Do you think people are taking more holidays these days? Are you?

[holidayQs26]

I remember when I was younger and reflecting on what I wanted to afford it was for one nice holiday (abroad) a year. This is what felt like the aspirational ideal growing up, not that we could afford it mind!

When budgeting since having a family of my own I have always saved for one holiday a year but it feels like more and more people I know are going on multiple holidays a year now. Some people I work with have some kind of break or holiday every period of annual leave they take.

Admittedly it’s probably just the fact I grew up poorer but now work in a firmly middle class field. But I do find myself feeling sad if a school holiday is coming up and we haven’t got a break planned! Even finding myself feel somewhat awkward when people ask!

Have you noticed this?

I wish! Where are these people so I can holiday with them!

Now that DS is in college ( it's a specialist one for young people with disabilities) we take more. They are lenient with time off and he attends 3 days a week with day centre the other 2 days so it's flexible.

This means we can get much cheaper breaks. DS loves a caravan holiday, and a couple of times a year we go to Spain. I don't pay more than £500pp for 5 nights because we are not tied to the school holidays anymore.

I depends on people’s life stages I am going abroad more now as it’s just me and dh as dc are young adults now. It’s a lot cheaper just the 2 of us going outside of school holidays

Yes - the last six years in terms of world events has brought home to me how short life is so I go away as much as I can. I’ve never regretted spending money on holidays.

I see the familiar and tedious remark of “I’d love to know how they can afford them” has made its predicable appearance more than once. Guess what - the answer is always the same: because some other people have more money than you do or manages their money better than you.

We go on holidays that cost over £10k (this years was £15k+ basic cost for 4 of us for the US) and I would be thrilled if we could do them every year! We go once every couple of years no expense spared, rather than a cheaper one every year, as we’ve all agree that this is what we prefer.

People we know are probably wondering how we afford it, but they won’t notice the years that we don’t go away, or know our financial situation (DH is very well paid).