Hello all........ We have a large family, there's me and the wife and our four children, our older two are 15 and 17, and luckily our 17 year old son still seems to enjoy coming with us, we suppose this wont last much longer, but we'll enjoy the family time while we can. Anyway we have two camping holidays booked, and looking at these sites and many others on my virtual brochure I really can't believe how prices have risen over the last few years, I know with 6 of us we expect to pay more, as most places are the unit and 2, then extra people are an extra, but some places inc hook up are approaching £400 a week during school holiday times, now I am certainly not a tight person, far from it, but one of the sites we go to has cost £380 this year and two years ago it was £ 290. Saying we try to have three weeks camping a year, what with the spending money and diesel costs, camping for a family certainly ain't a cheap holiday any more. Anyway, happy camping, gaz
Post last edited on 16/03/2013 21:38:19
Post last edited on 16/03/2013 21:39:53
------------- "sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
Well certainly enjoy the family time while it lasts. you are fortunate that they still enjoy the lifestyle but camping and or caravan isn't cheap - it has become a lifestyle choice. Compared to a "package" style beach holiday in Greece/Spain though it must still stack up cheaper to go camping in uk. You just can't guarantee sunshine.
Have you considered the Camping and Caravanning Club's Temporary Holiday Sites, usually priced per unit
night, but with a charge for extra (ie more than two) adults?
...and "The £40 (current, DD) membership fee covers you, your partner and up to four children under 18, all living at the same address."
Yes it's certainly cheaper than abroad, we have done all that, the last time Ibiza four years ago, all inclusive, those sort of hols really are unaffordable( for us anyway) anyway we love camping we wouldn't go abroad anyway, just too much bother, airports etc. it's not that we can't afford the prices they are now charghing at the sites , I'm just a bit shocked at how things have risen. Still all in all it's probably the cheapest family holiday, and if the weather is right, there's nothing like it. Gaz
------------- "sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
Have you tried camping abroad? You could have an all singing all dancing site in the sun, if you could go for the last 2 weeks of the summer holidays lots of sites would be considerably cheaper using camping cheques or ACSI card.
Holidaying during school holidays will always be more expensive than other times, and I still believe camping is a better option than other forms of holidays.
A colleague spent over 1k GBP for a week self-catering in a cottage for a family of 4 during August last year.
DK
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Dk168, your right, it is the best value holiday and if the weathers right the best sort of holiday, I was just a little shocked when we looked back at the places we had been to and looked at their prices a few years later, the increases are shocking, but I suppose the same can be said for caravan, and hols abroad. They seem to have family's with children over a barrell with how they increase prices during school hols, saying that my workmate has just paid £1000 for a week in August at haven for a top notch van there. Not our sort of thing, but anyway what a price to pay!!! Happy camping. Gaz
------------- "sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
You could try cutting down the cost by going for a more basic site as they often charge per unit and not for extra people. Another thing you could do is find a friend who you don't get to see that often because they're ordinarily too far away. Go and camp in their back garden for a week, become a tourist in their area, take them out for a meal by way of thanks. I did this a couple of years ago with a relative in London, it was great to see her but I was still independent of her household so I wasn't too much under her feet. We had a barbecue every night so the social side was great, and we did a lot of sight seeing on our own during the day while she was at work.
Gaz, Ive just had a look at Park Resorts and Away Resorts and they are both coming in at prices from £170 to £240 -ish for a family of 6. I know they're busy, all singing and dancing, but plenty for the younger end to do. Gym and pool on site, so not too bad a price.
(I've no links with them, I just use them for convenience and I AM tight)
------------- Some days you are the dog,
some days you are the tree.
i have the same problem a family of 6 with another one on the way making us 7 next year , the way i solve it is to give the kids a week of school every now and then for a camping hol,
Bridgelayer, that's very good , joe,rich, my wife's a school caretaker, so that's out the question for us, as I said, I am ok paying the extra, I just can' t believe how things have risen at certain places, most of the places I'm looking at come in at an average of £40 per night, school hol time, for 6 with hook up, some sites are approaching £50 well, that's the price you pay for having a large brood....... Even so, we can't wait for the first camp of the year, all the best, gaz
------------- "sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
Quote: Originally posted by Bridgelayer on 18/3/2013Gaz, Ive just had a look at Park Resorts and Away Resorts and they are both coming in at prices from £170 to £240 -ish for a family of 6. I know they're busy, all singing and dancing, but plenty for the younger end to do. Gym and pool on site, so not too bad a price.
(I've no links with them, I just use them for convenience and I AM tight)
No wonder it costs so much! A gym on a campsite, is that really necessary when camping? Do they also have room service, put up and take down your tent for you, I would hope so for that price!!!!
Delabane, we don't choose sites with pools, clubhouses etc, normally we go for costal, close to beach, family, kind of places, and we pay a lot more than £170 per week for our family, plus the places we use are always sold out, the sites that bridgelayer was recommending are not for us but certainly what some people are looking for and at the prices he says, there a bargain. If you think £170- £240 is expensive for a weeks holiday for a serviced pitch, term time for a family of six, then I am amazed, I personally think that's not bad at all, anyway, happy camping, gaz
------------- "sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy"
I wouldn't say I recommend the sites, Gaz, coz I don't want a tribe of kids running round all day!
The gym is an extra payment, but optional, delabane, but just think of all those happy Endorphins you can have while you're sitting on the rower. If you weigh as much as me, a gym's ideal.
As I said, we use the sites for convenience and comfort now we're in our dotage. Ideal bases for exploring the area we like to visit and spend minimal time on the site.
A week on a fully serviced pitch for £45 out of school holiday time isn't bad, in fact it's bloody cheap.
------------- Some days you are the dog,
some days you are the tree.
We stay on farms, normally about £14 a night showers, washing up facilities, some have a play ground others don't. However we don't spend too much time on site and use it as a "base" to explorer the area. I like having electric hook up so i can have good reading light, or watch a DVD on laptop but also like it to be simple no wifi, pool etc.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Getting quite expensive
well, that's the price you pay for having a large brood....... Even so, we can't wait for the first camp of the year, all the best, gaz
