Is £230 enough spending money to go to Cornwall for 5 days?

[MascalPascal]

Going to Cornwall for Feb half term. Booked a lovely caravan which was very cheap owing it to it still being out of season. Going to St Ives.

Everything is booked and paid for, including all activities. Over the last 6 months i have been booking things slowly. Biggest expense really will be a food shop and petrol (I need to pay for return journey petrol from this money too).
Should that be enough?

Have a wonderful time Op - so many brilliant things in store for your little girl!! Enjoy! You sound like a wonderful mum ❤️

£20 for fish & chips?! Dream on! Even in Dorset it easily costs double that :)

I only came on here to find a thread about boycottAmerican products - and somehow ended up posting about the cost of fish & chips 😂

@MascalPascal

Eden Project - apologies if it’s already been said but when you’re there if you register you will get a 12 month free return pass so you could go again during the holiday if you like it…

You will be fine if it's just for one child and one adult.
We always used to make two big pot meals to take on self catering holidays. One, like lasagne I'd take chilled and we'd just reheat it on arrival. The second (for night two), would usually be a frozen chilli, which would defrost through the journey and through the first day. That saves cooking on the first two nights.
Cornish pasties are just lovely but really expensive. They doubled in price after COVID.

For one adult and a 7 YO for a lunchtime takeaway? Surely not.

Here's the menu for probably the most expensive places in Yorkshire, ie real 'we saw you coming captive market' prices

https://order.withqikserve.com/The-Fish-Cottage#/main/venue/menu

http://www.magpiecafe.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/takeaway-prices-April-2024.pdf

Both £11.95 for a regular portion fish and chips that is very large and plenty for an adult woman and a 7 YO for lunch. Even big eating manual worker DP can't finish it by himself.

For OP, perhaps next year have your holiday in Yorkshire, your money will go so much further.

I hope you're having a lovely time with your daughter @MascalPascal.

I've never been to Cornwall but hope to visit some time - I'm not in the UK.

Just wondering if the caravan is cold at night ?

I was about to post that it’s £12 for a large cod and chips here in the Midlands, and is enough to feed my DH and I for our dinner (we share but I must admit to a round of bread and butter for a chip butty as wel!).

Wow - I went for the first time a year ago and loved it.

Take a reusable cup with you, OP, if you will want a coffee because they don’t do disposable cups anymore.

Caravans usually have a fire and central heating :)
we love a caravan holiday too!! Have a great time OP

This trip sounds so nice! I think you will be fine you sound like you seem to budget quite well! Have a lovely time :)

I think the petrol is the biggest variable here. If I drive to Cornwall from South Wales for a week and start with a full tank, I have to fill up at least twice before we come back home. But we do often drive an hour from where we are staying for day trips. More than half of that £230 budget would go on petrol 😬

I hope you have a lovely time OP ❤️

As a single parent, we often did trips on very little money. Our best memories were during these times.

It’s all about the experiences together and it sounds like you’ve booked loads! Your DD is very lucky to have such a lovely mum.

If you have a freezer in your caravan, buy some boxed ice creams and take one on the beach. It will still feel like a huge treat.

Eat cheap meals that you’ve made yourself from the supermarket shop and perhaps buy some chips on the last night.

You sound like a fantastic mum 💐

Hope it's OK. I've sent you a little PM.

Indeed. A large cod and chips in our Surrey Village (think £££) is £14.99 or 15.99. A standard is about 12.99 or 13.99 and a children's portion with a can of pop is £5.99.

I wonder exactly where some posters must live if they are querying £20for fish and chips for an adult and a child.

It sounds absolutely lovely. I hope you are having a fantastic time

Copious apologies Ms Pedantic - didn’t see the update about 1 mum, 1 child and a lunchtime fish and chips.

I just wanted to add that you sound like the perfect mummy! Probably been said loads already but your daughter has you and really even if you didn’t have all the extra activities that would be enough. You’ve done a stellar job at budgeting, better than I ever could! I reckon that budget sound fine. You’ve even got emergency money in case you decide to splurge on something not already budgeted for. I hope you have the best time ever!

If you want to cast pedantic, I'm pretty sure fish and chips doesn't cost more at 7pm than at 1pm.

Thank you for the lovely comments:)

We've had a lovely first proper day. Went to the beach (which was breathtaking).

Went to Ayr holiday park to use the pool. Having some lunch at the caravan now and then going to Base Camp to do the clip and climb and I booked tickets for DD to see a taylor swift tribute act tonight at Hall for Cornwall (We've seen her a few times she's spectacular!) Can't wait to see her face when she realises we're going again!

Having such a lovely time xxx

It's actually extremely toasty. Because we've come out of season, I was lucky enough to be able to book quite a nice caravan! There's even a washing machine in it which has totally made my day 😅.

So glad you are having a great time. Hope journey down was okay. Where did you end up having your breaks?

What a lovely mum you are I’m glad you are having the best holiday. Well done on saving up and planning for a wonderful holiday as a single mum. I’m sure you will make fabulous memories together that your daughter will remember all she gets older.
praying it stays dry for you both x

Cornwall is beautiful, you will love it and special time with your little girl, enjoy ❤️

This is the best 'Feelgood' thread I have read since joining MN.
Brings back lots of childhood memories (brought up by a lovely single mum myself) and caravan holidays as an adult with children.

Thanks for the updates OP, I think you have lots following this thread. x