Survey reveals how much families are willing to pay to keep their kids happy on holiday

THE average family spends around £128 per child to keep them happy on holiday, according to a new study.

And the total dent in the wallet rises for the 20% of parents who are wiling to spend a further £35 on treats such as sweets and fizzy drinks.

The survey, conducted by money saving website Voucherbox.co.uk, also reveals 33% of cost-conscious Scots choose self-catering options when on holiday and that the majority of parents (68%) are spending less on themselves when away with their kids.

Despite the extra outlay, 26% of Scottish families fear it’s still not enough to keep the brood happy and will spend whatever is required to keep the kids entertained.

Top 3 holiday treats for Scottish kids

1. Ice cream (18%)

2. Seaside toys (13%)

3. Sweets and snacks (12%)

When it comes to favourite purchases, traditional treats such as ice cream (18%), buckets and spades and inflatables (13%) are the most popular ways to keep the kids happy on holiday.

These are in favour of more “day-to-day rewards” such as paying for additional WiFi (5%) and purchasing mobile games (5%), which sit at the bottom of the list.

Of those families who haven’t been on holiday with the kids, over half (60%) haven’t done so because they can’t afford to, whilst almost one in ten (10%) believe it’s just too much like hard work.

Top 5 holiday activities to entertain the kids:

1. Water park (17%)

2. Theme park (15%)

3. Zoo (14%)

4. Kids club (14%)

5. Play park (12%)

Sezer Yurdakul, Global Head of Online Marketing at Voucherbox said: “It’s interesting to see that the spend for all-inclusive can be the same as self-catering. This shows how important it is to work out the average cost per meal before booking to see if it’s actually worth the money.

“Of course, there’s always great savings to be made online. Parents should use this exclusive 10% off hotel bookings at Expedia to get a little bit more pocket money for themselves.”