Help me convince dh to go on a cheap holiday!

[singeminge]

My parents are renting a two bedroom villa on a Greek island in late August. It’s near restaurants, maybe a 10 minute walk to the beach, nothing fancy but not basic either.

DH likes Greece, we are booked for a week in Crete in late May. We went to Greece last September too.

My parents have offered for us to join them in the villa free of charge. Obviously we’d need to pay for food and flights.

We live far away from an airport, and the nearest one is expensive. Flights are £300 return each. So £600 for a week in a villa in the sun.

He doesn’t want to go because we’ll have already been. But it’s different with family. It’s not the fact it’s my parents either, they get along well.

Any tips? 😆

I’d just say I was going and if he wants to come that would be great!

I can see is point if you've already had a few trips to Greece.. and it won't just be £600 by the time you've added in food, drinks etc.

And you sure he really wants a holiday with your DPs? He might get on with them well but spending a week all living together is very different.
I used to rather naïvely think my DH loved holidaying with my DPs (lovely holiday home, beautiful part of the world) but it wasn't until we had a real heart to heart that he explained how difficult he found it, being an 'in law' even though they all had a great relationship ... it wasn't his family.

Why don't you go alone with your DPs? You'll have a nice time.

I'm definitely keeping out of this one.

Go without him.

this is what I would say.

If he doesn’t want to go, don’t force him. He has his reasons. Why don’t you go without him?

Greece in August last year was an inferno. May much nicer.

Tell him you're going anyway and you'd love him to come.
If he still says no, then he really doesn't want to and that's completely fair choice, as long as he's not trying to stop you

As others have said, I wouldn't convince him to go. Just go with your parents. Sounds lovely!

OP, would you be OK to spend a week with your in laws in roasting temps having been to Greece that year already?

Being with YOUR family is ok for you, that's fine. It may not be the same for your husband for a week though. Visiting in laws is fine for the day but I don't think I could do it for a week either, and I get on fine with them. In small doses. They probably feel the same about me!

OP if you can afford it, and would like to spend some time with your parents, go on your own. You and husband will both be happy then. You will enjoy the villa, he will enjoy a week to do his own thing.

BUT..... if you two could go somewhere else at a less meltingly hot time of year, then do that either also, or instead.

And your parents should not be offended if he decides to stay at home either. It's his choice.

If you've had two Greek holidays in a row I can see why he wouldn't be keen to go again, even at a lower price. Can he be persuaded to go on another holiday somewhere else? Nothing to stop you joining your parents though!

I don’t know how comfortable you are financially or how much leave you have from work but I would feel the same as your DH. If I’m limited to my holidays, I’d want to go somewhere new and not a repeat holiday, especially if it’s not a freebie and is going to cost £600+

That’s really not cheap and I’d say no if I was your DH.

The other thing might be his annual leave. I probably wouldn't use mine to holoday with my in-laws even though I do really like them!

I love my PIL but I wouldn't go on a week holiday with them, my annual leave is too valuable for me.

After 2 Greek holidays already, I can understand that your DH doesn't want to go again. August is also still really hot, if you normally go outside main Summer season, he may not enjoy it.

And - it's not really cheap either, for the price of the flight and food/eating out/going out you can do a short break somewhere else.

So it's going to cost a minimum of £1k by the time you have paid for flights and food . If you have unlimited time available for holidays and aren't short of money then yes that would be great but if you are on limited holiday allowance I can see why he would want to go elsewhere .

It’s not a cheap holiday though - not by the time you’ve factored in spends etc. Plus it’s the time - that is a valuable resource. Using precious annual leave for a trip you don’t want is a waste - your DH may have planned to use it for something else.

You say he gets along with your family but it doesn’t mean he wants to spend a week in a villa with them. I know I’d hate doing this with my in laws.

Id just say that you’re going and he is welcome to join.

Actually once you have paid for travel to the airport and spending money it isn’t a cheap holiday

Also I hope you are good with heat and 3 would your husband consider it fun spending time with your parents?

When all is said and done your looking at around £12-1300 spend - you could get something else for that

It looks like everyone agrees with your husband!

I think it's fair enough. I wouldn't want a third week in Greece within a 12 month period just because the in-laws happened to be holidaying there.

Not that cheap really though is it, £600 for flights plus food, and any extras, your looking at 1K which could be spent on a holiday of your choice instead, the only thing free is half the price of the villa for one week, would that even be that expensive?

If you want to go and can afford it then go without him, he can have a chill week at home instead.

Yeah at first I was absolutely you should go, but others make sense.
Flights are expensive in summer and you're going to be spending a minimum of £1k when you factor everything in so not that cheap after all.

We have a similar dilemma with free BA amex flights. Ok the flight is free, but means we are restricted on destinations and dates, so really it's not as much of a bargain as we thought.

I love Greece but would never dream of going at that time of year. I also agree with PP who point out that flights, food etc will mount up so it really wont be all that cheap.

If you really, really want to go, and assuming you can afford to pay your way, I'd go with the 'Im going, you are welcome to join me' As it happens, we do that with anything really, holidays, visits, outings, theatre trips etc.

Makes life so.much.simpler