Thanks for that Peli. And you are right, I belong to a few forums and the sense of doom & gloom can be hard to resist after listening to opinions on there! TBH, all I can do is live within my means and make the best of it.

We go to turkey every year,love it ,love the weather,love the people and the hospitality that goes with it all.Okay the prices have risen over the years but havent they everywhere.My sister has just come back from spain and she said it was so expensive,and the fake clothes/bags/dvds so much better quality in turkey.You can still get a decent meal at a good price if you look around,we dont eat out everyday but balance our 2 weeks and using our self catering facilities.I have even managed to cook spag bol on the 2 rings in the apartment.The fresh baked bread is gorgeous with the meats/cheeses/jams etc for a snack,followed by the freshly baked baklava and washed down with a cold efes (or 2)from your own fridge.
Woodyrocks set out a daily budget and stick to it,turkey has well stocked supermarkets with a wide range of foods for you to choose from.Dont forget the all inclusive boat trips which would cost you and your son less than £20 and that includes all your drinks and meals/snacks etc,you will only need a light snack later on then.The jeep safari is a day out with a meal included(you have to buy your drinks) .Your 8 year old son would have a great day.You dont have to buy honey etc at the many stops the jeeps make but just take in the history that given to you.
Okay a lot of people say that we re on holiday im not going to spend my time cooking but it works for me .

dont let the prices you see worry you, we went to hissaronu this year for 2 weeks my daughter and grandaughter also came, she took 600 with her she paid for all her own meals and my garndaughters went on a good few trips including the jeep safari, bought quite a few things at the market and still came home with money, as people are saying use your self catering facilities to the full, we never bought at the pool bar always sat on our terrace with a cold beer or soft drink, had eggs and cereals for breakfast and made rolls at lunch time, we then went out every night for a meal and had a taxi back, we pooled all our shopping for the appartment and had a fantastic time,

Exactly - you can still go to Turkey and have a great holiday without breaking the bank. Yes, prices have risen, but we still had a great holiday (five of us) in June, self catering, but we ate out for all meals and didn't scrimp and save, but we didn't spend a fortune either.
The plus point for me is the friendliness and wonderful welcome you get from the locals, which is why we're returning in October and plan to do so for many years to come. I'd rather spend my hard-earned holiday cash in Turkey and enjoy that welcome than suffer the poor service and poor value that I've experienced elsewhere - Spain being the prime example!

Thanks for all the confidence boosting post. Will also definitely consider SC now rather than just B&B. Nuttynet, like your daughter I was thinking of taking about £6-700 with me and hoping to come back with change. My daily budget for our holidays is approx £70 but I always roll-over the money left over, and 90% of the time there always is! But I would rather over-budget than under budget IYSWIM