Any tip/dodge/way round the whole horrendous "holiday price hike" business?

[UnquietDad]

Given that the entire travel industry sniggers behind its collective hand at us poor breeding saps who have to pay their extortionate doubled, even trebled fares and accommodation prices in July and August...

... is there any way round it? Or are we just stuck with it?

Please don't suggest taking children out of school during term-time. This is not an option. I'm talking about ways of booking a holiday abroad from 23rd July-ish onwards without it being more expensive than it would be on 23rd June.

Or is it just a lost cause and something we have to put up with??

It is a bit shite. I try to book direct with owners to cut out middleman fees where possible. And look for flight deals.

The really killer bit for me is that it costs EVEN more to stay in the fecking UK (which right now, I prefer) and the accommodation is invariably worse for the money.

Why is taking them out of school in term time not an option? TBH if they are doing well, and at a state primary school, I can't imagine that it will affect their performance. Of course if yours are secondary school age, then that's different.

We had some lovely holidays in late May/early June when mine were younger. We took them out of school for a week, and used the half term week. It was much cheaper, and the Med is much less hot. Spending thousands of pounds to holiday in a temperature of 40degrees plus is not my idea of fun.

I really regret that we didn't do it every year,instead of stressing about school absences.

I think UqD's dw is a teacher?
It does stink and pisses me off every time we book a holiday.

We have done it too, with primary kids, although I don't like it much. Now DS1 is in secondary we are much less likely to. some people teach in schools themselves, so clearly can't.

But also, if you take two weeks of your holiday in term time, you still have those nominal two weeks to cover with childcare in the summer. For our two (soon to be three) at school, this currently costs 250 a week in playscheme charges.

I suppose it balances out the extra holiday costs a bit.

I have just booked a week in Portugal for the second week of the hols, direct with villa owner- she has reduced her prices this year as she feels people will struggle with peak season.
So a pleasant surprise.

You can also take your chances on late deals - again, I have negotiated some good deals with owners and got late flights. The bigger our family gets though, the harder it is to risk this and you obviously get less choice.
I haven't booked a package holiday for decades...

we're both teachers, so have been in this situation for years, pre and post kids. we have camped for a month (cheap, but uncomfortable, it was the heatwave summer of 2003, I was pg) booked gite direct with owners (it was quaint but filthy) and more recently posh camped with kids, or booked direct again, spending more £££. This summer we're going in between and takign a lodge on a small site, so home comforts but friends for kids - we will be away for nearly 4 weeks for a cost of £3000 for accommodation and tunnel. This is the only way we can make the most of our summer hols.

And I agree with wilf that although we have tried staying in uk, the cost is barmy - we had house with private pool in south of france last year, for the same as one with no pool the year before in wet cornwall.

on the beach is always a fair bit cheaper..

The last week of the holiday often seems to be a bit cheaper - perhaps because school holidays start/finish at different times, and because people will often be more willing to add on a week out of school at the start of hols than the end. And I guess it's just a hassle that week because we all have uniforms, shoes and general stressiness to sort out.

I suppose if you're willing to get organised beforehand, it might be worth it. It would drive me insane though to get back from holiday and start new term the next day...

northender is right, DW is a teacher :(

We have gone for late deals in past 3 years and it has made no difference.

Thanks for other tips, will peruse at leisure...

Probably not the hottest destination in the world, but I was reading that Scandinavian holiday places are much cheaper at the end of August as their children have gone back to school by then - parts of Danish coast look v beautiful if you don't mind a sweatshirt-type holiday.

How much are you wanting to spend?

No more than £2000, preferably less.

Last week of August is usually cheaper in Europe as many of their schools go back mid/end of the month

But presumably if you are booking through a British agent's office or site, they still whack it up while it continues to be UK holidays?

Book direct with accommodation/airline or ferry - we've used Pierre et Vacances for past couple of years and gone in alst 10 days of August. Similarly Wake Up in France seem to drop prices then.

It's all the extras on the flights-just been sourcing flights tonight-they charge 5% for paying by credit card.
Bastards

Jee whizz! £3000 for a 4 week holiday in lodge!?

That's half my DDs schol fees for a blinking year!

I cannot believe that's what they charge! Hideous.

Thanks LIZS, I will check out both of those.

For the last 2 years we have put together packages through yourholidays dot com. The year before we booked Easy Jet flights and a private villa through holiday lettings. Before that I wasn't a teacher and the DDs weren't in school so we went off peak, so much cheaper.