"The Great Single Parent Con"

wordsfan

Surprised Martin MSE hasn't got something on this - am I looking in wrong places?

Anyway, I was hoping to take DD on hols next year as she's never really been on a "proper" holiday.

However! It seems this is impossible unless you are a RICH single parent (not many of them about). I fall for the "free/discounted child place" every time, only to find when it comes to the actual booking I actually end up I'd have to pay loads on single supplements (in some cases more than if I was paying for a whole other adult!!)- even though there's 2 of us in the room and even though its self- catering !!!(with a 6 yr old and me being veggie, trust me its easier).:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

It just makes me so mad!! Its bad enough the prices get hiked up over the hols (I smell a campaign Martin MSE - instead of the govt punishing parents for taking their kids out of school just to get an affordable family hol once a year - why not make it illegal to hike up the prices?)

Anyway - any suggestions as to how I can find a reasonably priced hol for me and DD for next year? flying from Glasgow or Edinburgh. Just somewhere hot sunny and pleasant please? I'm not asking much am I?

Rikki

I've alway had to pay adult price for no1 son since he was 8 years old and then child price for no2 son. :mad:

You have to pay for two adults before you get a childs price. Unfair I know but the holiday companies say its because they could have sold the room to a couple paying full price.

dmg24

The same problem that us singletons have! To get a clearer picture of what you will be paying, look for bookings that charge per room, rather than per person. It is not necessarily going to make it any cheaper, but you know what exactly you are paying for.

(I smell a campaign Martin MSE - instead of the govt punishing parents for taking their kids out of school just to get an affordable family hol once a year - why not make it illegal to hike up the prices?)

Holiday prices, as with all other consumer goods, are based around supply and demand. A constant supply of holidays with an increase in demand = an increase in price. Holiday companies are not charities, they are businesses.

budgetflyer

Children take up a seat on a plane, a bed in a hotel or apartment so theres no way they can really be "FREE or almost".
Its really just a case of tour opps juggling the actual price round to make it look good.Ultimately someone is paying.
So as soon as you start thinking as each passenger as "A PERSON" and not "Adult" or "child" the sooner you can look at it from a real perspective, ignore all these enticing offers and get down to the nitty gritty of getting the "BEST PRICE"

For short haul destinations I find that normally means "Self Packaging"
You have lots of low cost and charter airlines flying from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestwick (and Newcastle)

To save money we have even got the train to Manchester and Birmingham (on family railcard) where you can get very very low fares in July as English holidays have not started ie Alicante for £50 rtn one year

It really is just a case of thinking outside the box and not succumbing to tour opp marketing

Sarahjovi

When I was searching for a package holiday, it was cheaper to book for 4 adults sharing a room than 2 adults and 2 children!

Although they offer child discounts, the supplements are then wacked up higher than the cost of the adults price.

Sarah:D

wordsfan

dmg24 wrote: »

The same problem that us singletons have! To get a clearer picture of what you will be paying, look for bookings that charge per room, rather than per person. It is not necessarily going to make it any cheaper, but you know what exactly you are paying for.



Holiday prices, as with all other consumer goods, are based around supply and demand. A constant supply of holidays with an increase in demand = an increase in price. Holiday companies are not charities, they are businesses.

bit harsh - but true, though I do think they stretch the point. I don't object to paying equivalent to for 2 adults but all ones I've looked at its ended up being MORE!!:mad:

Sam_Bee

Ignore the big travel companies as they are not sensitive to your needs.

I always recommend when this question comes up that people contact Gingerbread, who are used to advising single parent families on such things.

However, a quick google search produces links to this company http://www.smallfamilies.co.uk/ who specialise in this type of holiday. Why not get in touch with them (i don't know them, so not a recommendation but would be interested in feedback).

hammy_the_hammer

wordsfan wrote: »

bit harsh - but true, though I do think they stretch the point. I don't object to paying equivalent to for 2 adults but all ones I've looked at its ended up being MORE!!:mad:

in that instance could you not just book it as if you were two adults ...i can't see what their argument could be

cazziebo

Been there - but not any more! :j do their own thing now.

But it was really depressing. I actually found a holiday - fly drive plus hotel - to Florida for the three of us to be the cheapest deal because one of the girls was an infant, one was a child and in America you are only charged by the room. I was also lucky in that I had family abroad to stay with at other times.

Package holidays were no -goers really - always worked out way more expensive than the advertised price. I did once try a selfcatering in France but as a single parent that's not really a holiday! And it was hard keeping two wee ones occupied in a remote gite - and of course - couldn't enjoy any wine at all just in case I had to drive anywhere!

Some of our best holidays were at Haven camps - who at that time did a great deal that you booked a week in the summer (Scottish school holidays, but before English started) and got the October week free.

Good luck