How much money do you need for 2 weeks?

[Chris221273]

How much money do you think is enough for a couple for 2 weeks?
We don't have extravagant tastes but will most certainly not be staying in to eat.
We are staying on a b&b rate, so will just be light lunches and evening meals, drinks etc.
And we intend to do several excursions but will also just have beach/pool days too.
Thanks
Chris

[Chocoholic]

Sorry but in my honest opinion it is like asking how long is a piece of elastic. There are many things to consider, for example; do you eat steak or simple meals? lots of ice creams etc? do you love to shop for souveniers? do you drink heavy or moderately? do you smoke? go clubbing? etc etc???? I have been on holiday with friends and family, we have all dined together at the same places and been on the same trips, in fact been together the whole time but spent consideraby different amounts. What I do is allow myself a certain amount every day and try not to go over that amount (also extra put by for emergencies which I usually bring home)

[blondie]

It is a very difficult question to answer, as people's needs and expectations vary so much. I've read elsewhere, for example, how much some people spend on their holidays and been amazed - thinking we don't spend half that amount. There is such a choice of places to eat and drink in Icmeler to suit all budgets - you can eat very cheaply in some of the local pide and kebab places, for instance, while quite a lot of establishments offer set meal deals which can represent excellent value for money.
As Chocoholic suggests, it might be a good idea to set aside an amount for each day - and then once you've got a rough idea of how much you're spending, you can adjust that accordingly. The local bread is absolutely delicious and really cheap - you can always buy a loaf for breakfasts or lunches. Fruit and vegetables are also cheap and really fresh and tasty.

[Eatock08]

Yep very difficult question to answer, I can only advise on what we do.

We budget about £50 each per day and this covers us for lunch, evening meal, drinks throughout the day and night and trips. We usually bring some money home too, sometimes I don't want a large meal at night and often order from the lunch menu.

[adewolves]

As above really everyone is different but we as a family of 4 spent 1800 last year. We never did any trips. We ate in the apartment bar/restraunt during the day, just snacks, egg on toast sausage and chips burgers that sort of thing, we werent b&b. We never ate in the apartments as such, just had some bottles of pop in there for me mainly in the morning when I woke up with a right dry throat...to much effes probably.

I am a big drinker and the kids (especially the youngest) caned the ice creams, we actually had to cut her back. We ate out every night, I had steaks a few times but a lot of chicken and pasta dishes which I enjoy anyway, we never scrimped. One thing I didn't do was go for the set meals, god knows why because there is some fantastic value there. I certainly will this year. I don't shop, the kids had there own money to get their hooky gear, so that wasn't included in our 1800.

I do budget for around 130 quid a day, and I hit that target last year, the beer has gone up this year but I'll be going in the Tandoori Sizzler a few times this year at 3 lira a throw for a large one.

[redrhino12]

Breakfast in the apartment,Coffee and toast, coffee and sugar taken over
so cost would only be a few lira for milk and bread maybe...........................=5lira

Lunchtime,
4 pint of draught Efes for me @3lira...................................................=12 Lira
3 pints of draught Efes for Ann @ 3lira...................................................=9 Lira
2 Chicken Wraps with salad 2 x 7.5lira...................................................=15 Lira

Evening meal.
Internatıonal menu for one person;

Turkish Pıtta Bread (Lavaş) with ezme and zaziki, tomato soup or lentıl soup, Any kind of Chicken Dishes with homemade chıps, mashed potatoes and mixed fresh vegetables with tea or coffee 20 Lira (7.90 paunds) also wıll be awaılable more specıal offers for two or four person and for kids.
So that is 2 x 20 Lira for Chicken dish..................................................=40 Lira

Followed by 8 Efes for me @3 lira........................................................=24 Lira
Followed by 4 local spirits with mixer for Ann @ 5 lira.................................=20 Lira

Total for food and drink for 1 day..........125 lira divide by 2.5lira to the £ .....=£50

Times this by 14 days....................................................................=£700
Add on 2 jeep safaris with ICR @ £15..................................................=£ 30
add on 2 AI boat trips with ICR @ £18..................................................=£ 36
Add on 2 ICR day trips out @£25..................................................=£ 50

So the Total Holiday would cost.........................................................£816
Meals and drinks to be taken at the Tandoori Sizzler / Famous Kitchen on the reduced rates for ICR Members.
No tipping allowed,no presents neither as it is your holiday and you shouldnt bother with these things.

So I estimate this year if I budget for £58.28 per day I can have 2 holidays a year.
Trying to avoid JT so I dont have to buy him a drink as this would affect all my financing.

Gene

[smc4761]

Excellent post Gene and I would say a fair reflection on average costs. The only other bits and bobs to add on maybe, ice creams during the day, perhaps even some fruit and bottles of water. Not a huge addition though.
My better half and I usually spend around £50/£60 per day, but she does love to but small souveniers, eg wind chimes and she loves having a pedicure or 2

Tipping, what are peoples thoughts on this. Previously I would usually give around 10 % of the bill as a tip. Is this still the norm or have people cut back on this. Also tips for the maids in your apartment, so this could be around another 100 lira or so

Stewart

[adewolves]

We gave our maids 40 lira there was only 3 of them, a few people did the same the day we left. It soon mounts up for them, god they do a great job. When I tip in the restraunts I normally just round it up. Say if it's 47 lira I'll just leave the 50.

[Eatock08]

I do the same with tipping just round it up, unless I think I've had really good service

[feefee1970]

we are a couple and take £50 each per day, sometimes we spend more so the next day we just cut back a bit, we are not big drinkers beer was cheaper than soft drinks, but meal times we like the full works, and also like to do a few boat trips
i not a shopper either, so no hand bags ect but probly spend something on a pair of shoes and get hubby a few tops, we have what I call dear nite cheap nite
dear nites we order what we want from a menu, cheap nites its a set meal

[carol0912]

We are a couple and take around £1000 for out 2 week holiday. We are not big drinkers but eat out most lunches and dinner. Breakfast in apartment usually toast and egg or fresh bread and fruit, lunch usually soup with a basket of fresh bread-around 5 lira and set menu or order from lunch menu at night. We always come back with maybe £200. We dont scrimp. We maybe do 1 or 2 trips. We always have a great time and do everything we want. Roll on August xxx

[springywigan]

We are a family of three and the last couple of years have budgeted on £100 a day to be safe.
However we always come back with a reasonable sum. The actual spend would be around £50 to £70 a day. Everyone is different though.

[Chris221273]

Thanks everyone.
I should probably have asked what's your average daily amount I think.
We are looking at £100 a day I reckon.
while neither of us are heavy drinkers, we won't be shying away from a few tipples
We just don't want to worry about money, I think we all do enough of that when back home!!
Chris

[dksbbs]

We are a family of 4, kids are now 18 and 15.

We always budget slightly over, we go totally SC so we have to buy everything, normally breakfast is in the apartment, lunch is either buying wonderful bread, cheese, salami etc and making our own or going out, every evening meals are out at one of the great restaurants. We typically do 3 or 4 trips per year, buy the odd item of clothing, souvenier, shoes etc.

I have had a look at my past notes and I believe the following is correct covering the last few years.

In 2007 Budget £125 per day actual spend £109
In 2008 Budget £130 per day actual spend £111
In 2009 Budget £140 per day actual spend £123 (Two day Ephesus Pammekula budgeted seperately)
In 2010 Budget £150 per day actual spend £121

In 2011 I am again budgeting for £150 per day.

Dave

[Chris221273]

Thanks Dave and everyone else.
I will probably bring over the odds and maybe go home with some rather than have to worry
Chris