Can't afford a holiday

[cantaffordahol]

Really pissed off. Was hoping we could get away this year. We managed to go on Eurocamp in Spain in 2019. Nothing 2020 and a short break camping in 2021.I have health issues and struggle with camping. We just don't seem to have any disposable income for holidays with everything going up.
We could probably scrape maybe £ 700 for a holiday for 2 adults 2 kids aged 10 and 7. However, we only have annual leave in August and is the only time we can go.Had a look and even a caravan holiday is coming out at over 1k for a week.
What on earth can we get with £700 for a week in August? Any ideas on cheap holidays with kids appreciated. Need to find spending and fuel money as well ☹️

Could you do a house swap? We went to , Toronto, South Carolina, Dublin and Antwerp for free and had fabulous holidays. We swapped cars too so didn't even have to pay for care hire! There are a few websites out there it's really cheap to register.

I find Yorkshire is cheaper than most of the UK. If you do a search on Ingrid Flute you should find something Whitby, Scarborough way. I will have a quick look and link for you....

You're not alone. Many people can't afford holidays. We didn't have holidays when I was a kid.
We can't afford one this year, it's a bit of a bummer when people ask where you're going on holiday, but it is what it is.

Holidays aren't essential. Use your annual leave and the £700 you can spare (a lot more than many!) to take your kids out for the day locally, to places you've never been or usually consider too expensive. There's a lot of local attractions within an hour of me that I've never visited, I would have fun planning a week itinerary on TripAdvisor!

What about those sun holiday things? Do they still do them?

The other option is to have a staycation - the true meaning - and have some nice days out. For £700 you could do a day trip to a theme park, a day to the beach, a nice fun farm park type place, cinema and bowling trip, etc etc.
i would concentrate on making the most of the days and not worry about the nights! Sleeping in your own bed is better anyway
just Dona massive tidy up at the beginning and then don’t worry about housework for the week.

There have been many years we couldn’t afford holidays. Last year, the year before, the mat leave years, the redundancy years, the years of 2 dc in nursery. The solution was not to go! £700 will get you a lot of days and meals out.

Plenty of caravans available below your budget. Money left to self carer and picnics to beach etc
www.hoseasons.co.uk/holiday-parks/all-regions/?gateway=true&adult=2&child=2&infant=0&nights=7&range=3&pets=0&start=06-08-2022

www.yorkshireholidaycottages.co.uk/whitby/whitby-cottages/scoresby-house?adults=4&fromdate=2022-08-13&nights=7&sleeps=%3E4&guests=4

This is £750 cheaper if you go the last week into Sept. Whitby is lovely. But there are lots of places on this site. Cheaper if you don't necessarily want to be on the coast.

How about a long weekend away staying in a premier Inn or similar?

I know you are right that we should do a staycation. Kids keep asking where we are going on holiday. Doesn't help we are the 'less well off' ones on an affluent area so everyone is going away.
My husband is not bothered about going but the kids were so excited thinking we were going until this year happened! Rent and bills have gone up! Will check out Ingrid's flute!

Cater

Thankyou!!

Instead of scraping together fuel and spends I would use the £700 as your budget for a staycation as suggested. Possibly add a night in a premier inn if you fancy a few activities at a distance to save driving twice.

Have been to Whitby before and love it but we can only do August. Might try a long weekend instead. Thankyou

www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk

This website gives options for your budget and time. It's useful as you can set the maximum amount you wish to pay and it gives you the availability. Lincolnshire and East Anglia are probably cheaper than the other resorts.

Airbnb. Type in whole of uk. I just looked for end of August and there were nice places for £550. Get a Tesco shop delivery on your first night, take Tupperware for picnics.

Where are you travelling from (roughly)?

go end of august here or here

both self catering, so keeps the cost down to eating picnics and home cooked food

wells this one is £414

glamping in Norfolk £331 and a double bed for you to sleep in

try to keep in range of a 100 miles from home to keep cost of petrol down, don't use car if you don't need to. Take games to play and stock up each week on store cupboard food for the holiday.

oh and ive put in 6 nights instead of 7 as it keep the cost down

you can set of early doors on the first day and have a fun packed day before you check in. Then on the last day check out early and don't drive home until 7pm so you get a full day - as you would on a day trip

Have you looked at Scotland for the end of August? Their schools go back earlier so you aren't paying peak prices.

This year is crazy. I thought we had a good budget but this year everything is so much more expensive.

Lancashire!

Often caravans in France are much cheaper than UK, you could possibly do 10 nights for that budget (or a week plus train/ferry fare).

Also, Ardennes region in Belgium is stunning and cheap but beautiful rental properties, from under £500 for the week of 19th August www.ardennes-etape.co.uk/search/4p/Week/2022-08-19_to_2022-08-26/

Loads of outdoors things to do that are free/cheap

Wow! Some amazing ideas. Why can't I find all these?

Travelodge in a different city and then look for low price days out.