How do people justify the cost of holidays?

[umbrellaellaella]

I haven't been on holiday abroad in years, UK or otherwise. I thought maybe we could go somewhere next September, and I am shocked at the prices.

For a week, 2 adults, in September (ie. during school holidays), we would have to spend around £600 each to go somewhere decent in Europe (we wouldn't want to go somewhere like Turkey or Morocco, personal preference). That's £1200 before paying for things such as hold luggage, transfers, and food out there.

I then looked at hotels in Cornwall. It cost even more - around £1300 minimum to rent a room in a hotel for a week, with just breakfast included.

How can people afford and justify doing this every year? It seems a crazy amount of money. I know you only live once, but the cost of living is so expensive these days I don't know how people can spend this without feeling guilty!

They can't .

For the last few years our holiday has been Monday to Friday in a budget hotel in a non tourist area. We have National Trust membership so we pick somewhere with lots of places to visit.

This year we had a "proper" holiday for which we had to get a loan. Next year we'll be back to our mid week uk break.

We have also had some success with the Sun caravan holidays.

Camping

But why would you feel guilty if you have the money and want to spend it on holidays? Either you can afford it or you can't. We don't do very expensive holidays - always self-catering or camping, mostly in the UK.

Why would people feel guilty about spending the money if they have it? What's money left over after the necessities (which to me includes saving) for, if not to enjoy yourself with? I think holidays are a great use of money - much more so than 'stuff'

Some people are high earners and some have very low outgoings. Therefore holidays are more affordable for them. We don't really need to justify holidays, as we have plenty of spare income and can spend money on holidays without missing out on other things.

We go away a lot but don't spend anywhere near that on each trip and I go to decent places!

If I want to spend £££ on a holiday I don't have to justify it to anyone. It's my money, I can spend it how I like

I holiday regularly and don't pay 600 pounds pp. You can use online booking sites and book your own trip for half the price. Look at Martin's Money tips holiday section which gives great advice. If you're flexible on dates and airports and you book direct with airlines and are willing to fly with Ryan air it can be done. Packages work out very cheap at the beginning of June. We went to Corfu in June for 200 pounds each sc with thomas cook. Booked an independent to Algarve for 65 pounds flights and 400 pound hotel for 4 during school break in October. You just need to do your homework. Happy hunting!

Club class flights

Driver to pick us up, deliver us to the apartment ,be on stand by during the holiday.

Eating out every night.

Reading all day everyday.

Cost xxxxxx

Husband turning his phone off for two weeks, worth every penny.

We had plenty of years where we could barely afford to breathe in and out, now things are orders of magnitude easier, why wouldn't you.

It keeps me sane.

(Low outgoings) hotels in UK are an expensive way to holiday. Caravans, self catering and youth hostels all much cheaper....

Because they earn more than you? Is it really that hard to grasp that when you earn 16,000 a year and 160,000 a year that £1,200 might be a far fetched luxury or a handbag?

You can find bargain all inclusive holidays for much less than that if you look carefully.

We go away on to the Greek. Islands every other year as its costs us a fortune to go away (8 of us, having to go in August costs £8-9K). Once the children have grown up we'll holiday every year, we save for the holidays and don't smoke, drink etc Its a lot of money and we make sacrifices elsewhere to afford it, we work damn hard and this gives us decent, quality time together so for us it's worth every penny

I love a city break 😀
Low cost , budget airline flights.
Packing a capsule wardrobe.
Explore somewhere new and go mid week when it cheaper.
I also never go anywhere when the school holidays are on

I'm a high earner with low outgoings (no kids, no housing costs) and I'd happily spend that to go on holiday but I have no-one to go with, so I don't. We all have different lives and priorities.

Where are on earth are you looking?

Try Hoseasons last minute offers. A week end of September for £200 for the whole family.

Camping abroad, less than £1000 for 2 weeks.

Of course you can pay more if you want a luxury experience but that’s the same as everything. How does anyone justify buying anything that’s not Tesco Value or Primark?

@VanGoghsDog Travel alone, it’s wonderful!

We justify it because we enjoy it, look forward to it all year, and can spend our money how we like. It usually costs about 3k in total for the four of us for 10 days. Still lots but totally worth it.

How can people afford and justify doing this every year?

Why would anyone have to justify it ?

Surely it can't be beyond your imagination to understand that people earn different amounts.

People also have different things they need to spend money one. People also have different priorities they choose to spend their money on. It really isn't that difficult.

@MissMalice

Funnily enough I didn't get to the age of fifty without considering that and doing it a few times. Wonderful is not the word I would use to describe it, I don't much like it.

I don't justify, I just go on holiday when I can afford it. Big holiday planned for April next year and I can't wait.

I wouldn't survive without trips away , they can be much cheaper than you have stated , look at a city trip , Rome , Venice , Prague , all under £200 for 3 days Per person (plus spending money )
We go away roughly 8 to 10 times per year , sometimes an expensive trip but more often just a few days as above with just hand luggage

Did Cornwall trip last year , budget hotels and good gastro pub evening meals ,

(To be fair we are not hanging about at the hotel , we do have EH & NT membership so lots of places are free and we are only interested in seeing sights and historic places of interest so budget hotel suits us fine for this but air b& b I'm told is as cheap )

It comes down to prioritising what you spend your spare cash on - medium earners ,
We don't smoke, drink, no tv or media subscriptions , prefer travel over having kids or pets

I don’t believe it has to be that expensive. My friend and I are going to Sweden next week for just under £300 each, where on earth are you looking? I’ve also done various other places in Europe like Spain, Sicily, etc, never paid over £300pp

You're looking in the wrong places. 5 of us flew longhaul for 10 days AI for just under £6k. Similarly, 2 of us have just been away longhaul for 7 days for £800 each. A holiday for 4 of us last year for 7 days AI in Europe cost just under £2k. I work hard, i save hard, and I shop around

I've done all Inclusives in September for 2 adults and a toddler for £1,200. In theory we didn't need to spend any more money as transfers and all food was included.

We save some money every month towards our holiday. It's important to us. People prioritise money in different ways and regrettably some people just have more money so it's easier for them to pay for holidays. We have friends and family who do the 'it's alright for some' thing to us when we go abroad then spend £150 a month on cigarettes or the same on hair/make up and travelling to watch their favourite football club - we don't spend that we use that money for our holiday.