They splash out so much money over the vacation periods that they spend months afterward paying off the holiday bills.

With the summer vacation, Ramadan and Eid combining into one holiday period this year, people are worried about expenditure, especially when preparing for the holy fasting month after returning from their summer holiday.

Aamir Hammad, a 38-year-old father of three and employee at a private company, said that he has many financial commitments, especially as he is the family provider.

“I took my family for a summer holiday in Turkey and I spent a lot of money. Now that we are back, I have to pay off the credit card but Ramadan is just few days away and my wife wants to go to the supermarket to get food supplies,” he said.

Hammad also said Eid preparations need its own spending budget.

“We have to visit families and buy gifts or give money to the kids, it’s our tradition. Not only that, I have to worry about my three kids’ school supplies. That’s a lot of money in a period of three months,” he added.

The summer can be an expensive time of the year for many people. Some of them have already spent their year’s savings after taking an expensive holiday abroad and keeping the children entertained over the vacation period.

Tariq Al-Ghamdi, a 39-year-old banker and a father of four, said he tries to plan his budget early.

“We went for a 10-day holiday to Egypt because I wanted my kids and wife to enjoy the vacation. In Ramadan we usually spend a lot on shopping for the kids and family gatherings,” he said.

Al-Ghamdi also said he has spent around SR30,000 already, but hopes that his salary will cover Eid and school shopping.

“This year has really caused some financial crunches. People here forget to plan and they fall into debt,” he added.

It is not only fathers that are struggling with finances this year. Mothers have the same responsibilities when it comes to budgeting for the holiday and Ramadan period.

Nada, who didn’t want her last name to be mentioned, said that there are always tensions between her and her husband every year because of the huge amount of money they spend during this difficult period.

“My husband’s temper becomes worse because he worries too much about money and providing a good life for us during the summer holiday. Now, with Ramadan, Eid and school preparations later, I think he will be exhausting himself,” she said.

Nada also said that the summer and Ramadan involve months of shopping, whether for food or clothes.

“We have to get the kids Eid clothes and then school supplies and I know it will cost a lot,” she added.

Financial adviser Mohammed Al-Saeed said that, unfortunately, the average income of employees has not risen in line with inflation.

“The father is obliged to provide everything for the family and that leaves many who are on low incomes under great pressure, making it unbearable sometimes,” he said.

Al-Saeed advised people to save as much as possible during the year so they can enjoy the holidays and not fall into debt.

“We don’t have a culture of saving and planning because people spend without thinking just for the sake of having some bragging rights or fun,” he added.

Al-Saeed also said that people should always check ways online on how to save for the summer and book their holiday in advance, especially as this difficult scenario is likely to be repeated for years to come.