Sad that we will probably never overseas again

[BooseysMom]

Just that really. We're in our early 50s and had a child late in our 40s. We never seem to have enough money and everything just gets more and more expensive. We are both working but don't earn that much. We rented for so long that we didn't get on the property ladder until late. We have holidays but they're the same each year, a caravan in Devon. Never anything more adventurous. We would have to get passports sorted too which is more expense. I don't know what i'm asking really except why have we got so boring and even too scared to go anywhere different? It's crazy when you only get one life!

I know. We have a caravan style holiday every 18 months - 2 years in the sw. It’s where I’m from and it’s the only time I see any family. we go out of season and still costs an absolute fortune. Not been home for 18 months now and still saving I’m only up to £500 so far then we need food , fuel and everything else. It’s only us two adults, we go beginning or end of season normally. I’m at the stage of thinking I won’t get home this year either at this rate. No idea how others afford it as we live a very basic life no treats just standard life.

I just went and checked and a caravan site we stayed at two years ago is £200 more for the same basic caravan for 4 days than it was for 7 days in 2024. That’s the first week they open when all the amenities for the tourists in the small town aren’t yet open so we know from past experiences you can’t get a coffee or chips etc. I’m at the stage that we can’t afford to go to the sw ever.

Aside from a two night UK city break every couple of years I've never been on a proper holiday. Never been abroad, never had a week /fortnight long break anywhere. Never been on a plane. I'm mid 50s and not likely to now. I can't get a passport (reasons too outing but not my fault) and not enough money for holidays anyway.

Prices for hotels in the UK have gone up massively - the Premier Inn we used to pay about £35pn for five years ago is now £200+pn for the same dates in July. We have to go in February to be able to afford it.

I'd love so much to see a bit of the world but it looks like virtual tours on Google maps will have to suffice!

Same here a premier inn we’ve used before, wasn’t even nice, is £220 plus per night nowadays. We go home so I can see family but that’s not the same thing at all, it’s usually to do a few chores in the garden for an elderly relative.

i see all my family and friends having these amazing holidays in the uk and abroad and I have no idea how they can afford it and we can’t. One just got back from Jamaica , America the year before, Canada the year before that and in between two stays in the canaries. Another one last year was Iceland this year New York year before those Portugal and also two stays in the canaries. As well as weekends away and weeks away all over the uk. I don’t even know how they get that many days annual leave.

We did staycations all of last year so not one night away from home just day trips where we live and even that cost a small fortune.

That's the thing. Day trips cost a small fortune and so if you are somewhere where a walk will satisfy your exploring/fun for the day then you're spending less than you would at home whether you're in Devon or Denmark. If you cook then you're spending more or less the same on food. (Mince is more expensive abroad, baguettes much cheaper). Premier inn and travelodges have gone right up unless it's a Sunday night caravan parks are crazy prices in holidays and so accommodation (the main cost) is cheaper abroad.

Not just static caravan style lodges on full equipped holiday parks with loads of water slides but there are some cottage gems in the middle of nowhere. The local small towns are likely to be beautiful and will be as different and interesting as going to the tourist spots. We paid £400 for 4 nights in a big 4 bedroom house in Belgium last August. Was convinced there would be a con but never found it. Shared with another family and squeezed into our 7 seater car with bags under the kids feet. An extra tank of petrol compared with our weekly commute and then pate, cheese and jam with yummy bread and different juices on the terrace made it feel decadent. If I'd had Instagram I'm sure it would have looked very bougie and costly but it really wasn't.

If you avoid Airbnb you can save hundreds, it's so expensive. The last SC place we booked was more than £200 cheaper for a week by not booking through Airbnb.

Forgo the Devon holiday to pay for your passports then look into camping in France or a very cheap self catering package. You can get a week away in Spain for £149 each but this won’t be in the school holidays and will be basic.

Which one did you use please @FruitWordSalad?

Devon is expensive. There are holidays abroad you could do for less!
there are interesting and not expensive holidays in eastern and Central Europe

@BooseysMom

Not having the money, and not having the courage, are very different things. Meaning there are very different ways to problem solve them.

Where there’s a will there’s a way.

I don’t think the OP is that interested. Hasn't returned since the first post two days ago.

If yoy keep yourself well and healthy no reason why you cant travel in retirement

Its ashame really that she hasn't returned. As someone on a low income that has a keen interest in other countries, i bet we could find her something, even if it was just for a few nights. Yet she wont come back and tell us how much the Caravan costs.

A standard caravan holiday in Devon or Dorset is usually £800. If you factor in summer holidays it can range but can go up to £2k. I know as I struggle to get home to visit family due to the costs. Unless the OP knows someone and it’s cheaper.

Have a look at Tunisia for the October half term. There are some great deals - we managed to get 2 adults & 3 children all-inclusive for a great price!

There are plenty of ways to travel inexpensively abroad OP. I appreciate that getting passports is an up-front expense, but if you can afford to go to Devon I suspect that you can afford to go to France.

I just renewed DS2's and it was £61 and lasts five years. An adult passport is £97 and lasts 10 years, so less than a tenner per year.

There are cheap flights, the Eurostar, or you can put your car on Le Shuttle. You can camp or glamp, stay in small hotels in non-touristy areas, honestly it shouldn't be more expensive than going to Devon. I find the UK much more expensive than e.g. Spain or Portugal for SC or eating out.

We found Vrbo somewhat cheaper than AirBnb last year.

Thanks so much everyone for such an amazing lot of advice! 😁

DS is 12. My issue is both money and fear as I feel like I've lost so much confidence since peri kicked in. I feel like I have to go somewhere different now as DS won't want to go with us soon enough!

Sorry, sorry, I'm back! I've had a manic couple of days at work and have been exhausted and not up for anything. I want to say thanks to everyone for their responses. It's fascinating to read so many different experiences. I feel like I could really do something about it now.

When my kids were young and we didn't have much money, one of the ways we afforded holidays in other countries was by saving up Tesco vouchers to use for the Shuttle (tbh I don't know if you can still do this). We rented mobile homes in France quite a bit. The very last week of August is often a bit cheaper.

May half term was also much cheaper - we did a long weekend in a mobile home in Duinrell one year and a Centre Parcs type place in Belgium another time. Both extremely reasonable. Certainly cheaper than renting somewhere in Devon in the summer.

I really like this idea - I may steal it!

Absolutely this 👌

We bought our house 15 years ago and it was a massive stretch and we couldn’t afford anything at all even paint. As time goes on your salary goes up childcare goes down mortgage goes down as a proportion of your income. Things change and never say never.

CeeJay81
Sorry, i'm back now. The caravan is around £570 for the May half term. We definitely can't afford summer hols. Even if we could take DS out of school we are tied to hols as DH works in teaching. We are looking at the Sun hols this year. We've done this before but weren't able to go when the choices came through.

Look at just a long weekend away overseas. If you find cheap flights and go to a city with decent public transport. Then it’s only 2-3 nights accommodation which is much more reasonable than a week.