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Average holiday costs £920 - but quarter of this goes on extras like clothes

21st July 2014 Print

Holidays can be expensive occasions, and new research has revealed that nearly a quarter (24%) of the average getaway budget goes towards extras. Indeed, people in the UK spend nearly a tenth (8.7%) of their total vacation budget before they have even reached their destination.
 
According to the survey conducted for budgeting account provider Thinkmoney.co.uk, the average sum Brits spent on travel and accommodation for their last holiday was between £601 and £700. However, all the extras the typical holidaymaker forked out for to take with them on their jaunt, as well as the money they spent once they arrived, pushed this total up to nearly £1,000 (£920).

Holiday purchase - Average sum paid

Travel and accommodation £601 - £700
Clothing to take with you £31 - £40
Sun cream and other travel toiletries £11 - £20
Books and other items for entertainment Up to £10
Travel to the airport/ferry/train station Up to £10
Food and drink on holiday £91 to £100
Other holiday purchases (souvenirs etc.) £31 to £40

The study shows that around half of the £80 the average traveller spends before they set off for their destination goes on new clothing to take with them (£30 to £40). A further £11 to £20 is spent on sun cream and other holiday toiletries, up to £10 is spent on books and entertainment, and the same sum on travel to the ferry or airport.
 
Once they arrive at their destination, Brits fork out a further £140 on average over the course of their trip. Of this, up to £100 is spent on food and drink and a further £31 to £40 on souvenirs and other holiday purchases.
 
Buying items specifically to take on holiday is not unusual; in fact the overwhelming majority of UK adults do this. 98% of holidaymakers revealed they bought new clothes ahead of their last trip – with 14% spending over £100 on new outfits – while the same number splashed out on new toiletries and books to take with them.
 
Women were more likely than men to spend money on new clothes to pack for their travels, with the average spent by female respondents totalling between £41 and £50. Meanwhile, men spent between £21 and £30 on a new holiday wardrobe.
 
Ian Williams, spokesman for thinkmoney, says: “The annual holiday is something we all look forward to, and while it can be a major expense it’s an event that many people feel is essential to their wellbeing. However, this survey suggests that the majority of holidaymakers are spending more than they need to.
 
“By simply packing what they already have in their wardrobes, on their bookshelves and in their toiletries cabinets, people could save quite a bit of money. And by doing this, they can cut down on the amount of cash they splash before they even reach the airport and put the money towards treating themselves once they arrive.”