Is it possible to have a cheap (but nice) holiday anymore?

[IlanaK]

We are not tied to school holidays so like to travel end of september usually. We live in London so have access to lots of airports of eurostar.

I have three kids and a husband. We could just about manage with two bedrooms, but prefer 3. We prefer self catering holidays, and no car.

I have searched cheap flights. I found £5 fares to Germany (thinking of visiting friends) but with all of us and taxes and extras, flights came to almost £400!!

I have about £100 of tesco clubcard vouchers so have been looking at what we can get. But I am drawing a blank!!

Is it really too much to ask to pay about £500 for a holiday for us (maybe using the vouchers?)

help!

I would saying living where you do and with not having to stick to school holidays then if anyone can manage a cheap holiday you will be able to.
Have you looked at site such as www.holidaylettings.co.uk and holidayrentals.co.uk go to the special savings or late/early deals and there are some great special offers on self catering apartments etc .
Maybe try and go on a city type break if you prefer not to use a car.

Voucher wise There isn't that much choice abroad with Tesco although they do SIBLU and you would get a good off peak season price with Siblu and could use your vouchers towards that?

Thanks. I looked at Siblu and wasn't overly keen.

I would much prefer holiday rental of some kind. I just can't believe how much flights cost!

I was wondering about maybe a house swap. We live right by a zone 2 tube station in London and have a nice place with a large garden and parking (though no car!). I am a little worried about someone else being in my home, but I think it may be the only way I can afford to go away. We do have family in both Florida and Oz that we can stay with (both with really large houses with pools) but the flights cost is insane!

Nope with 5 people, flights are about £100 a pop so to expect accommodation and flights for that cost is really stretching it.

I would say the only way you could do that would be to drive somewhere yourself like france and then stay in a Gite or something.

Could you house swap...there are lots of sites advertising.....and then you only have transport costs...London homes are always popular for a swap.

Sorry posted before I read your comments on swaps!

Can't drive anywhere as I have no car and haven't driven for over 2 years anyway. Kids get carsick too.

I think going somewhere where the accomodation is free is the only way really.

I think thats life now but saying "cheap" never really existed. Yes cheap flights but now fuel, taxes etc you cant get bargins. All I can recommend is cornwall or northern france. Why not a static caravan holiday but I'm not sure how much these are.

Spending money in euro zones can be shocking too.

What about Jersey? but then you'd have to go by boat and travel sickness.

I'd recommend a luxury caravan in cornwall close to a town so you can get groceries. A lot of people recommend Haven sites.

IlanaK..not sure if we can help each other. I'm a single British mother with 3 dc whos been living in Heidelberg, Germany for 22 years! Cerainly no swimming pools or large houses but we have a town appt with 4 bedrooms (one being more of a half go-through smallest childs room)We also have no car and travel everywhere with bikes, trams and bus (both excellent services) Have also been considering swap lately(argument for is we don't have designer furnishings, argument against is that I hope they would not mess up our piano.... at the moment another lone mother and I are looking to take dc (plus school frds!) to London tourist sights in August if we can find cheap, safe hotel/hostel accomadation (any suggestions as you live in London?) Perhaps we can stay in touch to consider house swap alternative!