'Should you go on holiday while in debt?' poll discussion

littlemisslettings

A weekend camping in Cornwall cost me far more than a whole week camping pretty much anywhere in Europe! European campsites tend to have better facilities too.

I too am in debt (but thankfully not too much), and although its a bit of an exaggeration to call a holiday a necessity, its important to look after your well being as well as your finances and a bit of sea air can do wonders!

When i was a kid, my mum didnt have money for holidays but she would drive me to a beach almost every day of the summer holidays. Even though it was quite far i would bump in to school friends and had great time, and didnt feel i had missed out in anyway by not technically going on holiday. My mum would made a picnic for lunch and tea so saved plenty of money there too!

liz545

Incidentally, there have been a few comments along the lines of "with a household income of £35k they shouldn't be in debt" - this is all relative to where they're living/working! Assuming they're both working, a joint household income of £35k is not an awful lot for a family of 2 adults + kids. The London Living wage is around £13k, and they'd only be earning £8k/annum over that - only just over the threshold for making repayments on a student loan, for instance. I'm not denying that this may seem like a high income compared to some, but it doesn't mean they shouldn't have got into debt.

veggyboy

I think this whole concept is over rated. I never had a holiday growing up and have only had 3 in my adult life. A Holiday is a luxury and unless you have the actual cash in your hand to pay for it and not debts to service. YOu just shouldn't have one. You will not die, just because you did not have a holiday

SUESMITH_2

buy an old cheap caravan, join the caravan club and go to certificated locations like we normally do, we have to live at home so we might as well go and live there - shopped so much in tescos in hayle that on my mailings it tells me their opening hours lol

this year we are off eurocamping to italy, booked last september when they were offering discounts and they gave me another discount because we went with them years ago.ive saved frantically every month and its paid for and we have spending money too.

now for most people to go camping to italy would be nothing but to us it's a miracle and we're all so excited

td_007

It seems ridiculous that people think that they deserve or are entitled to a holiday when they are in debt. If at all they have been saving it should be pay off the debt not for a holiday. Availability of easy credit (thankfully it is becoming difficult now) has resulted in loss of the concept of "living with your means"

isofa

I never borrow, it's always been my motto, I save up and then enjoy the fruits of my labour. To splurge on a holiday when you are in debt shows a total lack of common sense, and is it any wonder why half the population are in debt up to their eyeballs. If people saved for things, rather than bought everything on credit, they'd appreciate it a lot more, and not be in such a financial mess.

I have little sympathy for people with such a disregard to money management and living beyond their means, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

"Never a borrower or lender be."

Edited to add: I just noticed the fictitious family in the poll bring in 35K, so how on earth have they mis-managed it so badly to be in 15K of debt?

ceridwen

Irishorangutan wrote: »

I think people are way over the top with their criticism of people who take holidays when they have "better things to spend money on". It's a personal choice, and I also think there are some cases where people "need" a holiday.

.

Whilst I do see the point about feeling one NEEDS to have a holiday - I cannot agree that its okay to have a holiday when one owes money to someone else. I've very rarely had holidays - precisely one of them was taken when I was in debt (ie I took out a loan from a commercial organisation to do so - as I hadnt had a holiday for quite some years and a LOT of stressful stuff had happened to me since the last one). But - basically - necessities have to come first (and that includes money owed to other people personally).

My life has had/still has got a lot of stress going on in it - to the extent that its virtually "everyday existence" - money problems/job problems/people close to me having severe health problems/me having various health problems/etc/etc. I could - quite truthfully - have stated every single year to date for QUITE some time that I NEED a holiday because of how stressful life has been - but I've just had to grit my teeth the vast majority of years and not have one because I couldnt afford it.
Thats how life is for many people....

moonsugar

I'd go for A. I am in no debt personally but I can't afford a holiday so I don't have one. Just like I can't afford a new tv so I'm making do with the old one - makes sense to me..

southernscouser

td_007 wrote: »

It seems ridiculous that people think that they deserve or are entitled to a holiday when they are in debt. If at all they have been saving it should be pay off the debt not for a holiday. Availability of easy credit (thankfully it is becoming difficult now) has resulted in loss of the concept of "living with your means"

It's ridiculous that people think being in debt should be a prison sentence.

People get into debt for all different reasons. It's not the end of the world. It doesn't affect you so why shouldn't people deserve enjoyment in their lives when they are sufficiently servicing their debt? They earn their money and they should be able to spend it as they wish providing they adhere to the agreements they have entered into.

Life shouldn't stop because you owe money. Does the same apply for people who have mortgages or is it different borrowing £300k, then repaying £500k for a house worth £200k? :rolleyes:

There is a sad stigma attached to people in debt that can have tragic consequences that people just don't understand and narrow minded views like this go no way into helping that.

southernscouser

ceridwen wrote: »

I cannot agree that its okay to have a holiday when one owes money to someone else. I've very rarely had holidays - precisely one of them was taken when I was in debt (ie I took out a loan from a commercial organisation to do so - as I hadnt had a holiday for quite some years and a LOT of stressful stuff had happened to me since the last one)

So it's alright for you to do it, but no-one else? :rotfl:

Well thankfully, my money has nothing to do with you so whether you agree or not is totally irrelative.