Can't take/won't take a Holiday

[Salu]

There was a feature on our local radio station talking about a poll that had been carried out (canââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t be more specific unfortunately). This poll said that 30% would not be taking a holiday this year. Some 40% of that 30% said this was because they couldnââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t afford it. Others said they simply had not got time.

Are holidays becoming more expensive and out of reach or are we overstretching ourselves financially so that we canââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t afford one? Are we so caught up in the game of corporate life that we have lost the ability to see life outside of work? Have these people lost touch with reality? Do they not value relaxing or taking a break? Maybe their bosses have them so embroiled in their business that they feel that they are not expendable and have to keep working?

Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢ve had mine and will continue to do so. Letââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s start to value life.

Tents are on offer at Argos at the momentââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦.

[ian@huth]

It could be a case of other activities and other expenditure being considered a priority.

[skyblueheroes]

I love holidays and will defo not do without - even stopping in the UK.

I've been to Scotland so far this year, and am going to Norfolk in August and Wales in September. The only reason we are doing the UK this year is for cash and logistical reasons (friends getting married in Norfolk during a big week holiday).

We have been talking about doing Dubai towards the end of the year which will be nice.

I do think general package holidays have increased in price a little which may put people off. I doubt if I will do a stereotypical package holiday again. We had such a good time stopping in a villa in Fuerteventura, Portugal and Majorca that I would do a 'separates' holiday again.

[Salu]

It could be a case of other activities and other expenditure being considered a priority.

I appreciate that not everyone will be able to afford a holiday etc but I am surprised at the % amount of people. I don't know how many were in the survey though....My main point is to do with whether this is becoming insidious in society rather than highlighting individual cases

[Tezcatlipoca]

There was a feature on our local radio station talking about a poll that had been carried out (canââ‚ ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t be more specific unfortunately). This poll said that 30% would not be taking a holiday this year. Some 40% of that 30% said this was because they couldnââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t afford it. Others said they simply had not got time.

Are holidays becoming more expensive and out of reach or are we overstretching ourselves financially so that we canââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t afford one? Are we so caught up in the game of corporate life that we have lost the ability to see life outside of work? Have these people lost touch with reality? Do they not value relaxing or taking a break? Maybe their bosses have them so embroiled in their business that they feel that they are not expendable and have to keep working?

Iâ₠¬ÃƒÆ’¢â€žÂ¢ve had mine and will continue to do so. Letââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s start to value life.

Tents are on offer at Argos at the momentââ‚Ã⠀šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¦.



I've not actually gone anywhere on holiday since a trip to Prague last September. I do value life, & I do value time off. It's generally a case of not enough money, not enough time, & no one to go with anymore.


I've taken this week off work...not going anywhere, but good to have a break nonetheless. 'Till this week, I'd only actually used 2 days of this year's holiday allocation...So, after this week, I still have another 18 days to use up by the end of the year.

[MovedGoalPosts]

The real question here is what people define as a holiday. Time off work is a holiday.

For the self employed I can see that as being a potential issue. For the employed then there will be time off work taken, but whether anything productive is done with it .... As for the unemployed some will argue they are on an enforced break anyway.

Now if it is a case that many don't think of themselves as going on holiday until they stay away from their home somewhere, and especially if people only think a holiday means jumping on a plane somewhere then yes I can see that they might feel hard done by.

[Tezcatlipoca]

The real question here is what people define as a holiday. Time off work is a holiday.

For the employed then there will be time off work taken, but whether anything productive is done with it ....


I've quite enjoyed not getting up until lunchtime this week :D

[ian@huth]

That survey suggests that 12% of people say that can't afford to take a holiday which doesn't surprise me at all. I doubt if the figure is much different to other years. My wife keeps saying that she can't afford this that and the other but I know damn well that she can. What she really means is that she cannot justify to herself spending that amount of money on whatever it is.

[Graham]

The real question here is what people define as a holiday. Time off work is a holiday.

This is a good point.

Last year I took my first "holiday" type holiday for about 20 years when I went surfing in Devon. I'm going to do the same thing again this year.

But for me, I don't have a stressful job or a heavy workload, if I don't feel like working for a day or two or even more, I can just chill out, play games, watch video, whatever, so that could easily be called a "holiday".
__________________

I've quite enjoyed not getting up until lunchtime this week :D

Am I likely to get banned if I point out that I do that *every* week?! :eek: :notme:

[punky]

Having holidays are quite difficult for me. I tend to really want to treat myself, which means nice hotels, and I only really like beachy holidays with watersports, and that means lots of saving up. I tend to think scrimping back makes it not worth it.

[Maggy]

Well I don't bother with going abroad or staying in hotels.Costs always soar during school holidays :mad: ...

[Jules]

I am going away in September for a few days but unfortunately for you lot I am coming back ;)

Life is too short and I for one intend to enjoy it :D

[Paul]

I make sure we have at least two holidays a year, we deserve them. :)
__________________

Am I likely to get banned if I point out that I do that *every* week?! :eek: :notme:Nope - I don't get up until 4pm when working, and mid-day most of the rest of the time (unless I need to get up earlier). But then I do work nights .... :)

[Roy MM]

What's a holiday????.......................... seriously not had one for years. :(

[skyblueheroes]

Having holidays are quite difficult for me. I tend to really want to treat myself, which means nice hotels, and I only really like beachy holidays with watersports, and that means lots of saving up. I tend to think scrimping back makes it not worth it.

Agree with that - especially as I got older.

When I was 19-24 ish I used to do the Thomson packages to Greek or Spanish Hotels - £300 each etc. Now, we book flights, stay in our own villa, and rent a car to see the place.

But, if I stop in hotels, they have to be good (especially on my 'main' holiday).

As someone said though, we all work hard (some maybe ;) ) so deserve it. Whether its a week in the UK, or 4 weeks in Australia - both holidays and off work.

[Angua]

Apart from 2 days at Alton Towers last year we haven't been away for over 7 years.

The first four years was because I was a full time carer for my Mum. Since then we have sold and moved house and simply cannot afford it. Hubby does take time off work and relaxes though.

As an at home person I would say I have not had a proper (totally relaxing and stress free) holiday since before having children, even the one 7 years ago was self catering so I was still cooking etc!

[orangebird]

I have approx four holidays a year. With friends and family living abroad, and six weeks holiday a year, there's always plenty of time and an inexpensive way to get away :tu:

[ian@huth]

Some of the cheaper holidays have vanished from the scene this year. Being able to get away whenever we want and at very short notice has meant we have been able to take advantage of some very cheap holiday deals. The cheapest was 7 days self catering in Fuerteventura in a small villa for £42 for the two of us. This included flights, in flight meals,taxes, transfers and accomodation. There were no booking fees or credit card charges. That was booked through Freeserve auctions when the big tour operators were first trying out internet auctions as a way of selling left over flights and accomodation.

We had many very cheap holidays through internet auctions but found that they were getting dearer and dearer as time went by. The biggest operator using this means of selling holidays, Airtours, closed down their auction site some months ago. Just before they closed the site down they were adding everything under the sun as extras to the winning auction price. Transfers, security tax, fuel surcharge, in flight meals, booking fees, ticket on departure fees and credit card charges all became extras.