The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘Pester power’ will blow holiday budget
Scots admit overspending despite tightening belts
With the school holidays fast approaching, thousands of families are preparing to ditch the dreich Scottish weather for sunnier climes.
But parents have been warned that pester power will almost certainly blow their budget – with the majority of Scots mums and dads admitting to hefty holiday overspending in a new survey.
Research from the Post Office has revealed three quarters of Scottish parents burst their budget by an average of £220 on their last holiday, despite tightening their belts and spending far less than the national average.
The survey also suggested Scots spent more than Londoners on meals, drinks, ice creams and sightseeing last year, but significantly less on sun loungers, family entertainment, pedalo rides and kids’ beach items.
Andrew Brown, head of travel money at the Post Office, said giving in to their kids’ demands could account for much of their overspend, as beach extras, water park visits, pedalo rides and ice creams cost an average of nearly £180.
“Sterling is far stronger against the euro and other European currencies compared with last summer and this means Scottish holidaymakers will have over 13% more foreign cash to spend than in 2014,” he said.
“However, our research reveals how giving in to pester power can bust the holiday budget. The cost of drinks and ice creams soon mounts up so we advise parents to set a budget and stick to it.
“Pack kids’ beach gear into the suitcase to avoid buying these abroad and the amount saved could fund a day out at a water park.”
Despite tending to overspend their budgets, the survey revealed that Scots have slashed their holiday budget by more than a third over the past two years to around £588 on average – 39% less than what they spent in 2013.
ANDREW BROWN The cost of drinks and ice creams soon mounts up so we advise parents to set a budget and stick to it.