Cost of Florida Holidays

[stupet11]

Just did a very silly thing, bad Lockdown.

I added up how much we our 10 visits to Florida cost us over the last 10 years (10 visits).

£62k.

All those 'bargains' / cheap flights we convinced ourselves we got!

Cheapest trip for 5 of us, staying off site and still doing Sewaorld, DC and Universal cost us £4k.

The dearest, was the first time - package with Virgin on I-drive, £8k for 5. Ouch. But we had tickets for everything and did everything!

Best value was a 2 week stay at OKW with full DDP for 5, £6k (can't beat a glitch!).

What on earth would I have spent an average of £6.2k a year on - and for sure we'd have found something...unlikely we would have paid the mortgage off (we could of, and had £20k spare! ). Oops!

But I would definitely do it all over again...and feel ok the next holiday is costing the average amount...when it happens.

Such great memories money can't buy...or can it?!

[Annie17]

we have only been 4 times but as a family of 8 i dread to think how much our holidays have cost us!


Could we have paid off the mortgage, yes.
Do we regret it, No!
should we pay off the mortgage, probably yes!
Have we got 2 trips planned next year, hell yes

[blackbird]

Can't put a price on memories.

[Mel49]

We've been over a dozen times but over 27 years as a couple, with parents, with 1 kid, 2 kids ,3 kids and then back to on our own and luckily I don't have the paperwork to add up what we've spent ! The memories will stay with us and our kids forever and the mortgage would have been paid off if we hadn't built an extension last year !

However when speaking to the kids recently some of their favourite memories were from our timeshare near Aberfoyle with no theme parks in sight. Swimming, walking, parks, picnics, stunning views no mobile reception or internet and very few shops. Yes they enjoyed their trips to Florida but were also quite happy with the simple things in life. Guess our next trip will be a staycation in good old bonnie Scotland once we can book a hotel, cottage or apartment

[WhereIBelong]

We have been 6 times - but we have also paid off the mortgage - our trips were spread over 1999-2016... and we have not had big trips in between - but now is the time for a new kitchen and a downstairs loo... which have been on hold for some considerable time... (I moved in in 93 and the kitchen had already been there for nearly 20 years... it is still there - Magnet were built to last!)

[Cloverlady]

I wouldn't dare add it up!
However, I'm happy in the knowledge that we have never regretted any holiday anywhere, especially Florida, and it is what we have always wanted to and planned to spend disposable income on. We live for our holidays!

[Dazed]

Family of 7 here (all children are priced as adults).
There is no way I am adding it up!

To start with, we go during school holidays, fly Clubworld and stay onsite So I will just cry. We have also bought into DVC so that’s over £25k too.

All I will say is that the memories have been worth every penny, and every penny we have spent has been hard earned and saved before each trip (we haven’t been in debt due to our holidays).

[Potterer]

We have looked at it from the point of view of memories. Yes they can be free but sometimes they cost a lot too.

I have seen too many of my friends skint themselves to overpay their mortgage and not have any holidays abroad or have really cheap holidays for them to realise that when they do have the money to go the children are now adults or almost adults and would rather go on holiday with their friends/partners.

We have done something to the house each year inbetween Disney visits. This year will see the house finished, it has been gutted. Ds starts university next year so money will be going toward that.

I will say that the first 2014 trip to Disney was meant to be a once in a lifetime visit but tragically my friend died the year after very suddenly and we realised life is too short, we raided the savings and off we went again!

I believe this lockdown will make people look at what they spend without thinking on day to day items and how that money could be funnelled elsewhere.

[landandword17]

For me we have to have a balance in life. If people are putting holidays on credit cards and getting themselves into debt then it's time to step back and get into a better financial position. But, on the other hand there has to be more to this life than work, pay bills and go to bed repeated every year for a few decades. Different people have different things that bring them joy. For me, it is my holidays. Yes, I could buy this and buy that but I don't want 'stuff', we live in a 2 up 2 down but it's plenty for 2 of us. We don't need the extra space and it would cost too much to keep up anyway. I have a good, reliable car. A new, flash car would be sitting outside my office or in front of my house 22 hours a day so I don't see the point there either. We could have more paid off the house but then it goes back to my first point. We don't smoke, drink or party or have kids. Without our trips away we really would have a dull life so it's well worth the cost and then some.

It is probably an interesting exercise because I think some people will decide their money could be better spent elsewhere. Then again other people will think they got more back than they ever paid out. If there's a silver lining to the past few weeks it's that more of us are taking stock of our lives and what our 'normal' were and deciding if we want to create a new normal or carry on as we were. For my part, it just hit home that life is precious and anything can happen to pull the rug out from under us so I have a year's worth or mortgage saved and when the world opens back up I will be out there taking a big bite out of it and crossing more trips off the bucket list.

[landandword17]

Originally Posted by Potterer

I have seen too many of my friends skint themselves to overpay their mortgage and not have any holidays abroad or have really cheap holidays for them to realise that when they do have the money to go the children are now adults or almost adults and would rather go on holiday with their friends/partners.

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This happened my cousin. This summer was to be their first family holiday. Eldest is 21 and youngest 19! The kids had wanted Florida since they were tots and my cousin and his wife said no and bought 2 brand new cars every year, upgraded house several times. Now, the trip has been cancelled for this year and eldest has announced she's moving in with her bf and youngest is off to live in London in September. Family trip will most likely never happen now. My cousin's wife has been very upset about this and has actually started some online counselling because she took it so bad and wasn't eating or sleeping. It really makes you think. They have a 6 bedroom house now and only the two of them in it. I told her they did the best they could and they did what they thought was right at the time but it makes you think. It's hard to get our priorities right and serve all the voices in our heads that tell us we should be doing this and that.