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?

Absolutely. It’s a perfect holiday for a 7 year old.

I think its doable, if you are mainly eating in. I know many people that couldn't make that work, but I know I could.

When you get there, early on I would go and refill your fuel so that you know that's paid for.

I think you will be fine you have already booked activities. You don’t need to eat out everyday. Pizza, pasta type dinners for nights in. Fish and chips is a good takeaway as you can share the chips between you. Just be careful as you spend. 2p machines are a go to for most kids that age!

Thank you. My budget is limited as I'm a single parent but I've saved what I can and DD is appreciative of these types of activities. The Eden project cost £50 alone for us both. I've found free craft sessions in the area. We're going to go crabbing too. I'm not deterred by the previously horrid comment about it being rubbish:)

Good on you. You’ll have a fabulous time 👍

If all activities are paid for and you only have a 7 year old with a tank already full of petrol then I would say £230 is ok especially if you are doing packed lunches and I presume you will be buying food from supermarket.

I'll get my child benefit paid when I'm out there too so more like £260. I get paid after we come back annoyingly!

How much does it cost you for a full tank of petrol?

Sorry I can't answer your question OP, but just wanted to say that it sounds like a lovely holiday. I hope you both have a fab time xx

When you get there, early on I would go and refill your fuel so that you know that's paid for.

This is a really wise idea

As long as you won't be eating in fancy restaurants, it'll be fine.
Make sure you save enough for the petrol to get you home...and have a fabulous time.💞

We done 5 days in Devon (me and the 5 and 1 year old) with similar budget and same as you, had already paid for accommodation and activities.
I meal planned, took any thing I had in that I would use - stuff from the cupboard, fridge and freezer. Used ice blocks and a cold bag. For the first night I took meals I'd Batch cooked from the freezer in the morning, put them in a cold bag with some useful bits I already had in the fridge, and some cold blocks, they kept the food chilled and had defrosted in time for dinner, just needed warming through. Was easy after the long drive and meant I wasn't tempted to waste money on a takeaway. Had other bits from the freezer which went straight in the fridge when we got there and was used the second night. I also took my slow cooker so I wasn't cooking while on holiday, used it twice. Had noodles another night. Packed lunch bits and Cereal etc from home. (You'd be eating these things if you were at home anyway so not really holiday budget worthy, may as well take them with you)
Took basic cleaning bits from home too (we had an Airbnb with a dishwasher so took my own tabs, they don't always supply them).
We had enough to get ice creams etc. The kids were lucky enough to have some spending money from grandparents so I didn't always have to say no to things, if they wanted it, it came out of their money but they knew once it was gone there would be no more.
The biggest expense was definitely fuel.

What I did isn't everyones idea of a holiday but it meant we had a holiday, we all had a lovely time.

If you already know how to live on a budget, you'll be fine. Hope you both have a great time.

Have a wonderful time. We had many lovely caravan holidays in St Ives when I was a kid.

Unless you drive a gas guzzler I think you shpuld be fins with that amount. Top the car up as soon as you arrive so that spend is out of the way and you know what money you are left with, prep a few easy meals before you go if you want to keep eating out costs down, something you can just reheat. Pack a cool bag and take easy picnic food for days out. Make a flask of coffee for yourself each morning if you want to limit the number expensive coffee shop stops on your walks. Take a bottle or box of wine if you fancy a glass with dinner etc.

Make some lovely memories ✨️

It's good that you already have a full tank of petrol.

Of course the size of car you have and age of it all contributes to how many miles per gallon you get.

I think petrol then is your biggest expense.

You already know what you spend on a weekly shop, we don't know if it is usually the 2 of you ? or if anyone in your family isn't able to go. So knowing your usual shop for 7 days will help you guess a shop whilst away ?

Everyone has already advised you to bring as much from home as you can, and to meal plan your evening meals that you are eating in.

You will need to allow for parking when out and about, tho is parking free at Paradise Park and Eden Project - so that should be 2 full days taken up.
and yes it will be expensive to eat/drink in either.

I guess where you live petrol is cheaper at a supermarket ? it's usually the same in Cornwall so try and fill up in a supermarket, there are website that compare petrol prices tho they are not always 100% accurate and may not be updated on the day you check so can have changed: petrolprices.com and carwow.co.uk

Does your caravan park offer evening entertainment ? if so you might feel obliged to pay out for bingo or a drink but otherwise it's ' free '

is there a swimming pool ? I expect it to be free tho often you have to book your session. Ignore that ! I see you have already sorted swimming.

Is the crafts and chocolate making on site too ?

Have a lovely time, I am sure you will be fine. You will know more once you have arrived as by then you know how much petrol has cost you.

no

I am sure you will have a lovely time as you have already paid for Eden great but do take food with you as very expensive.If the weather is good I recommend The lost gardens of Heligan as there is lots on for children in the holidays and a wonderful play field.Again take food.You could spend hours there if the weather is fine.Have fun.

You’ll have a fantastic time, when mine were young we managed to go on some lovely holidays on a ridiculously low budget!
As already been said, raid your cupboards & take as much as possible with you- tea bags, biscuits etc…., perhaps make food to take with you? I remember when I was a child my mum would make flapjacks & all sorts when we went away, didn’t realise until I grew up that it was a way to save money! Just thought she loved cooking everything from scratch! Also take board games, art/ colouring to do etc…. The biggest expense I think will be the petrol.

OP, it sounds like you will have a brilliant time. Crabbing is so much fun for kids.

The cost of treats can be extortionate and many places are closed in the winter. Why not bring your usual hot chocolate, then buy some squirty cream and sprinkles. You can make a luxury hot chocolate in the van before going out for the day.

You can also make a cream tea in the van (eat it on the cliffs if you catch a break in the weather!). Bring some jam, pickup or make scones and buy some clotted cream. Crazy prices and some of the nicest places will be closed.

As mentioned above. Take some board games to play in the evenings/bad weather.

Yep, you'll be fine! Have fun!

This is a real feelgood thread. Reminds me of happy caravan holidays when we took our own kids.
Sometimes the simplest holidays are the best, especially with children and grandchildren, and it's the ones they always remember too. x

I think it’s doable if you already have activities sorted.

We’re going in May & have plans for making packed lunches, eating at the caravan etc. have a fabulous time.

Can I ask where you’ve booked the chocolate making?

I've already packed up a huge shopping bag of tea, biscuits, cereal, olive oil, herbs, pasta, sugar, cereal bars, crisps etc.. bringing all my cleaning stuff too like washing up liquid! I'm a caravan holiday pro as we regularly go on Haven holidays but this is the first time I've been Cornwall. I booked all the activities months ago as we're going out of season and nothing on park is open. I've booked a couple of Feb half term pantomimes too as we love pantos. I've done the best I can to give DD a lovely holiday and i know she'll love it. Crabbing is one of her favourite things to do! Xx

Do a Lidl shop before you go - don't do it when you get there as the only local stores are co-op (with inflated prices) and Norway Stores which is very expensive.

It wouldn't be enough for me personally but will you have access to more money?

It doesn’t sound like a lot to me. How much is a tankful of fuel?
Edited as I’ve just realised it’s only two of you. Just put the fuel in first so you know you can get home.