How much do you budget/spend per year on holidays?

taliwillow

Hello,

In the past we have always had just one holiday per year at a cost of around £500-£600 for our family of 4. We are now in a stronger position financially and due to the fact that I now work from home I find that if we don't go away then I just keep on working as I still receive e-mails and phone calls and I just end up doing the work as I know that if I don't it will just mean there is twice as much for me to do the following week - so we want to have some holidays. I am trying to work out how much to put away per month to pay for our holidays next year and I wondered what other people tend to spend/budget. My estimation is that we need £4k to pay for 1 week away in May half term, 2 weeks away in the summer (1 week in the UK and 1 week in France) and 1 week away at Christmas but £4k seems an awful lot to budget for holidays. Is this the sort of amount you all spend on a family of 4 or is it way out (either too much or too little)?

Taliwillow

seven-day-weekend

Budget £4k and if you don't use it all carry it over till next year, or put it into savings.

dirty_magic

If you can afford it and you can have time off work then why not spend 4k on holidays? If I had enough holiday I'd definitely go away more. Holidays and seeing the world are my favourite thing to spend money on tbh.

duchy

The amount doesn't really matter as everyone's incomings and outgoings are different.

Some people wouldn't dream of spending that much on a holiday ....but consider a new car every three years a reasonable expense others would think that was ridiculous.

If it is affordable (what would you be doing with the money instead ?) and the benefits of going away is worth it to you as a family -then it is worth it- to you !

Some people will no doubt think you shouldn't - or suggest you rent a caravan on the Isle of Sheppy instead....... or just learn to say no and turn off the phone and email .......and for some that might be the correct solution . You know what is right for you -and what other people think doesn't matter.

maman

duchy wrote: »

The amount doesn't really matter as everyone's incomings and outgoings are different.

Some people wouldn't dream of spending that much on a holiday ....but consider a new car every three years a reasonable expense others would think that was ridiculous.

If it is affordable (what would you be doing with the money instead ?) and the benefits of going away is worth it to you as a family -then it is worth it- to you !

Some people will no doubt think you shouldn't - or suggest you rent a caravan on the Isle of Sheppy instead....... or just learn to say no and turn off the phone and email .......and for some that might be the correct solution . You know what is right for you -and what other people think doesn't matter.

I'm amazed that you've managed a holiday on the £500. Well done!:T


We don't budget for holidays. We just save all spare money and then it's there when we need it for whatever. In the past when money was tighter we would book something (or cost it at least) and put the money aside each month. So if you've costed the holidays you want at £4 000 then that's fine and as seven-day-weekend said if you don't need it all then it'll stay in savings.


On your costings, I would question going to France for a week in the summer and then having a separate week in the UK. In my experience, ferries are very expensive at that time of the year and cost just as much for a two weeks as a one week holiday.

SandC

I spend about that just on holidays for me. But hols are my priority. If it's what you want and can afford it then spend as much as you fancy on travel, it's your money!

I am almost stingy in other areas of life, i.e. don't have a smart phone or mobile contract, don't have the house decorated or anything like that on even a vaguely regular basis, Christmas is very low key etc.

GwylimT

Around £1000 my wife is unable to fly and we need hotels etc to be wheelchair friendly. As the children are young and wheelchair access is fantastic we normally go to centre parcs.

comeandgo

I would be very surprised if £4,000 was enough for you to get away with a family of 4, especially if you are thinking of going abroad.

jtr2803

It absolutely does depend on your income and outgoings, another family of four might prioritise a holiday over a second car so spend a lot more and another family might spend very little, preferring to have a bigger house, its a bit of a piece of string question really..

In the few years prior to this we've probably spent £8k per year on going away but there was only the two of us and our rent was cheap so we had plenty of disposable income. We've now bought a house so the purse strings are righted!

FreddieFrugal

Well as a couple we have done £1500 week at Easter, £2000 two weeks in summer. Then three lots of 3 days across the year (half terms) at about £200-300 (premier inn type stays)

But this last year we've spent about half of that by staying in self catering in UK rather than going abroad.

Our budget (based on only doing UK holidays in future) is about £2500

LilElvis

It depends on where you want to go, when you want to go and what sort of accommodation you want.

Family of 3 - £2300 for villa rental and flights to Menorca for 1 week in August (ex car, food, spending). 20 days in South Africa (mainly staying with friends) about £5-6k all costs.