Holidays are liberating – but for a quarter of Britons, the annual dose of sun, sea and sand is far too expensive for comfort. No less than 12 million of us get into debt because of our yearly breaks, according to a new report.

A survey recently revealed that 27 per cent use a credit card, take out a loan, dig into an overdraft or even borrow from relatives to finance their fun. Around six per cent – the equivalent of more than 2.5 million adults – say they get into debt most or every time they take a holiday.

• Enjoying themselves too much is the financial downfall of many, with 22 per cent of those who go into the red admitting that holiday spending puts them over their fiscal limits.
• Another 18 per cent cheerfully own up to not thinking about the cost until they've got home again.
• Nine per cent are so relaxed about spending that they simply lose track.
• Another sixth – 15 per cent – are afraid of letting down their partner or family and consciously spend too much.
• A further 30 per cent pay off the debt over the year and are happy to do so, while a canny 11 per cent use a credit card but pay off the balance before any interest is charged.
• Different age groups cite very different reasons for falling into holiday debt.
• While 38 per cent of 18-24 year olds say they only think about money later, 33 per cent of pensioners overspend because they do not want to upset their partner or family, while 37 per cent of 25-34 year olds bust their budget by having fun during the holiday.
• West Midlanders are the most likely to get into debt because of holidays – 26 per cent of them occasionally, most times or always feel the pinch because of their vacations.
• They are followed by people living in the South East, at 21 per cent.
• The least likely to feel the financial heat live in the North East and the East, where only eight per cent overspend because of holidays.
• Almost as frugal are East Midlanders and the Welsh, at nine per cent.
• 18 per cent of women admit to getting carried away – against 26 per cent of men.

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Article referenced from http://www.metro.co.uk/money/article.html?in_article_id=53211&in_page_id=36