Snoring, slobs and splitting the bills: 19 ways to holiday with friends – without falling out

10.08.2023 - 20:27 / theguardian.com / Laura Lindsay

Lots of us are choosing to holiday with friends rather than family. According to a survey by Expedia of 24,000 adults across 17 countries, 65% of people planning to travel in the next 36 months will be doing so with friends. Holidaying with your mates is great fun – but the sudden change from casual socialising to spending 24/7 together can be challenging. Here’s how to navigate some common sources of stress – and ensure you’re all still speaking to each other when you get home.

What if we’ve got different budgets?This is definitely one to discuss before booking the holiday. Laura Lindsay from Skyscanner says: “Be honest about your budget before agreeing to the trip to ensure it lines up with everyone else’s expectations.” You need broad agreement on the big costs such as travel and accommodation – it’s clearly not going to work if one person wants to go backpacking and another demands five-star luxury. Day-to-day costs are more tricky. “Things could go south if part of the group are looking to go all out while some need to be more careful with money,” says Lindsay. Again, communication is key. “Agree upfront if you’re splitting things like restaurant bills equally or itemising per person.” If you’re the one with more spare cash, be considerate and don’t constantly suggest expensive days out; if you’re on a tight budget, be realistic about whether you can really afford the trip.What’s the fairest way to pay while you’re away?“Shared costs are at the heart of most fallouts – forgotten pledges to pay you back later can descend into resentment,” says Lindsay. “Avoid any issues from the offset and get everyone to download the same budgeting app, such as Splitwise. This will make it easy to track spending, split bills and calculate who owes what.”

One person in the group is tight!If you know this already – they have plenty of money but never buy a round, say – do not go on holiday with this person. (Also, why are you still friends?) If it only becomes apparent while you’re away, you could call them out, but it might be better to keep the peace, chalk it up to experience – and leave them off the “Summer 2024!” WhatsApp group.

How do we decide who gets which room?Remember, these are your friends – you’re not competing with them. If you sleep soundly, offer to take the sofabed or share the bunkbed and let your friend with insomnia have their own room. It’s in everyone’s best interests, says Dr Charlotte Russell, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Travel Psychologist. “None of us are at our best when we are tired, and our ability to communicate sensitively is massively affected by lack of sleep.” But again, discuss it before you go and be honest: seething with resentment in a windowless box room while