How the hoo do you afford a family holiday abroad?

consumers_revenge

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

I rather think that would be you.

It may not have occurred to you that many families will have children in different schools, different towns or even different counties. Staggering holiday periods to keep costs low opens up enormous problems for many families, which is why we tend not to do it.

Like I have kids in different schools you mean? lol


Its the concept I refer to not a specific school area.


You cant have your cake and eat it.




Look up /\ missed it again.

peachyprice

Spendless wrote: »

Not the same thing. Less people want to go in March as the first few weeks are usually bloody freezing and it can snow! My kids birthdays are at both ends of this month, so I know what the weather is usually like. A better question would be would you charge the same in June as in August, or even the same for the first 2 weeks of July compared to the last 2 weeks?

The thing is, if you choose a destination that isn't geared mainly towards the UK prices can be the same in June as August as the rest of Europe staggers school holidays from the beginning of June through to the end of August. It's only the people who are choosing to book through a UK tour operator that are getting stung big time with school holiday prices, people who choose not to use a TO can easily book affordable holidays throughout the summer.

UKTigerlily

As a kid we generally went for a week per year in a caravan somewhere (Mablethorpe/Skegness/Scarborough/North Devon/Whitby etc) & we LOVED every second.

I definitely don't feel I missed out; if anything I feel it'd be a waste as i'd barely remember it (I went on a school trip aged 13 to Normandy & Paris & remember it, but not loads about the places & feel I want to go again)

cyantist

We've spent huge amounts on holidays in the past and just can't afford that now. For our last holiday (last year) we used air miles (we get these by putting anything we can on our American Express cards and pay it off in full each month) and flew to st Petersburg during the Easter holidays for about £80 for the two of us. We did have to pay £140 for visas but we stayed 7 nights in a lovely 4* hotel for less than £20 a night. Things were so cheap there that despite spending our anniversary evening at the mariinsky theatre, eating out twice a day and visiting every sight we could we didn't spend much at all.

Some destinations don't get ridiculously expensive during holidays, you just have to be clever about where you choose to go.

Tabbytabitha

motorguy wrote: »

Likewise, neither did we. We did stuff like the lake district and the highlands of scotland by car. My dad is afraid of flying so it was always local stuff. I have many fond memories though - family holidays are what you make of them, not where you are.

consumers_revenge wrote: »

Like I have kids in different schools you mean? lol


Its the concept I refer to not a specific school area.


You cant have your cake and eat it.




Look up /\ missed it again.

But the concept will mean that some families can't take all their children away at the same time, which seems to be the point you're missing.

Tabbytabitha

cyantist wrote: »

We've spent huge amounts on holidays in the past and just can't afford that now. For our last holiday (last year) we used air miles (we get these by putting anything we can on our American Express cards and pay it off in full each month) and flew to st Petersburg during the Easter holidays for about £80 for the two of us. We did have to pay £140 for visas but we stayed 7 nights in a lovely 4* hotel for less than £20 a night. Things were so cheap there that despite spending our anniversary evening at the mariinsky theatre, eating out twice a day and visiting every sight we could we didn't spend much at all.

Some destinations don't get ridiculously expensive during holidays, you just have to be clever about where you choose to go.

Even in the UK, there can be large difference between taking the first week of the Easter holiday off (i.e. coming back on Easter Saturday) compared with starting the holiday on that date.

Spendless

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

Aren't you rather assuming that the imaginary holiday cottage is in the UK rather than somewhere hot?

Yes, I was since it was about the cost of the holiday cottage charge and no mention was given of having to take flight costs into account.

Spendless

Tabbytabitha wrote: »

I bet that really helped all those parents who had other children at different schools.

I should imagine it helped more people than it didn't. If I think of the example of myself, my sister and my sis in law. s-i-l had an only child, sis had twins, so neither would be affected. I have a 3 year gap between mine but them being in different schools didn't happen until my eldest was 11.5. Then I had 3 years of them being in different ones, before they were in the same school again for the next 2 years. Often siblings attend the same Primary school.

Gloomendoom

motorguy wrote: »

Surely for a family group the way forward is to book a villa or large apartment via ownersdirect.co.uk or airbnb? Then just booking the flights?

We tend to do it the other way around. No point in having Sunday to Sunday accommodation if the only available flights are Saturday and Wednesday.

Gloomendoom

maman wrote: »

I'm sure tabby Alternatively go for a 'cultural' holiday which could be more about sightseeing than swimming.

My parents were big on culture and sightseeing. Perfectly good holidays ruined by enforced visits to gardens or state monuments etc. Now, my worst nightmare is getting a National Trust season ticket for Christmas. My wife had the same problem, with the same result.