For a majority of families, the holiday budget is calculated in advance. For three weeks with a toddler, Fanny and Jules have planned 3000 euros all inclusive.
In our Family Budget format, we sift through a family’s spending in a specific area. For this first edition, zoom on the expenses related to the holidays of several French families.
Going on vacation without looking at your budget or anticipating expenses is not given to everyone, far from it. Inflation continues to break records: rising prices for food, fuel, rents, leisure. And at the same time, there is not enough pay rise to absorb all these additional expenses. However, it has probably never been more necessary than now to afford a vacation. A well-deserved rest synonymous with escape, discovery, pleasure, and reunions with friends or family after a generally gloomy 2022.
Also, we wanted to know how different families plan to budget for their summer vacations.
According to a study by the Cetelem Observatory, the average French budget for summer holidays was 1505 euros per person all inclusive in 2021. Several families agreed to answer us. They have different incomes, different plans for their holidays, and therefore variable allocated budgets.
For 3 weeks of vacation, Fanny and Jules, thirtysomethings from the South West with a toddler, did the math. They plan a total amount from 2800 to 3000 euros approximately. They forecast these expenses thanks in particular to their savings. They are indeed part of wealthy households in Francesince they earn barely a little less, after taxes, than what the Observatory of Inequalities has described as the threshold of wealth.
Who are they ?
- Fanny (34 years old) School teacher, Jules (34 years old) Lead Backend Developer, Alban (3 years old)
- Owners of a house in the Tarn
- Fanny earns €1770 net per month / Jules earns €3840 net per month
- 3 weeks of vacation for a provisional budget of 2800 to 3000 euros
What is your vacation destination for this summer?
This year, we have opted for three different destinations, for three different styles of stays. A week with a couple of friends and their son who is the same age as ours, in New Aquitaine in a cottage with a swimming pool, just one week every three on the island of Oléron in a bungalow, and a week with the family in the Lot.
What type of accommodation did you choose?
As our resources allow us this year, we have decided to do two week rentals. In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the price of renting the gite with swimming pool will cost us 850 euros (1700 euros in total, divided with our friends). The following week in Oléron, we rented a bungalow for 900 euros. The last week, accommodation will not cost us anything as we have the chance to go to a family vacation home. In total, our vacation rentals will therefore cost us 1750 euros.
What means of transport did you choose for this vacation, and why?
For these three weeks of vacation, we are going to take a short trip by car in France. Means of transport which, at three, comes back to us cheaper than the train or plane and which will allow us to be more free in our movements. Knowing that once on each vacation spot, we will use it very little. On the island of Oléron, for example, we will travel exclusively by bicycle, which we take with us in the back of the car. The total amount between petrol and tolls for our various journeys during our holidays is estimated at around 350 euros.
Do you have a budget set aside for vacation activities?
We don’t do it, because the activities we do are generally “cheap” since our son is still small, or free if it involves visiting a museum, take a walk in a beautiful village or a day on the beach. This year, for example, one of the only paid activities we will do will probably be to visit Futuroscope, and it will cost us around 100 euros for the day for three. But we do not exclude an outing to the zoo, or to a pretty castle, for example.
And the food? What meal budget is planned?
Usually when we go on vacation, we do a lot of shopping for the 3 of us for the week and it costs us 100 to 120 euros, with everything, snacks and aperitifs included. We therefore plan to spend around 360 euros on food shopping during our holidays. We does the shopping on site, in a large supermarket where the prices are lower in general, and after having made the menus of the week, like that we are sure not to buy too much for nothing.
Will you exceed this budget with extras?
Of course, it must remain a vacation and we cannot foresee everything. In general, we go once or twice a week to the restaurant. And for these outings, we spend around 70-80 euros per meal. You have to know how to have fun. You will also need to add the holiday extras, ice cream, aperitifs on the terrace, but also souvenir t-shirts or postcards. We don’t budget for that kind of thing, we just try to stay reasonable. We can imagine that these extras will cost us around 400 euros in total by aiming wide.
What are your tips for reducing the total bill for your vacation?
We don’t travel never at the hotel for a week’s vacation, but always in a place with a kitchen. This reduces the number of meals taken out and therefore expenses. Then, we try to eat sandwiches during the journeys for example, and not to stop at the restaurant on the highway. Same, we are lucky to have an uncle who makes a great pâté, we take it away to eat as an aperitif for us and our friends. A few bottles of wine too. Overall, we are also careful to pack our bags intelligently and bring everything we might need, to avoid additional purchases on site (sunscreen, biafine, mosquito repellent, bandages, parasol, beach games, etc.) All these little things which, casually, quickly drive up the bill.
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