£15 per child for an hour, absolute rip off

[elliejjtiny]

Where we live the only attractions within walking distance are several restaurants, 2 garden centres and a trampoline park. No play areas or anything like that. No woods or places to walk unless you want to walk round the business park. Dh is away most of half term (eldest uni interviews and then working) and I can't face staying at home all week with the younger dc. Dh will have the car and ds2 can't cope with public transport due to SEN. In laws would sometimes help but they have their other gc all week.

So our only option for going out is the trampoline park which costs £15 per child per hour. Plus extra for ice creams, drinks etc which we will not be having. If I had the car we could go out for the day for less than that. The trampoline park is always heaving with people when we go so people pay the money but I can't see it costing that much to run the place. We will go once because there is no other choice really. My dc are too old to want to go round the garden centre now.

It’s in her op. Uni visits and work.

Thank you. Train/coach to uni would be hugely expensive, way more than the petrol costs. I will look at price of a taxi to our nearest park. In the summer we hire a bouncy castle for the garden and have friends round which works out good value but can't do that in February. We will go out in the garden lots and do baking, board games and movies etc, I just hope it will be enough to tire them out.

This. Public Liability Insurance in something like this would be huge indeed -

My company moved out of London because the business rates were astronomical, in addition to the rent increases. There's all this to be considered.

I think the Uber is a great idea and getting DH to pick you up on the way home is great! Long-term, maybe a second car is needed, even if it means you or DH taking evening or weekend work.

How about a ‘sports day’ in the garden followed by a hot chocolate and watching TV session?

I've just booked ours at £19.50 per child for 2 hours and thought that was very steep. And I'm only taking 2 out of my 4 DC! By the time we've added on drinks as you can't take your own that's £50plus for a morning out. We wouldn't normally do something so expensive but we are meeting friends and that's their venue choice.

Yes it's expensive. We've only taken ours twice. It's a special treat and not a regular activity. I used to take them out on walks (to different places) and have movie nights with popcorn. It's a business and their aim is to make money.

Cost up travel with local.minicab to zoo etc

Might be cheaper than buying a second car to run

I would love to have that much within walking distance. We have nothing. Not even a pub. Just fields and farms for miles. The minute I can afford to retire I'm buying a tiny flat in the middle of a city and selling the car.

But we do have a car each.

I'm wondering whether it would be more cost effective to have a membership to the trampoline park.

Not sure if your in laws are very near by, but if so, could you borrow their car one day and they go to the trampoline park (or have a home day) with their other dgcs that day.

Trampoline parks and similar amusements never ever run at full capacity 10 hrs a day 365 days a year, maybe just get a bit busier at half term.
They have to cover their costs during their slack periods..that is the way most businesses work whether it be a park or pub or chip shop.

OP I think you need your own car as a matter of priority.

Edit: or hire one for the week? Can’t be much more than £30 a day spent on a trampoline park!

If the op is struggling with 15 quid and can’t afford drinks, then it’s unlikely she can just buy a car. I’m sure they’ve one for a reason.

Ye that is quite expensive. Near me I do the mum and toddler one for an hour at a trampoline inflatable park and it’s £4 each.
it’s obviously a bit more for older children.
could you get an Uber to a near by park for a nice walk or a national trust place ?

The cost of the trampoline park isn’t your issue ( they need to make money), it’s the not being able to get elsewhere.

I would look at finding ways to get to a park/adventure playground/ swimming pool etc. Price up Ubers/local taxi companies etc.

Can you take them out for walks/bike ride/ scooter etc

It’s definitely worth pricing up, then you always have somewhere to go.

A cheap run around you can pick up for less than £1k. Making small cuts elsewhere most people could save this quite easily in a few months. Older DC I presume has a job and pays board if money is so tight?

They are going to uni, and clearly money is right, plus you need insurance etc,

honestly check your privalge daddy warbucks.

Don’t forget insurance. It’ll be massive in a place like that I imagine

Those places have to pay high insurance because of the risks involved. Have you tried recently using public transport with DC? I have two on the spectrum single parent I don't drive. So no choice really but to use public transport. DS I used to struggle with he would lie in the floor and scream. I just kept taking them they got used to it. They love going on buses now especially double deckers and the open top double deckers in the lakes.

Im not trying to be goady! I just think in the OP’s situation they should be prioritising getting her own car ASAP. She’s stuck in the house with a SEN child while DH takes the car (for work, fair enough). Is she supposed to be totally dependent on DH’s work schedule for the next ten years (sounds as if youngest DC is primary age). Having her own car will be a huge independence boost. Insurance on a 1L shitbox is less than £50 a month (I know as I drive one!)

Your location and lack of car is not the trampoline park's fault.