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If you had a take home of £120k a year… would you spend £10k on travel?

104 replies

rockgardener · 18/04/2024 08:43

We get 5 weeks annual leave a year plus bank holidays. Our take home income is £120k a year.

I want to spend 4 weeks of that abroad and 1 week in the UK. We do most flights in premium economy on points.

Holidays abroad planned are:

2 weeks in South East Asia = £4k
1 week Caribbean = £2k
1 week Mauritius = £2k

UK weekends away = £2k

OP posts:
BananaNutPancakes · 18/04/2024 08:45

Stealth boast? 🤦🏻‍♀️

Anyway, if you can afford it great. If you can't you may want to reconsider. No random on the Internet can tell you if this is financially feasible for you. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Lyricallie · 18/04/2024 08:47

Depends on other expenses obviously.

Our household income is ~90k but we are doing a lot of DIY and have a holiday at the end of the year which is probably about 5k.
So to me doesn’t sound abnormal but for all we know your bills could be 5k a month.

Andanotherone01 · 18/04/2024 08:48

I mean, our take home is £90K and we’ve just spent £5K on a summer holiday in Europe. So, I’d say you are doing well to get four holidays out of £10K!!

curious79 · 18/04/2024 08:48

You do you. Absolutely! Have fun and think of me on the beach.
Will you be regretting it when you look at your pension / mortgage repayments etc? I don’t know - depends on your risk profile. But you still have another 110 to live with / invest

What’s your career upside or have you potentially peaked?

Those seem like very reasonable amounts for those locations though… sure it’s not a little more you’re spending?!

FlexIt · 18/04/2024 08:49

I dont think OPs asking if it’s affordable but if it’s “reasonable” to do so.
I say absolutely. What is the point of working to earn £120k if you can’t enjoy spending it.
This is 8.5% of your net income which I dont think is unreasonable.
For reference we bring home a lot less than you and spend about 15% of net income on hols.

Andanotherone01 · 18/04/2024 08:49

FlexIt · 18/04/2024 08:49

I dont think OPs asking if it’s affordable but if it’s “reasonable” to do so.
I say absolutely. What is the point of working to earn £120k if you can’t enjoy spending it.
This is 8.5% of your net income which I dont think is unreasonable.
For reference we bring home a lot less than you and spend about 15% of net income on hols.

good point

Shylo · 18/04/2024 08:49

I would in a heartbeat but your budget for mauritius inparticular seems a bit low ….

CharlotteStreetW1 · 18/04/2024 08:52

Nothing stealth about it!

We earn nothing like that but holidays are our priority. Admittedly this has been an exceptional year (two big birthdays, two big trips and several shorter ones) and we've spent loads more than that so if you can afford it, go for it.

(I presume you've done your homework but those prices don't look right to me.)

coldcallerbaiter · 18/04/2024 08:52

A week in the Caribbean for 2k? Per person? Economy flights are 1 k per person. same with Mauritius, tight budget for accommodation and food/trips.

Yes do it but re-budget. I spend the same as you 20k for 2 per year give it take.

HedgehogHighway · 18/04/2024 08:52

Can you get a week in the Caribbean for 2 for £2k?

rockgardener · 18/04/2024 08:53

We pay £150 each for flights in economy to the caribbean … our business earns the points…

OP posts:
Overthebow · 18/04/2024 08:53

Depends on your outgoings and savings/investments for yourselves and DC (if you have any). If you have decent savings no debt then it’s fine to spend whatever you want on holidays. If not then I’d concentrate on those first.

BarrelOfOtters · 18/04/2024 08:54

thats about the proportion of my salary the goes on holidays. Last year did one off long haul for about that proportion for 3 weeks and was more measured for the rest of the year.

I’ve always prioritised holidays over fancy car or clothes or watches or whatever.

reluctantbrit · 18/04/2024 08:54

It all depends on other factors, can you afford it without clearing out savings, putting other important costs on hold (necessary house repairs, car repair/replacement, loan repayments) then I think it's not unreasonable.

We earn a similar amount but we have a DD just before uni so we concentrate on putting more money aside for her and overpaying the mortgage at the moment. A 10K holiday last year was saved for, not paid out from one year income.

Rosesanddaffs · 18/04/2024 08:54

Do it, you only live once, it’s your money, go and enjoy yourself xx

ZenNudist · 18/04/2024 08:55

Depends on outgoings surely? Those holidays sound cheap! I'd go on them.

Our household income is way more than that and no debt/finance/mortgage.

All European breaks for 4 including all spends and food:
Week sightseeing and culture and activities £4.5k
9 days beachy £5k
8 days holiday in August mix of culture and beach £5.5k
5 days couple break for culture in October £2.5k
Son going on abroad trip £2k with school
One UK break planned for a weekend not worth mentioning as cost negligible.

Best part of £20k and no long haul.

Guavafish1 · 18/04/2024 08:55

Money doesn't go with you to the grave! Enjoy

OnTheBoardwalk · 18/04/2024 08:56

Go for it if you can afford it but, as other posters have said, your budget looks very low for 2 people

personally I’d rather budget for 2 more exclusive holidays rather than 4 where you are scrimping and saving and pinching food from the breakfast table for lunch!

ajlots · 18/04/2024 09:19

If you mean take home of £120k after tax we earn less than you and spend about the same on travel 🤷‍♀️

x88mph · 18/04/2024 09:20

We spend a bigger % of our net income on holidays. Enjoying it while we can. I can't imagine being old and thinking "I wish we hadn't spent that money on travelling when we were younger". Who knows if I'll even be around to think that! I do, however, also invest in my pension, in the hope that I will still be around and be fit enough to keep travelling.

BoobyDazzler · 18/04/2024 09:23

Similar amount here with similar expenditure although we tend to spend more on fewer holidays - so one that costs 6 k, one that costs 4.

I don’t mind roughing it but if I’m going somewhere nice I want to stay in a nice hotel. I’m not sure 2k gets you much in the Caribbean.

morechocolateneededtoday · 18/04/2024 09:30

Depends on other fixed outgoings surely? What are mortgage/rent costs?

Our take home is much higher but we have school fees burden at the moment so will not be until we have finished paying one set at least. Mortgage also scheduled to go up around the time first set of fees stop so will also depend on rates available at the time

After essential costs covered and sufficient savings, travelling is our priority spend so I would not consider the amount unreasonable at all as longas you can afford it

titchy · 18/04/2024 09:35

Definitely! Though I wouldn't do three cheap as chips hols, I'd want at least one with naice accommodation and food.

GettingStuffed · 18/04/2024 09:38

I wouldn't do a week for a long haul so I'd swap either Carribbean or Mauritius week for 2 weeks in the other.

augustusglupe · 18/04/2024 09:39

We used to spend 10 to 12k a year on a west coast Barbados package holiday. DH was earning about 100k. Very small mortgage. Us and only DD.
This was many years ago.
It was a beautiful resort, but not the Sandy Lane.
Where do you go for 2k??