All Inclusive Holidays - do you really NOT spend much more

[mumma2cjh]

planning our first hol abroad me, hubby and DS 3 yr old.

1 week in Spain, Cyprus, Canaries is sooooooooo expensive not many discounts about.

Do I go and book AI and stump up the cost but will not have hardly and spending mney to take away or go SC and spend the hol looking for eating places and ending up cooking a few meals etc...

For those who have done AI - really do you need much spending money as I would really have hardly anything to take away

We have been AI and have spent hardly anything, maybe £150 over a 2 week period, which I do not think is bad.
Get kids a toy each, eg bucket and spade, inflatable for pool, buy postcards maybe a newspaper or magazine.
Often take a packet of Weetabix with us as hotels rarely seem to have them and it is good to (ahem) keep the kids 'regular' while we are away!

we have been ai a few times and havent spent a penny, well worth it.

We always go AI and it is definitely worth it! We hardly spend anything at all when we go, but then you have to remember that you will be tied to the hotel a lot of the time.

Suits us fine though as myself and dd dont like the beach, we're both happy to lie by/play in the pool all day!

sounds good. Were only planning a week and boring as it may seem I just want to chill and relax. Plus DS will adore the pool, if we go to the beac I dont mind doing a few bits from supermarket to take with us. I think you may have swayed it for me! many thanks

Something to make you go for AI.

We just came back from ibiza and for dh, me ds and DD we were spending just short of £100 per day. Everything was so expensive.

We were just having a round of sandwiches and drinks for dinner and then a meal and drinks for tea so I cant even say that we bought anything excessive.

Next yr were going AI or HB.

We often go AI and if you plan to go to the beach for the day the hotel normally will make up a packed lunch for you. It's hit & miss what you get but at least you normally get bottles of water/juice.

I'm off on an AI holiday next week, still taking lots of money as we want to do several trips but we have been AI before and not spent much at all.

It depends if you want any excursions while you are there or if you want to bring any gifts home with you.

Ex P always went AI with his ex and kids, I never had, he persuaded me to try it and for last 6 yrs I will not consider NOT going AI! Does depend where you go, some places can still be a bit tricky but generally spain and canaries well worth it. I ususally take 100 quid or so for duty free/papers etc and usuually bring most of it home.

Most AI have very good facilities (tennis, gym, spa etc) though some of which you may have to pay for so there is no real need to go out and most will proved a picnic bag should you wish to. I have always had to use the gym as there is normally tons and tons of food and plenty of choice for dd.

XP and I still holiday together and we took dd away in December to Canaries 4* AI 579 all in including price of car park! We never spend more than a grand and normally can get it closer to the 800 pounds mark.

Carrielou - sounds great just up my street. Where do you go can you recommend some places and hotels and who do you book with?

We have spent extra on excursions, spa treatments, children's craft materials and extra babysitting.

We took ds 3 and dd4 mths AI and never really left hotel which meant very little spending money as they were too small for excursions.
I would say with the poor euro at the min that would be the cheaper opion.

You really can just stick to the AI price and not spend anymore. We tend to go AI a lot, especially for a second hol. The only money we usually neeed is for newspapers, sweets/ mints, magazines, maybe inflatables etc and anything we want at the airport.

Just came back from Tunisia. Hol was about £800. Spent quite abit at airport on perfume, brekky etc and about £120 on golf for dp once we were there, but not much more than that on anything else. You could spend nothing if you really wanted.

We have been going to Lanzarote and Feuteventura since having dd as breezy for her she is now 17 months (was only 10 weeks first time we took her away!). I look on first choice online, never got on with thomas cook, eclipse is same company as first choice but can be same holiday cheaper.

Try to book about 3 weeks b4 we want to go then go into local independant travel agent. They look at booking it all separate for the same holiday and will usually get it cheaper. We also avoid weekend flights and try to get early or late night flights as they tend to be cheaper.

I always book with Thomson and we went to Egypt AI 5* for 2 weeks in 2006 for £1200 (3 of us)!