Hey everyone!
We are a couple in our 40s who live fairly frugally and budget every month. As we really enjoy going on holiday, travel is something we plan and save for.
Comfort matters to us when we travel, so we don’t automatically choose the cheapest options. Instead, we set a realistic budget, pay in advance and save money where it makes sense.
One rule we never break is that we do not take on debt for holidays, including our spending money. I bring a credit card as an emergency backup, but the money for the trip is saved before we leave.
This year, we spent 11 nights in Turkey after being invited to a friend’s wedding. Neither of us had visited before, so we decided to build our holiday around it.
We researched the hotel through On the Beach and the hotel’s own website. After reading the available reviews, we were happy with what we saw and booked the trip.
Now that we are home, I’ve gone through the figures and worked out exactly what our debt-free holiday cost.
Booking the holiday and getting there
The main package cost £1,720 for two people.
It included:
- Return flights
- 11 nights in an all-inclusive hotel
- A room with a balcony and pool view
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Snacks
- Hot drinks, soft drinks and alcohol
- Bottled water in our room
- Nightly entertainment
- ATOL protection
Baggage, allocated seats, travel insurance and airport transfers were charged separately.
| Holiday and travel expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| All-inclusive hotel, flights and ATOL protection | £1,720.00 |
| Extra baggage | £84.98 |
| Seats together | £46.96 |
| Travel insurance | £54.70 |
| UK airport transfers | £110.00 |
| Turkey airport transfers | £100.00 |
| Holiday and travel total | £2,116.64 |
The additional travel costs came to £396.64.
Our transfers were a little pricey, but they cost less than combining UK airport parking with transfers in Turkey. We used a local taxi company in England and booked a private “luxury” transfer in Turkey.
The Turkish transport had a slightly Austin Powers interpretation of luxury, but it was comfortable and both drivers were very pleasant. No arguments from me there.
Our spending money
We spent £1,100 jointly over the 11 nights, averaging £100 a day between us.
That covered:
- Shopping
- Days out
- Local transport
- Meals and drinks away from the hotel
- Pharmacy and toiletries
- Airport food
- Nights out
- Sunbeds and parasols
- Other bits and pieces
Having an all-inclusive package helped us control our daily spending because our meals, snacks and drinks were already covered at the hotel. We could then use our spending money when we wanted to visit local restaurants and bars or do something different.
What we bought before travelling
Before shopping, I went through my summer clothes and reused as much as possible.
My Birkenstocks needed replacing, so I watched the price of my usual Gizeh sandals throughout the summer. They started at around £95, dropped to £75 and eventually came down to £64.
I had saved £50 of birthday money towards them, leaving £14 to pay from our usual funds.
A £25 Primark voucher from my birthday also went into the holiday pot. I used it for vest tops, underwear, a small cross-body bag, earrings, hair bobbins and a hoodie. The total came to £41, so I added £16.
My husband allowed £150 for his own holiday clothes and bits. We also spent £45 through TikTok Shop and £9.50 on sun cream and miscellaneous items.
| Pre-holiday purchase | Full cost | Birthday money or voucher | Cost from our own funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birkenstock Gizeh sandals | £64.00 | £50.00 | £14.00 |
| Primark clothes and basics | £41.00 | £25.00 | £16.00 |
| TikTok Shop purchases | £45.00 | £0.00 | £45.00 |
| Sun cream and miscellaneous items | £9.50 | £0.00 | £9.50 |
| My husband’s holiday shopping | £150.00 | £0.00 | £150.00 |
| Total | £309.50 | £75.00 | £234.50 |
Our pre-holiday purchases had a total value of £309.50. Birthday money and vouchers covered £75, leaving £234.50 to come from our usual funds.
The complete cost of our holiday
| Category | Total cost |
|---|---|
| Holiday and travel | £2,116.64 |
| Joint spending money | £1,100.00 |
| Pre-holiday purchases | £309.50 |
| Complete holiday cost | £3,526.14 |
After accounting for £75 in birthday money and vouchers, £3,451.14 came from our holiday savings and normal funds.
It was a substantial amount, but the money had been set aside in advance. We returned home without an outstanding holiday balance on a credit card.
Was the all-inclusive worth it?
From a budgeting point of view, the all-inclusive arrangement worked well.
The hotel itself was a different story.
Based on the photographs, descriptions and reviews we found before booking, we believed we had chosen a good-quality hotel at a fair price.
Our first room had not been cleaned properly. There was broken glass on the floor, several fittings were damaged or missing and there was no sign of the view we had booked. Its location within the hotel was also horrible.
After complaining, we were moved to a much better room the following day.
Unfortunately, the problems didn’t end there. The food was generally poor, some cooking areas did not appear clean and the pool felt greasy with sun cream by the middle of our stay. Parts of the service were disappointing too.
Most of the staff were pleasant, but they appeared exhausted and under considerable pressure at the end of a long season. The hotel gave the impression of being run on a shoestring.
Every couple or group we spoke to was unhappy with the food, service or condition of the facilities. They were all UK visitors who came across as perfectly reasonable, experienced travellers. Many regularly holidayed in Spain and the Canary Islands and knew what to expect from an all-inclusive hotel.
Nobody we spoke to believed they had received the standard they had paid for.
Hand on heart, I would not return to this hotel or recommend it. I’m not naming it publicly, but if you are considering a hotel in Ölüdeniz, Turkey, you are welcome to message me.
Was the holiday worth it?
We enjoyed our friend’s wedding, the sunshine and our time together. After a difficult period with my health, the rest was important and I came home feeling physically better.
However, we didn’t receive good value for the money we spent. The price would have been reasonable if the hotel had matched what was presented online.
Our journey home was also extremely frightening and easily the worst flight I have experienced. At one point, the turbulence was so severe that I genuinely thought we might not make it home.
That was outside the hotel’s control, of course, but it was an awful ending to an already disappointing holiday.
Next time, I will:
- Compare reviews across several independent websites
- Read recent low-rated reviews for recurring complaints
- Look closely at photographs uploaded by guests
- Research the hotel and surrounding area in independent travel groups
I will never again rely solely on reviews displayed by the company selling the holiday or on the hotel’s own website. I would also be very unlikely to use On the Beach again.
Anyway, first-world problems, but I have never been so happy to return home from a holiday in all my 46 years!
What’s coming next
Halloween content is on the way shortly. Once that is behind us, we’ll get properly stuck into planning and budgeting for Christmas.
Our financial position is different this year because I’m no longer in my previous job, so we need to cut our cloth accordingly. I’ll share how we are adjusting the budget and preparing for Christmas without creating additional financial pressure.
I hope you are keeping well. Please say hello in the comments and let me know how you are.
Ruth xx
Mrs Hawkins House
I have been in my element since we came home. I think the near death experience has given me a new perspective on life 😂
It is a shame the hotel wasn’t up to scratch when you save and spend hard earned and well budgeted money. I am glad you are feeling refreshed. It sounds like your nervous system may need a reset after the flight home.