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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to weep at petrol prices

49 replies

Niceguy2 · 03/03/2011 09:11

£1.37 for a litre of diesel! OMG!

I already have a pretty frugal car but seriously!?!?!

I've already changed my driving habits to be more like a 60year old pensioner. Think I'll start walking for the school runs.

I now send the kids on the train to visit their mum.

Anyone else changing what they do to save petrol?

OP posts:

Mymblesson · 03/03/2011 10:22

You are definitely not being unreasonable. It costs me around £230 a month to commute to work and back at the moment and is only set to get worse. Public transport would require 2 buses and a 2-hour journey compared to 50 mins in the car.

Bramshott · 03/03/2011 10:25

Heating oil prices are also eye-watering at the moment, and we're going to have to fill our tank soon .

Original poster

Niceguy2 · 03/03/2011 10:26

I hate the Government for their stupid petrol prices.

Although most of the petrol price is tax, the recent increases are more down to the problems in the middle east than increased taxes.

That said, I do think the next tax rise should be postponed and the duty escalator should be fast tracked as its been suspiciously quiet from Mr Cameron.

The problem though with reducing taxation on petrol is what do you tax instead to make up for the lost revenue?

OP posts:

BaggedandTagged · 03/03/2011 10:34

"the rich" of course

TheSmallPrint · 03/03/2011 10:38

How about Barclays?

SimplyTes · 03/03/2011 10:40

My friend has asked to be fired from her job as she can no longer afford to get there. If she leaves voluntarily she won't get benefits for 6 months!! So she has to stay in a job that is actually costing her money!! Public transport takes her three hours whereas only 1 hour by car. She is a single mum who has to watch every penny.

My DH was in shock when he read monthly credit card statement, had to point out over £200 was on petrol! Times are v hard in this house

Ariesgirl · 03/03/2011 10:48

Apparently Dave "understands" our pain.

How can he? He gets a chauffeur driven, tax funded Bentley affair that he would NEVER have to fill up. How can he possibly "understand" let alone empathise and sympathise to the extent of doing something about it. I hope all the Tory voters are satisfied now.

Original poster

Niceguy2 · 03/03/2011 10:49

Crazy isn't it Tes?

Times are hard in this house too. It's really not helping that I have a few weddings and major family birthday's to have to shell out for too.

I haven't been this skint for years.

OP posts:

Original poster

Niceguy2 · 03/03/2011 10:50

Ariesgirl. You think Labour would have been any different?

OP posts:

nenevomito · 03/03/2011 10:53

Don't - its crippling us and we run a bloody Hybrid so goodness knows what it is like in other cars.

crazygracieuk · 03/03/2011 12:00

Yanbu.

We are contemplating moving house because of the silly prizes. Dh spends nearly £300 a month on petrol and we are thinking that maybe we should spend that £300 a month on a house nearer his work instead. Sigh..

I'm surprised how many 4x4s there are on the roads!!

cumfy · 03/03/2011 12:07

Anyone else changing what they do to save petrol?

Yes. Walking.

Remember it's the same for everyone, and most of the cash goes back into the economy.
Fuel duty is about the fairest and most sensible tax around.

rasta · 03/03/2011 12:26

YANBU!

shmoz · 03/03/2011 12:55

err cumfy, are you being ironic...
...if not, you are quite right to duck

Sidge · 03/03/2011 13:10

Using my car much less is not an option for me, but I do try to avoid any unnecessary journeys and walk when I can.

Our car is quite economical for a big one, but it still costs about 75 pounds to fill which is a week's groceries. Mind you, they're blooming expensive too!

Luckily living and schooling locally means a tank can last us about 4-6 weeks so not too horrendous. I feel for those of you that spend so much on fuel.

dementedma · 03/03/2011 13:23

it's killing us. i drive 50 miles a day to work and back, DH does about the same but in the opposite direction. We spend more on petrol than on our mortgage. DH has had to tale a 10% pay cut or be made redundant. Not there long enough to get a redundancy pay out so he carries on. No supermarkets withing walking distance here, and DDs school also a car drive away.
Petrol is now officially our most expensive item. i drive a little Ford Fiesta and £30 today only filled it just over half!

expatinscotland · 03/03/2011 13:31

'Fuel duty is about the fairest and most sensible tax around.'

Yes, so everyone can pay more for essentials like food, regardless of income.

ursusnix · 03/03/2011 13:33

Alternatively we as a nation shouldnt have lumbered itself with a truckload of debt and had to devalue the currency to compensate for it, thats why Oil is expensive in pounds and dollars - the prices have barely flickered against precious metals.

TMI, I suspect; I'll toast in hell for that one.

fairtradefloozy · 03/03/2011 13:39

I work 20 miles away so 40 mile round trip. Lots of public transport, but none that goes from where I need it to, or where I need it to, when I need it to. And when I can use it (to go shopping in town, for example) the fare is £3.80, the same as it is to take teh car and park even at these fuel prices.

Something has to give somewhere. I am very afraid it will be me, though!

TigerseyeMum · 03/03/2011 13:44

It is painful here too - I need my car for work so bought a little Ka, costs me £42 to fill up. Our Honda diesel estate costs around £70 a tank. The Ka does slightly better mileage as it copes better with rush hour towny commutes plus motorways.

It breaks my heart - I get paid very little and this is eating into my pay - yes I get petrol allowance but it doesn't really cover the running costs. In a low-ish paid job there comes a point where you have to wonder if it is worth it.

Abr1de · 03/03/2011 13:50

The fuel duty escalator was increased by the Labour government. Blame Brown, the rise to 6% happened when he was Chancellor. Osborne may bring it down.

Original poster

Niceguy2 · 03/03/2011 14:09

I agree with you on the debt but not that the increase in oil price is related to our national debt.

The price rise of oil is due to a number of factors. Instability in the middle east, scarcity of supply and of course increased demand from countries like China.

The absolutely absurd amount of tax on Petrol has been there for such a long time and it made sense before but now I do think its time for tax to be reduced on petrol to cushion the effects.

OP posts:

piratecat · 03/03/2011 14:15

£1.34 today for a ltr of petrol, in south devon :(

ursusnix · 03/03/2011 14:49

@niceguy2

QE bought bad debt bonds for cash from the banks. The total value underwritten (purchased) was around 50% of the UK currency in market circulation. This was used to re-capitalise the banks, who transformed the new liability (deposits) into new long term assets (debt) or clearance of obligations (repayment of debt to ensure solvency). That act of recapitalisation (the creation of new money) was a defacto devaluation, (hence the truckload of debt - this government is now saddled with the last of the 'Brown' payloads).

In crude terms devaluation = ~50%
Price before devaluation around 80p/liter
Price currently around 140p/liter

That would allow 20p/liter for the increase in asian demand and middle east instability - which I feel is about right.

Fuel duty is the green ultimate - a pay as you go tax, so the more you use, the more you pay - just like VAT (pay as you spend).

Its crippling for me - I average 800 miles a week at around 30mpg.

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