty of free stuff you can do and one if the best things for children to learn is to be able to amuse themselves.

Wishona · 16/04/2023 08:44

Not much but I’m going to work it out
Special days have been:

friends over
friends over
free mueseum £12 in cafe and £8 in gift shop
friends over
friends over £30 on takeaway
museum £25, drinks £15, gift shop £12
friends over, cake making ingredients
friends over
free day out took food, £3 on a coffee
soft play £6.50 and £8 on kid’s meal and coffee

So about £120 🙂

PuttingDownRoots · 16/04/2023 08:45

3 nights camping... £100ish (site fees)
1 pub meal £50 for 4
2 x activity passes for campsite £40
(Not including food as similar to home)

1 tank of fuel to get to my parents and back £60
McDonalds £25

Meals out when visiting DH (he works in a seaside location, and we can stay in his work accommodation for free) £120
Museum trip £15
Otherwise did free activities there

Scouts canoeing trip £20 for both

That comes to £430, probably a few bits I missed like coffees. So £500ish

Looks scary added up and mostly on meals out which we rarely do as it adds up!

Sittwritt · 16/04/2023 08:45

Agree with the lady above. My kids actually hate having too many things planned out. But went away for two days it was fun. These days out can be exhausting to fewer is good

PaigeMatthews · 16/04/2023 08:45

My children largely entertain themselves. Theyd stay in all day if i allowed it! So not as much as when they were small.

we went to the zoo. £80
we went to two theatre shows £120
we went to parks, we walked the dogs. Theyve only had a week so far. they have next week off too. So theyre off on holiday with their father which has cost £600.

Bearonthestair · 16/04/2023 08:47

Of course activities are a choice. We wouldn't get much enjoyment hanging around the house for a full two weeks so we get out and about. Life would be very dull otherwise.

Singleandproud · 16/04/2023 08:47

Approximately £60, DD is a teen and I worked all holiday, we went to the cinema which was about £30, we had a couple of takeaways and then I gave her some money for when she went out with her friends but she mostly used her own money. We live by the sea so we went for a walk together most night but other than that not much.

DanceMonster · 16/04/2023 08:51

Sittwritt · 16/04/2023 08:45

Agree with the lady above. My kids actually hate having too many things planned out. But went away for two days it was fun. These days out can be exhausting to fewer is good

Mine love having things planned. And in between those things, they amuse themselves. My youngest is autistic and climbs the walls if we’re stuck at home too much so we get out and about as much as possible. Yes, paid activities are a choice, and they’re a choice we willingly make as a family.

Allmyarseandpeggymartin · 16/04/2023 08:52

£60 on holiday clubs, £60 on football, £30 trip to cinema, £30 Easter egg trail, snacks and gift shop. Done plenty of play dates and parks there is still £3-5 on coffees/snacks everywhere. Not looking forward to the 6 week hols.

WelshNerd · 16/04/2023 08:52

A ridiculous amount. Definitely need to plan cheaper stuff for half term/summer holidays. Even our 'cheap' days out don't feel it due to stopping for drinks/icecream etc.

Baneofmyexistence · 16/04/2023 08:52

Not a lot, we don’t often do big days out because my DC never seem to actually enjoy them. We did and Easter trail at a National Trust, have a membership so entry was free but then £3 x 3 DC for the trail. We went on a train into Manchester, £20 for the train, £15 in the lego shop and £30 on lunch and coffees, did free museums whilst there. A couple of other cafe trips probably makes £30 tops.

PaigeMatthews · 16/04/2023 08:54

Baneofmyexistence · 16/04/2023 08:52

Not a lot, we don’t often do big days out because my DC never seem to actually enjoy them. We did and Easter trail at a National Trust, have a membership so entry was free but then £3 x 3 DC for the trail. We went on a train into Manchester, £20 for the train, £15 in the lego shop and £30 on lunch and coffees, did free museums whilst there. A couple of other cafe trips probably makes £30 tops.

Which museums on manchester did you do? And were they walkable distance from Victoria?

Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday · 16/04/2023 08:55

A lot.

400 on holiday club
500 on trip to see family over Easter
60 cinema
100 meal out

christmastreefarm · 16/04/2023 09:00

Not much! I had to work so the only day out was a trip to a NT place that was a free offer from sky.

Youngest did a 4 day holiday camp at £180 ish but that's paid for with childcare vouchers so actual cost about £110

Baneofmyexistence · 16/04/2023 09:02

@PaigeMatthews We went to the Manchester Museum at the University, it is a bit far out though and quite a walk if you have small children. It would be about 20 minutes from Victoria I’d guess. The art gallery on Mosley Street also often have things on for children, that would be an easy walk!

Swishswish26 · 16/04/2023 09:09

A crazy amount this Easter but we did have a week away in the Mediterranean so flights, food, drinks were around £1800 (didn’t pay for accommodation). Spent far less than at home during the day though as pool and beach time mostly required little to no spending.
The other week we saw friends most days- swimming, a NT place, trip into local city on train with lunch and Starbucks coffees, park with ice creams, Dominos when they had friends over for dinner, a day out to a farm/park attraction. Need to reign it in by the six week summer holidays though.

Internationalwomendayheadquarters · 16/04/2023 09:18

£180 This was on two lovely lunches in a pub garden in the sunshine (large ish family) and I don’t regret it at all.

Skyeheather · 16/04/2023 09:26

Not very much, we are having a two week holiday in the summer and we are going away for October half term so for Easter the kids just have to make do as we still need to pay the balance for the July holiday and then put money away for spending and petrol.

They had a magazine each when I went to the supermarket to get some stuff for Easter lunch, £14.00.
They had a McDonalds each for a treat £25.00.
They went to an arts and craft session and I got them some crème eggs in the half price sale, £5.00.