We’re all (not) going on a summer holiday

It’s mid-summer, the kids have broken up from school, the sun has finally come out and you’re going…. precisely nowhere.

Well, you’re not alone. Thousands of families will be staying at home this summer because they can’t afford to go on holiday. Or, if they can, work pressures have scuppered hopes for a fortnight’s getaway.

Almost 40 per cent of Britons will stay at home this year rather than go on vacation, in a bid to protect the health of their finances, research by banking group ING Direct has found.

The number of people opting not to take a summer holiday is about 17.7 million, an increase of 2.7 million since the height of the credit crunch in 2008, the study revealed.

But take heart: holidays – as I’ve explained in previous blogs – aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. They can lead to family disharmony and disenchantment. One of the busiest times for a divorce lawyer is early September, when couples return from a fraught holiday and realise their relationship has run its course.

So, if you’re not able to go away this summer, don’t despair. You will have saved money – and maybe your marriage.

Instead of building up resentment, focus on the positives, of which there are plenty:

• No stressful holiday preparations – washing, ironing and packing
• No queuing for an interminable time at the ferry port or airport check-in desk
• No building of expectations – which can so easily be dashed
• The chance to unwind at home – pottering in the garden, tackling DIY jobs you’ve been planning all year or simply ambling round the shops
• The opportunity to take impromptu weekend breaks close to home. The UK has wonderful scenery and attractions close at hand, no matter where you live. If money is tight – and the weather’s set fair – camping is a viable option
• The chance to go on day-trips with the family – even if it’s just to the local country park. If relationships are tense, then at least you only have to suffer for a day!
• An excuse to indulge in a spot of retail therapy. However much you spend, it won’t be as much as an overseas holiday

I hope I rest my case. Yes, holidays can be fantastic and help you unwind and re-bond with your nearest and dearest, but they are often more stressful than they are worth.

So if you’re confined to barracks this summer, plan little treats for yourself and your spouse: you may well find they are more satisfying – and a lot less expensive – than sitting on a beach in the Med. And you may still be happily married at the end of the summer!