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!

Thanks everyone for the replies. I wanted to clarify, when I say 'justify' I don't mean justifying to others, I mean in terms of justifying the cost to myself if that makes sense? As in, I can't justify buying x or spending £££ on a xyz (and because of all the other things I need to spend money on...).

We only spend money on holidays after x, y and z have already been paid for though.

For me, because me and DH both work full time (and not always on the same days) we actually general get very little time together as a couple and as a family. Subsequently a couple of weeks away each year where we can have some quality time together as a family and make some nice memories together is a priority.

We're not high earners particularly (both on about national average wage) so we skimp on other things to afford our annual holidays. I rarely buy myself clothes etc, and don't buy many gadgets etc. Both of our cars are older. I try to stick to quite a strict budget for groceries each month etc too., and don't buy many 'luxuries' on a regular basis like wine or make up.

I have a friend who commented once that she didn't know how I could afford a holiday every year. I had to bite my tounge from pointing out that they buy 4-5 bottles of wine a week (£20-30 I guess?), that her DH smokes a bit (probably another £10 a week), and that if they saved that £30-40 each week instead then they could also get a holiday in each year. I guess everyone just has different spending priorities if they are lucky enough to have some disposable income (and I appreciate some people do have no disposable income at all).

We now have lots of lovely holidays. My husbands work subsidises it a bit as we tag it on to conferences etc where he’s speaking.
How do we justify it? We spent years using our holidays for voluntarily work (it’s how we met). Then years walking in the rain in the Lakes, wrapped in fleeces on Isle of Wight beaches or camping in Dorset and Norfolk.
Now the children are grown we can travel more and explore more. We don’t travel economy outside of Europe. We don’t do package deals. We use lovely hotels. We also bought a boat. It’s nice. We’re very, very lucky. We don’t need to justify it to anyone. We both work very hard in stressful jobs. We have earned our holidays!

Well... I have "justified" it (and will continue to do so if I can) because a) I get crazily cheap deals and never pay that kind of money, b) as you said it can cost more to holiday in the uk and c) I think travel is important for me and DCs.

I would rather pay for a holiday than a lavish Xmas or overpriced birthday party but then that's down to personal preference...

Some years we've had F all money and still managed a week in a caravan that was actually cheaper than staying at home and included swimming, activities etc!

I also have the privilege of friends and family who are from or live abroad and therefore so long as I can cover the flights I have a place to stay 😊

I am an adult,providing I am not hurting anyone I don't need to justify myself, certainly not about taking holidays. We spend within our budget to give ourselves and our dc a good range of life experiences. I think holidays are important family time that we won't get to do over so they are worth investing in.

September is usually v reasonable to go away.

September is a really bad idea if you have kids in school though!

It is a lot of money especially if abroad and nice

Idk I just crave seeing the sea and feeling the sun and throw money at it

It fades though afterwards and the feeling builds again so I do feel a bit indulgent

I don't mean justifying to others, I mean in terms of justifying the cost to myself if that makes sense? As in, I can't justify buying x or spending £££ on a xyz (and because of all the other things I need to spend money on...).

I think people sway either more to spending their disposable money on 'things' whereas others spend on 'experiences'. You probably are the former so struggle to spend on the latter if you feel you need to replace things in the house etc.

I suppose I justify it by saying I have the money, don't need it for anything else including savings, and I want to go. I get a lot of pleasure out of planning the trip, and also thinking about it afterwards, so it feels like good value for money because of that.

I don't understand how people can afford to smoke heavily, or go out drinking every weekend. Here in Australia, the cheapest 25 pack of cigs is $AUD26. But of course if I liked smoking I'd happily pay up.

These things are so variable. I've got a nice car that cost $AUD25 000. Some people would think that was crazy when you can get an older but still good second hand car for 5k. On the other hand a friend who earns the same as me recently bought a 100k car! He rarely goes on holiday, I go away every year. Each to their own.

I think she was asking for September though?

If you've got kids definitely don't go in September at the start of a new school year. That's a very bad idea.

We both work bloody hard. Our time off with our son is precious. I don’t have to justify that to anyone! If we want to spend money to have a holiday for just us to spend time together we do. We’ve recently booked for next year, two weeks 5* all inclusive in the Caribbean for 2k. Paying monthly via DD. It won’t be too much money a month to go without and it’s two weeks as a family. And we won’t need a penny while we are there. I’d rather have no savings and quality time with those I love.

For me going abroad has opened up different possibilities.

It means for a few weeks in winter I can be pain free and walk around like everyone else. That to me is priceless.

Weird question OP. You may as well ask how people justify spending what they do on shoes or hobbies.

I justify it because we spend most of the year running around like headless chickens, me and DH at work, kids at school. Half the year is spent in the cold and dark too which is tiresome, and our holidays are an opportunity to spend some time together, enjoy some warm weather, get away from routines and truly relax.
For me, it is just another thing I save for and I wouldn't contemplate us not going on holiday whilst o can afford it. It varies what we can do each year depending on other expenses, but we usually do one week on a Greek island and a city break during the late winter/early spring. This year we will have had 3 holidays including a trip we are due to take in December and I think it's been worth every penny.

Travel is a priority for me and my family. I'm not really fussed about having the best car just one that works. I want to look back on my dc childhood knowing they've experienced other cultures etc. I get that it's not for everyone but we all have different priorities. We alternate, big holiday (£10k for 5 of us) the next year it'll be smaller holiday (£3k)

I do the same, big holiday one year, cheap holiday for the next few years.

Even when I wasn't working I went on three holidays a year - but I include staying with friends, in friend's caravan and camping holidays.

I think it's great to teach children about putting money away for the holiday and having all the anticipation.

dh can easily take Christmas off with no hassle from his business. It’s the most expensive time of the year but worth it as he gets to re charge his batteries. We’ve just paid 13k for 2 weeks.

Airbnb is our preferred option. We have stayed in some great properties at a fraction of hotel prices for a similar location. We like the flexibility of having a kitchen but can eat in restaurants every night if we wish. Doing Croatia next June, taking a road trip along the coast from Zagreb to Dubrovnik over 3 weeks, has worked out very reasonable. We also like southern Spain where in the less touristy areas you can get some sxcellent deal. We have rented an apartment long term just using as and when we wish, which as we are retired we have used about 6months each year. We have just given it up and we fancy a change. The downside is that I'll only get 3 weeks instead of 3 months for the same money.
We have always been keen on holidays but I must say I am finding the hassle of getting there and back the biggest downside rather than the expense. Just got back and had a nightmare experience of being held on motorways for hours on end by the fuel tax protesters in France. It's made me decide I won't be returning anytime soon.

Well, OP, do you value holidays?

If not then it will be really hard to justify them to yourself. For me, easy, because material things to me are pointless. Cars: pointless; new clothes: largely pointless unless things have holes; private education, tutoring, etc: totally pointless (even if we could afford it...)... all about what you value.

I never feel bad about booking holidays
I stick them on the MasterCard or sometimes pay upfront

It is possible to do fantastic holidays cheaply if you look around

This may half term I took my two dcs to Hong Kong for the week, flights and 4* hotel for £1400

Next may half term we're doing New York for just under that

I love travel/holidays and I do huge amounts of research which I enjoy doing anyway to get what I perceive to be a "good deal."

Last July - peak school holiday week, we rented a 2 SC bed apartment with shared pool on Lake Garda for the week for £600. Return budget flights were less than £80 each. Car hire was another £250. Worked out to under £300pp. Bargain!

For next July, I've picked up 4 x return flights to Corsica for £300 and have just booked a 2 SC bed apartment with shared pool for a tad under £1000. (Corsica is a more expensive location than Lake Garda!) Still to book car hire but assume £300 so overall, still £400pp which I'm still pleased with.

I would be able to do it for less if we travelled in June/Sept instead of July/Aug and if we booked a 1 bed apartment instead of a 2 bed one

You need to shop around but you can definitely get a holiday for well under £600pp!

Worth every penny for me. I'm a single parent, on quite a low income (low enough for my kids to get free schooI meals). Iwork and study, and my kids spend a lot of time in childcare. I budget all year and look for bargains. That 10 days in the sun is paradise. We look forward to it all year, time for us to relax and be together, and explore somewhere new.

I think it's confusing between literally buying a ready made holiday in travel agents... To just sourcing everything yourself.

There are ways and means. Youth hostel, 2 hours drive... 35 a night family room, subsided food.