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 ☹️

We go to London for four or five nights every summer. Stay in a premier inn and cram loads of stuff in every day. My dc love it.

Love this!

I’d book a few nights in a premier inn and have some nice days out in another part of the country. It will be a holiday, the kids won’t be comparing. Find somewhere with a nice swimming complex maybe and base it around that?

Ha ha! I would not be bothered but my husband works so hard and really wants to get away! I love been at home so might be a balance!

Definitely search airbnb for that particular week, do each country individually like england, scotland, wales, northern ireland or further afield is this is what you want

You'll find something within that price easily, might not be the lap of luxury but it will be a holiday, somewhere new to see and somewhere to relax

Will probably get flamed for this but is it possible for you to take a 0% interest credit card and book a cheapish holiday abroad, pay the £700 off straight away and then pay the rest off over 6 months? I know jet2 do free child places with 2 adults paying.

We have always found inland so very much cheaper than the coast. Last year we stayed in the Clyde Valley with Scottish Cottages, and they have availability for inland properties in your price range.

Although I think my older DC almost prefer two or three nights in a Premier Inn family room nowadays. One in particular likes to be city-based and explore museums and galleries. You can get 3 nights in a London Premier Inn for just over £250 including huge breakfasts that will keep you going all day. You could then day trip lots of free attractions, and keep on budget with McD's or picnic food at the hotel in the evening.

Curveball but what about going somewhere cheap in Eastern Europe flying at off peak times (eg midweek - go Thursday to Monday or similar) and booking your own accommodation via Airbnb? I remember staying somewhere cute in Riga for about £40 a night. Some really lovely spots in Bulgaria for example?

3 hours from Lancashire and you’re in Galloway. There’s loads of caravan parks there you could go to for 4-5 days, take bikes etc if you have a rack. Investigate their beaches and the countryside. They have dark forest parks where you can go out at night and look at the stars. Big fun for kiddos!

I love the sound of the Premier Inn. Is there any days out or places they would Like to visit to base it around?

We went to a nice Parkdean site in Norfolk at Easter and stayed in a caravan. It was a couple of hundred pounds and we really enjoyed it, would definitely go back.

I second house swapping. You can rate your house from 'immaculate' to 'horder' and it will match you. So no nasty surprises. I have friends who have travelled for extensively and don't pay for accommodation this way. You can lock previous things away.

We stay in a chalet at Caswell Bay in South Wales and it's around £650 a week peak season. The ones on Airbnb are more expensive but you'll fine one.

Or a chalet at Limeslade https://www.homefromhome.com/mumbles-cottages/limeslade/hh424-limeslade-drive?fromdate=2022-08-20&nights=7&guests=4]] or https://www.homefromhome.com/mumbles-cottages/limeslade/hh991-sarlou-close?fromdate=2022-08-20&nights=7&guests=4]]
Both have availability for the week you want to go.

www.holidaycottages.co.uk/cottages?getSearch=true&From=13%2F08%2F2022&Duration=7&scRegion=England&PartySize=4&Adults=2&Children=2&daysf=1&year=2022&SortBy=PriceLowHigh&rpp=12&page=1&viewmap=false&period=10

Holiday cottage?

www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk/book-your-holiday/choose-your-holiday-park/?schKey=86&product=300&holiday-area=8%7C0&holiday-month=2022%7C8&holiday-nights=7&holiday-dates=2022-08-20&holiday-pets=0

These are in Scotland. Great for the kids.

What a lovely thread and I expect it will help a lot of people have some new ideas of how to holiday. Visiting nice relatives or friends could also be an option especially if you take a budget hotel stay at the end.

Do a premier inn - look for one that isn't in a beach resort and it will be cheaper. We did a couple of days in Oxford last year - family room about £60 a night. Kids eat free for breakfast.

Look at Venue, Canvas and lifestyle holidays for good value Eurocamp type holidays. The bonus is you can self cater but is it is not like every day cooking with Bbqs in the evening and nice picnic style lunches and breakfasts, usually a bakery on site for amazing bread and pastries! We often go at the end of the holidays (last ween in August as Europen schools are back the prixes drop a lot). Even better if your childrens school tend to add training days to the end of the holiday. Also try Allcamps, it is like a comparison site for campsites in Europe.

We often go where skyscanner takes us with cheap flights (easier as just me and DC so can fly via places if cannot find reasonable flight home which can be the case). We love central and eastern Europe which may not come to mind as usual destinations, but Bulgaria, for example, has some really beautiful mountains and beaches (not Sunny Beach which everyone thinks of) and is very cheap when there. A lot of the fun is in the planning and searching for me- I am constantly reserving and cancelling things on booking.com if I find a better deal- worth looking for free cancellation bookings.

I tend to avoid the UK- it is just not my idea of a holiday as we have family all over to visit any way and the costs of days out, eating out etc make it often more expensive than somewhere with good weather and access to pools etc.

www.allcamps.co.uk/search-and-book?adults=2&area=provence&children[]=12&children[]=12&country&date=2022-08-27&duration=7&isListView=true&order=asc&orderBy=price

Look up Parkdean resorts. They are a holiday home caravan/chalet/lodge chain with resorts all over UK. I have found several places free in August for around £720 for a week in Cresswell which is on the Northumbrian coast and absolutely beautiful. Miles of stunning sandy beaches on the doorstep, lakes with bird hides, a ruined mansion, bike trails, a great ice cream shop by the beach. Playgrounds, indoor pools (free) cafe and shop on site which is immaculate. I've been to other Parkdean resorts in Uk when money was tight and Dc were small and they were all brilliant - spotless, friendly in gorgeous locations.

Also look at Lakeland Retreats - a small company in heart of the Lake District. They have stunning cottages - really luxurious - at way lower prices than most hideous airbnbs. I have found some gorgeous ones available in August, sleep 4 people for £725 in Ambleside which is a brilliant hub to be based in. Walk or bus to nearby Beatrix Potter cottage, loads of gorgeous walks nearby, a lake (obviously) that people swim and paddle in for free. Loads of shops, cafes, cinemas if it rains.

@willstarttomorrow how much is it to cross the channel with a car and is the resort you linked to far too drive in France? Thank you

How about Scotland? I think their kids go back to school mid august, so that might make it cheaper if you go after that....check out air bnb.

abnb.me/JjJX4QIgWpb

Mumsnet at its best - the hive mind trying to find a holiday for this family that fits their budget ❤

Readycamp. Much more comfortable than normal camping (proper beds)

I know! It's great isn't it! Kudos people! Will be coming back to this thread later!