How do you justify holiday costs?
Discussion
To add to this, I'm self employed and have been for 23 years so I know exactly what it's like to take time out as it's a double whammy on the pocket, would I change it? Not a chance!
We go on some cheap/cheerful breaks, Airbnb has certainly made this easier, cheap flights etc, but we also have had some eye wateringly expensive once in a lifetime experiences that personally I wouldn't change. It's not for everyone, some people like to sit on their cash, some people buy cars, toys etc, I know a couple been married for years no kids (nearly 50) they have no mortgage, don't do holidays, live a frugal lifestyle have 100's of K's sat in the bank for what though?
One thing that I always remember is you can't take it with you and you're a long time dead.
You get one chance at this, do what you want without regrets.
We go on some cheap/cheerful breaks, Airbnb has certainly made this easier, cheap flights etc, but we also have had some eye wateringly expensive once in a lifetime experiences that personally I wouldn't change. It's not for everyone, some people like to sit on their cash, some people buy cars, toys etc, I know a couple been married for years no kids (nearly 50) they have no mortgage, don't do holidays, live a frugal lifestyle have 100's of K's sat in the bank for what though?
One thing that I always remember is you can't take it with you and you're a long time dead.
You get one chance at this, do what you want without regrets.
HustleRussell said:
Never had to justify it to myself or anyone else. Travelling is one of the things that I live for.
this ^^^ Love travelling, seeing and trying new things (I'll draw the line at tasting some of the dishes in various parts of the world, chicks boiled in their eggs a la Grand Tour in Thailand I'll happily leave thank you very much!). All too soon you'll be at the stage where you can't do these things and you will (may) regret it (friend of mine is early 50s and has had a life-altering illness - all his plans for the future and retirement gone 
)borcy said:
Not everyone has the drive to travel abroad, some people don't really get anything from it or desire to do it.
I think it was on here there was a couple, both in their 40s, that had spent one day between them abroad. They just had no interest in travelling.
In all honesty that couple sound bloody dull. If someone can’t find somewhere on this planet outside of the UK that they think would be nice to visit then I feel sorry for them. We live on a beautiful planet full of different cultures, cuisines, climates and scenery. How could anyone not get excited about at least one of those places?I think it was on here there was a couple, both in their 40s, that had spent one day between them abroad. They just had no interest in travelling.
The best holiday I ever had was walking the Pennine Way in 1974...cost? £200. Got muddy and a bit wet but look back fondly at it.
Forgotten most of the holidays to Tenerife, Kos, Corfu, Malta, New York, Crete etc.
Wouldn't bother me if I never left England again, too much faffing at the airports.
Forgotten most of the holidays to Tenerife, Kos, Corfu, Malta, New York, Crete etc.
Wouldn't bother me if I never left England again, too much faffing at the airports.
//j17 said:
Question is - do you live to work, or work to live?
Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
I'm a dog walker/pet sitter, enjoyable and not a stressful or onerous job. I look after other people's pets when they go on holiday so it could be said I get paid for holidays throughout the year. It doesn't pay well - about £7K a year, so the Galapagos trip is the equivalent of nearly 2 years pay. Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
There have been many programmes on the TV about the islands.
djc206 said:
borcy said:
Not everyone has the drive to travel abroad, some people don't really get anything from it or desire to do it.
I think it was on here there was a couple, both in their 40s, that had spent one day between them abroad. They just had no interest in travelling.
In all honesty that couple sound bloody dull. If someone can’t find somewhere on this planet outside of the UK that they think would be nice to visit then I feel sorry for them. We live on a beautiful planet full of different cultures, cuisines, climates and scenery. How could anyone not get excited about at least one of those places?I think it was on here there was a couple, both in their 40s, that had spent one day between them abroad. They just had no interest in travelling.
But on the other hand I do know what you mean, it's not something I could quite get my head around, having no interest what so ever in travelling anywhere at all.
//j17 said:
Question is - do you live to work, or work to live?
Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
Exactly.Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
I'm not going to be sitting in my retirement reminiscing about the diesel Corsa I had 25 years earlier.
Freakuk said:
To add to this, I'm self employed and have been for 23 years so I know exactly what it's like to take time out as it's a double whammy on the pocket, would I change it? Not a chance!
We go on some cheap/cheerful breaks, Airbnb has certainly made this easier, cheap flights etc, but we also have had some eye wateringly expensive once in a lifetime experiences that personally I wouldn't change. It's not for everyone, some people like to sit on their cash, some people buy cars, toys etc, I know a couple been married for years no kids (nearly 50) they have no mortgage, don't do holidays, live a frugal lifestyle have 100's of K's sat in the bank for what though?
One thing that I always remember is you can't take it with you and you're a long time dead.
You get one chance at this, do what you want without regrets.
I'm actually fairly certain people like that think they're going to live forever. Can't think of any other reason for hoarding cash.We go on some cheap/cheerful breaks, Airbnb has certainly made this easier, cheap flights etc, but we also have had some eye wateringly expensive once in a lifetime experiences that personally I wouldn't change. It's not for everyone, some people like to sit on their cash, some people buy cars, toys etc, I know a couple been married for years no kids (nearly 50) they have no mortgage, don't do holidays, live a frugal lifestyle have 100's of K's sat in the bank for what though?
One thing that I always remember is you can't take it with you and you're a long time dead.
You get one chance at this, do what you want without regrets.
We have a few people like that at work. Mortgages paid off and sitting on bundles, but never go anywhere.
rossub said:
//j17 said:
Question is - do you live to work, or work to live?
Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
Exactly.Personally I work to live, much preferring to be sat there in my dottage remembering the time I went on that 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands than the time I didn't go on a 2 week cruse to the Galapagos Islands because it cost as much as a brand new everyday type car.
I'm not going to be sitting in my retirement reminiscing about the diesel Corsa I had 25 years earlier.
Wacky Racer said:
Wouldn't bother me if I never left England again,
I am a bit like that these days but on the other hand I have travelled a bit in the past. All over England, Portugal, Spain, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia and Florida. There are a few places that I might like to see but I would get fed up with the traveling. When I was a kid I never came into contact with anyone who traveled abroad for a holiday. My Dad used to put a few shillings away each week so we could spend two weeks at my Nan`s in Weymouth. Now almost everyone you meet has been somewhere abroad.
Over the last 25 years my wife and I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel all over the world.Exotic locations,breathtaking views, wonderful wildlife,different cultures,the memories will last for ever. Now due to age and some health issues we have given up on long haul adventures.
Yes,all those years of traveling cost a small fortune,as said above,you cant take it with you.
Over the last 25 years my wife and I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel all over the world.Exotic locations,breathtaking views, wonderful wildlife,different cultures,the memories will last for ever. Now due to age and some health issues we have given up on long haul adventures.
Yes,all those years of traveling cost a small fortune,as said above,you cant take it with you.
jesusbuiltmycar said:
Since having kids my holiday costs have rocketted (extra seats on the plane, airlines hiking prices during school holidays etc.) and the locations have become less exotic. Even with the added costs my thoughts are that you only get 16 or so summers with your children - they grow up really fast so my wife and I want to spend as much quality time with them as possible while they are young.
We take 3 weeks off in the summer for a holiday (Cyprus) and 2 weeks off for a spring holiday to somehwere hot.
Speaking as both a parent and a child, I enjoy holidays with my parents now far more than I ever did as a teenager, and I hope the same will come to pass with my kids when they're adults! We take 3 weeks off in the summer for a holiday (Cyprus) and 2 weeks off for a spring holiday to somehwere hot.
Personally I absolutely loathed the first 3 or so summers with our kids as I just found all activities baby and toddler related unbelievable tedious. From there, I've had a few really good ones, especially with my boys enjoying some of the same activities that I do, although where following an adult mate down an MTB trail at speed is great fun, following your 12yr old at the same speed can be totally terrifying! Daughter retreated into her phone from the age of about 13, although I reckon so long as I can find a kart track or similar, I'll keep the boys engaged most of the way through...
We didn't properly holiday or go abroad to holiday until August 2014; we had kids young and we are still young enough to properly enjoy exploring other parts of the world, kids aren't cheap but once the youngest was old enough for us not to have to include her in our holiday plans we've had a great time, although even at almost 21 she still gets the hump when we don't include her in said plans, although oddly she isn't that keen to holiday in the UK with us but very keen when we go abroad!
Since 2014 we've done:
Plus every year we have done a dog holiday in the UK too.
All have been done without a travel agent or middle man; doing this saves a fortune and we've never had a problem doing so, it actually makes the holiday more exciting and fun.
Since 2014 we've done:
- Sardinia twice, once with the youngest
- Thailand twice
- Poland twice
- Hungary
- Amsterdam
- Romania
Plus every year we have done a dog holiday in the UK too.
All have been done without a travel agent or middle man; doing this saves a fortune and we've never had a problem doing so, it actually makes the holiday more exciting and fun.
HTP99 said:
We didn't properly holiday or go abroad to holiday until August 2014; we had kids young and we are still young enough to properly enjoy exploring other parts of the world, kids aren't cheap but once the youngest was old enough for us not to have to include her in our holiday plans we've had a great time, although even at almost 21 she still gets the hump when we don't include her in said plans, although oddly she isn't that keen to holiday in the UK with us but very keen when we go abroad!
Since 2014 we've done:
Plus every year we have done a dog holiday in the UK too.
All have been done without a travel agent or middle man; doing this saves a fortune and we've never had a problem doing so, it actually makes the holiday more exciting and fun.
Is there a particular reason for the affinity with Eastern Europe?Since 2014 we've done:
- Sardinia twice, once with the youngest
- Thailand twice
- Poland twice
- Hungary
- Amsterdam
- Romania
Plus every year we have done a dog holiday in the UK too.
All have been done without a travel agent or middle man; doing this saves a fortune and we've never had a problem doing so, it actually makes the holiday more exciting and fun.
For the last couple of years, we've gone to France in the summer for a week, and have booked the same place again. My wife is a teacher, but at a college and finishes a little earlier than the schools, so cheaper prices. This year, my oldest son is in his first year at primary school, so we've decided to take him out for the last week of the term, if we get fined, we do, but he's doing very well at school and we think the saving on the holiday would be more than the fine.
It's a bit odd, we normally like going somewhere new, as much as I like somewhere, there are so many other places to go, but the place we have found is ideal for the group that we go with. We have a pool, table tennis, football, a nearby lake, boules, RC cars, can take bikes if we want, BBQ, pizza oven, basically plenty to keep us entertained for a week and without costing anything extra. It's self catering and I'm happy to light up the BBQ every night, so no more expensive than eating at home (where I generally light the BBQ every night in the summer).
Each time we've been, we've visited Oceanopolis in Brest (£50 for the family) and last year went to Branfere (?) zoo (again about £50), both are well worth the money. I use about a tank of diesel for the whole trip, so about £80.
As we go with 2 other couples, it works out at about £700 per couple for the ferry and accommodation. Okay, we don't have to spend it, but it's a really nice holiday and far less expensive than other options.
It's a bit odd, we normally like going somewhere new, as much as I like somewhere, there are so many other places to go, but the place we have found is ideal for the group that we go with. We have a pool, table tennis, football, a nearby lake, boules, RC cars, can take bikes if we want, BBQ, pizza oven, basically plenty to keep us entertained for a week and without costing anything extra. It's self catering and I'm happy to light up the BBQ every night, so no more expensive than eating at home (where I generally light the BBQ every night in the summer).
Each time we've been, we've visited Oceanopolis in Brest (£50 for the family) and last year went to Branfere (?) zoo (again about £50), both are well worth the money. I use about a tank of diesel for the whole trip, so about £80.
As we go with 2 other couples, it works out at about £700 per couple for the ferry and accommodation. Okay, we don't have to spend it, but it's a really nice holiday and far less expensive than other options.
HTP99 said:
All have been done without a travel agent or middle man; doing this saves a fortune and we've never had a problem doing so, it actually makes the holiday more exciting and fun.
We've done this by using an agent based in the country in which we were travelling to,it saved an enormous amount compared to going through a UK tour company who does no more than use maybe that same agent to do all the work and then put a huge markup on top.
They also arranged all the logistics, which in some of the weird places we've been to, I wouldnt have felt confident trying to organise myself.
We've also found that sometimes the agent in a country can get better accommodation rates than you can get yourself.
We want to go to Japan later this year but I must admit that I'm having problems finding a local agent.
Edited by Elderly on Tuesday 21st January 21:27
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff