Wish we spent more money on holidays

[pinkmangoprincess]

DH and I are fortunate to earn well. We earn the same amount but he spends a lot more than me on day to day expenses. He is the kind of person to walk into a shop and buy the first thing he wants and sees. I’ll think about it and find it on ebay second hand.

I love a bargain but I also love staying at nice hotels. Nothing rip off, but say a nice 4-5* hotel.

When we travel dh complains about the cost of hotels and experiences. I’m all for living frugally day to day so I can get out and see the world.

I kinda wish he would let us spend more on holidays.

Have you tried pointing out to him everything you said here ?

DH and I have different priorities like you and your dh do. The way we resolved it was by each having the same amount of 'spending money' each month. Over the decades, he tends to spend his on consumables and clothing. I save and have it for 'bigger ticket' items - for example holidays.

Over the decades, he tends to spend his on consumables and clothing. I save and have it for 'bigger ticket' items - for example holidays.

Okay, but how does that work? You have all this money for holidays and he's pissed his up the wall on gadgets and clothing. So do you go away without him?

Yes, sometimes

I'd resolve this by having separate discretionary spends.

I.e. Joint acc has £2k added each month by you and him.*
The remainder he can smash up the wall /save whatever.

• Of that £4k added to the joint £200 / £400 /whatever of which is for hols. You siphon this off each month into a pool/reserve and keep the tally, booking the appropriate holiday with zero discussion about price etc.

We do this...
I plan and book all hols to agreed annual budget. I shortlist 2 or 3 holidays, I present them to DH woth pros and cons of location, weather, resort and room and ask if he objects to any of then and why. Then I select.

Because I am very particular and fussy about my hols and DH is picky about a couple of bits but doesn't really care.

Do you have equal spending money, if so could you use your to travel more?

You probably aren’t going to get him to change how he likes to spend money but there is a chance if he sees you booking fun trips he may want to get in on it and find the money for it.