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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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

420 replies

MascalPascal · 14/02/2025 09:03

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?

OP posts:
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RedToothBrush · 14/02/2025 10:49

LastNightMyPJsSavedMyLife · 14/02/2025 09:44

Whoever said £20 on fish and chips. Are you having a laugh?

Quite.
Fish and chips is AT LEAST £10 a portion most places I've been in recent years. Even more run down places. Even if you share a portion of chips, if you have fish, you'll not feed a family for £20.

TheChosenTwo · 14/02/2025 10:49

Eightdayz · 14/02/2025 10:43

Leaving tomorrow? Lol bit late to be asking this isn't it? What happens if it's NOT enough?

I just thought this!!

I mean activities are all booked and paid for now (I’d be trying to get my money back for paradise park though, I took ds and thought it was awful but it was a few years ago now so hopefully it’s better?!) but good food costs and we spend hard in this area, both home and away, it’s not something I’d want to constantly calculating on holiday either.

Fuel to and from the east of England to Cornwall sounds like it’s going to eat into a large part of that budget too.

SoNiceToComeHomeTo · 14/02/2025 10:50

It'll be tight if you have a long journey to pay for but you are self catering so should be OK. You could plan meals beforehand based on the cheapest favourites - if the kids love beans on toast then have them a lot, varied with pasta with tomato sauce, fried eggs and oven chips etc, raw carrots and whatever is on special offer for veg. A big tub of vanilla ice cream and some cones rather than buying ice creams out will save a fortune. Enjoy.

Eightdayz · 14/02/2025 10:51

TheChosenTwo · 14/02/2025 10:49

I just thought this!!

I mean activities are all booked and paid for now (I’d be trying to get my money back for paradise park though, I took ds and thought it was awful but it was a few years ago now so hopefully it’s better?!) but good food costs and we spend hard in this area, both home and away, it’s not something I’d want to constantly calculating on holiday either.

Fuel to and from the east of England to Cornwall sounds like it’s going to eat into a large part of that budget too.

This would be my concern too. The 230 for food is doable i think. But most cars unless it's a shoebox will be as least 60 to 80 to fill up!

Flexilexy · 14/02/2025 10:51

Definitely doable if you buy food from supermarket. You'll have money for ice cream or chips, etc.
Sounds like you've planned a lovely week with your child. Have a great time.

Mainoo72 · 14/02/2025 10:53

Sounds tight to me. Don’t forget parking charges, ice creams, drinks out, gift shops etc.

Chuchoter · 14/02/2025 10:53

£46 a day for you and a 7 year old child and activities already paid for should be enough for food if you're buying supermarket stuff and making your own but it's not going to cover eating out and treats.

Floralnomad · 14/02/2025 10:54

Wouldn’t be for me but we all live different lives and have different expectations of what a holiday is .

florasl · 14/02/2025 10:56

Yes, we have done Cornwall for less with the Sun Holidays. We only ate in the caravan, pack lunches if we went out.

Take out a National Trust membership on the pay monthly offer. You can cancel after the month is up but you can access lots of sites.

The Eden project is very affordable if you receive any kind of benefits - https://www.edenproject.com/visit/universal-credit-pension-credit-day-ticket.

iwentjasonwaterfalls · 14/02/2025 11:00

I think you'll be fine with your activities already paid for. We went to the Haven park near St Ives for a week out of season last year and it was incredible (two adults, one 10 year old).

Our biggest expense was petrol but we were here there and everywhere - Eden Project, Sennen, Marazion, the Minack, Mousehole.

Food-wise we went to - I think it was the Aldi in Camborne possibly? - and did a food shop for about £60 which saw us through the week, including our packed lunches for days out and some treats.

Have an amazing time! The area around St Ives is one of my favourite places on earth.

Julen7 · 14/02/2025 11:01

You probably know this but I live in Cornwall and the weather is currently crappy (not looking any better for whole of half term) so if the activities on the park are outside you might need to think about what you might do instead and how much it will cost.

Hydrangeadangerranger · 14/02/2025 11:01

Sounds like you have a lovely trip planned OP. I’m sure you can stretch the money if you eat at the caravan. Have an amazing time with your little one 😊

Goodluckanddontfitup · 14/02/2025 11:03

It sounds a lovely trip and you are your little one will have a great time I’m sure. With planning that money will be enough, and the memories will be priceless

thesoundofmucas · 14/02/2025 11:03

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catchingzzzeds · 14/02/2025 11:06

That'll be fine for the two of you! Meal plan this afternoon so you know what you're getting for each meal. A portion of fish and chips can be shared between the two of you as a treat meal. Take refillable drinks bottles and a flask for hot drinks.
Have a wonderful time!

thesoundofmucas · 14/02/2025 11:06

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WestwardHo1 · 14/02/2025 11:07

It will be plenty because there's nothing open.

Shakeyourbaublesandsmile · 14/02/2025 11:08

No

Based on where I live that would not cover fuel for both ways and food for a family of four.

You might need to budget for fuel for day trips while there depending on what you have planned.

You may need to have a few beans on toast dinners

Cadenza12 · 14/02/2025 11:09

It's nearly 800 miles return from the east of England, you may have to fill up your car twice. Have you calculated how much petrol you are going to need? Have you an emergency credit card? Can you borrow some emergency money? Do you belong to the AA? I'm thinking that nearly half of your cash will be needed for petrol, unless I'm missing something.

catchingzzzeds · 14/02/2025 11:09

@thesoundofmucas unnecessary comment.

For those of us with little money this does sound like a lovely trip! And perfectly doable with the budget she has.

Shakeyourbaublesandsmile · 14/02/2025 11:10

MascalPascal · 14/02/2025 10:08

Sorry. Just me and my 7 year old going. Travelling from East of England to St Ives. Full tank of petrol already in car but will obviously fill up on way too. Everything is pre booked and paid for. Booked Eden project, paradise park, swimming, crafts, chocolate making... will bring packed lunches in the day when we're out and cook when we're in for the evenings which is 3 of the 5 nights.

Yes but factor in the fuel from St Ives to Eden project- it’s a bit of a drive

WestwardHo1 · 14/02/2025 11:10

Cadenza12 · 14/02/2025 11:09

It's nearly 800 miles return from the east of England, you may have to fill up your car twice. Have you calculated how much petrol you are going to need? Have you an emergency credit card? Can you borrow some emergency money? Do you belong to the AA? I'm thinking that nearly half of your cash will be needed for petrol, unless I'm missing something.

And car parking charges unfortunately

Overthebow · 14/02/2025 11:11

Cadenza12 · 14/02/2025 11:09

It's nearly 800 miles return from the east of England, you may have to fill up your car twice. Have you calculated how much petrol you are going to need? Have you an emergency credit card? Can you borrow some emergency money? Do you belong to the AA? I'm thinking that nearly half of your cash will be needed for petrol, unless I'm missing something.

I missed that OP is in the East of England, I don’t think that amount will be enough then as will need extra petrol money. I wouldn’t borrow money for a holiday, if that’s the only money OP has access to its best to cancel and save the money instead.

Maggiemargherita · 14/02/2025 11:11

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What would OP do with more money? More activities? She’s doing loads. Eat out at an overpriced restaurant?

OMGitsnotgood · 14/02/2025 11:11

OP it's a lean holiday and I'm sure you can do it but for me I don't want to be scrimping on holiday . Let's hope it doesn't rain for the week or a week stuck in a caravan will be horrible .

Well good on the OP for giving her child a holiday on a tight budget, rather that than no holiday at all. The child will remember the time spent in a lovely place with their Mum, not that they didn't have access to bottomless ice cream.

If it rains then you just make the most of it. Maybe pack some board games, a pack of cards and a jigsaw OP. Plus wellies and waterproofs and embrace the showers.

We went to Cornwall as kids when we didn't have much money - I wasn't aware of that at the time, shows that my parents just didn't make a fuss about the lack of funds. One of my fondest holiday memories was eating a proper Cornish pasty fresh and still warm from the bakers. I expect they aren't cheap but they are filling and traditional.

I also wouldn't worry about being totally wholesome for a few days. In fact if there are things you don't normally allow, they can be allowed on holidays and can be seen as treats. Tinned hotdogs are one of my guilty pleasures even now! A bag of chips by the sea - don't need fish if the budget won't stretch. Greggs sausage rolls are another usually avoided food I indulge in when travelling. We weren't big fans of MacDonalds for the kids so on the rare occasion they had one they saw it as a big treat - even though for us it was one of the cheapest meals we had. They also took a cereal variety pack each as we never had sugary or chocolatey cereals in the house and they loved it.

Beans on toast is a totally acceptable lunch or light tea. Ditto things like 'big soup'

Pasta and a jar of sauce is a quick and easy meal.

Picnic lunches have their own appeal, even if it's not warm enough to sit outside and you end up eating it in the car. I had some large plastic plates I used to take on holiday for picnics - saved a bit of the mess in tbe car.

I'd front load the self catering /cheaper meals, save eating out for the end of your holiday. Partly because it's nice to end the time away with a treat but also if there are any unexpected expenses, you still have some budget left.

I would want that much per day for meals out and activities plus random spends for snacks, whatever the kids want.
That's ok if you have that kind of a budget. Not everyone does, hence this thread, so that is not a very helpful comment.

OP, given that your budget won't allow for 'whatever the kids want', maybe allocate your 7 year old £5 a day for treats eg ice cream/sweets/amusement arcade/comic . If they don't spend it all, it rolls over to the next day so they can have something a bit more expensive. That way they get a treat but don't expect whatever they want.

Have a fabulous time x

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