Three “big” holidays a year?

[caisha]

Are three holidays a year too much with our income? We’re in our 20s and no kids or plans for them. We earn about £7-8k a month take home.

Holiday 1: £4k all in, 2 weeks Bali and Singapore
Holiday 2: £3k all in, Amalfi coast and Tuscany
Holiday 3: £1.5k self catering for a week in a villa in Barbados

I want to do Holiday 3 but dp says we have spent too much already

Depends if you can afford it. It's not about the amount of times, it all depends on if you can afford to go. If all your bills are paid, you have good savings then no issues.

Sounds blissful!

But you both have to be on the same page.

Impossible to say.

Savings and pensions are important. Do you own your own home?

Are these the total amounts you’ll spend including drinks, car hire and airport transfers?

When you say all in do you mean all inclusive? In which case personally I would broaden my horizons especially at your age. But that's just personal choice as I find all inclusive holidays quite dull after a time.
In my 20s I went traveling as much as I could. You have the time and freedom and you are earning loads so absolutely do it.
If you have children and a mortgage it becomes so much harder to travel.

Why don't you take a friend to Barbados? You don't always have to go with your partner.

This post is bizarre, surely only you know.

I don’t think a months salary is a lot to spend on holidays a year

No OP, you should stash your 7k take home pay in a box under the stairs and allow yourself a short weekend break to a 1 star reviewed B&B once every 10 years. Make sure you take your own packed lunches too.

I don't understand threads like this. 🙄

It depends, when you say 'we' earn 7-8k are you equal earners? Do you have joint savings goals like buying a house together or a wedding planned? Are you both paying into pension/ savings?

In your 20s I'd prioritise adventure travel over luxury though and want tonsee more local culture/ less AI hotels!!

What’s DPs rationale for not doing holiday 3? I’d travel as much as you can IF it’s affordable. Once you have kids you’ll be restricted to school holidays, which are busier and dearer and often not the type of travel you’d prefer. Is this a long term partner? Are you agreeing how you spend your joint income? Like another poster says, you could go with a friend instead?

I’m amazed at £1.5k for a week in Barbados 1 surely flights alone are £500 each?

if you’re honest with yourself you’re mostly spending much more when you add on transfers/car parking/airport costs/activities

however, as long as you’re contributing to pensions, have no unsecured debt and have a savings cushion - enjoy!! We spent about 10% of our take home pay on holidays - gets pricier with 2 kids in tow but I love it

All that lovely CO2 eh.

If you can get a week in Barbados for £1.5k for two, please tell me how. I did two weeks last year self catering off the beach and it was £6k. The flights alone were nearly £1000 pp.

We holiday a lot and people forget the hidden costs ~ petrol to the airport £50, parking at the airport £150, insurance £25, spent at the airports £20, phone charges overseas, taxi from the airport or car hire, entries to stuff, drinks every night which you wouldn’t do at home, meals out ( would eat in home on weekday nights) ~ a week’s spend is at least £500, maybe more. We self catered in Barbados and groceries are still really expensive. Be honest with yourself.

Only you know how much disposable income you have. We go without other stuff for holidays ~ my car is 15 years old and needs replacing but I’d rather have another holiday or two. Maybe look at your living costs holistically ~ do you rent/ want to buy, how much do you pay into pensions etc. And then decide priorities together.

I'm sure I read this last week.

Sounds lovely, if I was in my 20s, could afford it and could get the time off work then I would absolutely be holidaying 3 times a year. Getting some sun and relaxation is rarely a bad thing.

Sounds like you could squeeze in a relaxing week in a caravan in Skegness too. I'd say go for it!

Barbados flights are £250 each with TUI (specific awkward dates). £1000 must be school holidays?

Don't we all hate show off posts

Those aren't "big" holidays imo.

At your life stages I'd have wanted to be going to India, Borneo, South Africa, Sri Lanka or even to see the Northern lights from Norway/Finland/Iceland.

DH isn't that adventurous but at least was prepared to sail a bit in the Greek Islands. All inclusive with TUI wouldn't have figured. Our honeymoon treat was four days on an Island called La Toja in northern Spain after walking the Pilgrim's Way.

SIL2 who was a little more adventurous did the trans siberian railway from China to Europe on her own and with her partner sailed through the South China Sea (quite dangerous).

If you are going to spend that much money then have some adventure and see something of the wider world whilst you are young and free. Or spend more and do something banging like the Galapagos Islands or Antartica.

I'm sure I've seen a very similar post before and I'll repeat what I said then - really, my kids are adults so we don't go in school holidays and despite being a bargain hunter I've never found deals like these. Also factor in food costs, transfers etc. I'm not questioning the money overall, that's your call, more I doubt you can get those 3 trips on those budgets. Singapore in particular is crazy expensive

Hmmm almost exact duplicate of a post a couple of months ago, except the couple were early retired. They were also told their budget was nowhere near enough. What a coincidence!

I’m in exactly the same situation as you and yes, couldn’t agree more.

As an aside, I’m a seasoned bargain hunter and I cannot believe how expensive travel has become post Covid. UK and overseas. Maybe that’s good for the planet but maybe not so good for those of us with family overseas and perhaps limiting people’s horizons.

They sound nice but boring holidays for people in their 20's.
Why don't you do the 3rd holiday with a mate if your dh doesn't want to?

What do you want people to say?

Lucky you?

We have around 5 per year; normally self catering; but some long haul to see family. It depends of your priority.

3 holidays for your income, young and free. I would say go for it.