How do you pay for hols, save or on the never, never?

ncmc

Just wanted to get an idea how fellow boardsies pay for their hols, do you save up the total amount or do you stick it on the credit card and worry about it later?

I used to think nothing about sticking a whole holiday on the CC (upwards of €3000 split between my husband and my credit card.) However, the last year or so, I haven't felt comfortable doing that, so I joined a savings scheme in work and use that to save for my holidays. I normally book flights and accomodation seperately, so book the flights when I have enough saved and then book the accomodation when I've saved up a bit more.

For my spending money, my hubby and I have a special bank account that we put €20 each a week into, that turns into quite a nice nest egg for spends. We also put our loose change in a piggy bank that goes towards spends too. It all seems a bit anal when I think about it, with bank accounts and savings all over the place! But the sense of satisfaction I get going on hols knowing it's all paid for is fantastic. There's nothing worse than coming home with a fading tan and the knowledge that you have thousands to pay off the card.

So fellow boardsies, are you savers or splurgers?

EL_Loco

saver.

next question.

KERSPLAT!

I just booked flights last week from this months wages for me and my GF, will pay accomadation from next months and put about €500 each by for May and June and have €2k approx between us for July (wont spend €2k but have a weekend away when we come back so should have a couple hundred left for that :P) with flights and accom paid and no holiday debt to pay when we get back

edit: so not really sure what you'd call me

BengaLover

I save by selling stuff on adverts and ebay (see below for some bargains lol) and keep the money in the paypal account.
Then i transfer to pay for a holiday or more recently a polytunnel.

Gingersnaps

I sometimes borrow from the credit union and pay it back over the year. When I take out the loan, I think of it as savings in advance.

bills

I usually save for holidays but heading to Australia this year so we are borrowing to pay for this however we hope to make a lump sum & pay back asap.

faw1tytowers

save.. once i borrowed and regretted that not the same. havent had a hol in about... god i dunno how many years and have france booked and hopefully will get a loan on my savings.. credit union

ncmc

I've done the bank/credit union loan in the past, would be harder to get a loan for a holiday these days. What got me off using the credit card was when someone pointed out that I was literally spending hours and hours online to save a few quid on flights or accommodation and then was sticking it on the credit card and paying 14% + interest! Wouldn't like to think how much extra holidays have cost me with interest charges.

P. Breathnach

Never borrowed for a holiday.

Years ago, when we didn't have much spare money, we didn't take holidays or we settled for something quite limited, like a couple of days away in Ireland. Later on, when things improved, we took holidays that we could afford from our savings.

mikedragon32

As we're flexible on when we go away, always look for very cheap flights and pay for those out of spare cash from pay (although thanks to the USC, that may change), then take savings out of CU for spends.

Like to travel cheap so we can splash out while away.

Pythia

Generally book the holiday with a travel agent, put down the deposit and then save for the rest. We book so far in advance, we have lots of time to save. If I book flights and hotel separately, pay for flights from savings and then save to pay for the hotel once we get there.

old hippy

Save. Or at the moment wait until the airlines refund us for the xmas nonsense that nearly saw us miss our own wedding :mad:

Hoping for a much overdue honeymoon in June, fingers xed

Ruu_Old

I put it on the credit card, but I would already have the money saved up for it. I get miles and or cash back on my credit card, so it builds up fast with large purchases.

dory

Ruu wrote: »

I put it on the credit card, but I would already have the money saved up for it. I get miles and or cash back on my credit card, so it builds up fast with large purchases.

Hmm..I must look into this.

I'm terrified of credit. I don't have a regular job so I've never had the confidence to get into debt. So I'm definitely a saver.

beamgirl

I save, wouldnt enter my head to go on a holiday I cant afford. Would defeat the whole purpose of getting away if I knew I was coming back to debt for it!