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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would I be unreasonable to charge my friend for a Tesco days out voucher?

39 replies

MediumOrchid · 10/10/2011 15:18

I am going to Thorpe Park with my friend in a few weeks and I have ordered Tesco days out vouchers for us both as she doesn't have any clubcard points to use. She has offered to pay me for the voucher but I am not sure whether to accept or not, after all the voucher hasn't cost me any money! However, it 'cost' £10 worth of clubcard points and for this I could have got £40 worth of restaurant vouchers - so is it reasonable to ask her to pay? Or should I ask her to pay half? Or not at all?

If it makes any difference we don't have much money at the moment so the £10 would come in handy, whereas she and her husband earn quite a lot. If we had plenty I wouldn't consider asking her to pay.

This is not a big issue for me at all so if the consensus is that I shouldn't charge her then I won't - it's just the principle of the thing really and I'm interested in what other people think!

OP posts:
HazeltheMcWitch · 10/10/2011 15:20

Yep, charge her the cost of the vouchers (unless you had said you'd treat her). She saves vs the normal cost.

reelingintheyears · 10/10/2011 15:20

You would be mean.

TheTenantOfWildfellHall · 10/10/2011 15:21

I wouldn't charge her. Presumably you'd have still bought spent the money at Tescos whether you'd got points or not.

If she insists, I'd let her buy you a coffee, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable taking money for a voucher.

Besides you'll have her company for the day!

worraliberty · 10/10/2011 15:22

I wouldn't charge her

bottlebank · 10/10/2011 15:22

I'd be more inclined to ask her to take charge of the food - packed lunch for all of you or whatever. Unless you'd prefer the £10 cash.

VivaLeBeaver · 10/10/2011 15:22

Could she pay petrol costs instead?

bumpybecky · 10/10/2011 15:24

I'd charge her the value in points, so £10. The £10 worth of points has a minimum value of £10 as you can use it straight off the shopping bill or more if you use it for deals.

Adversecamber · 10/10/2011 15:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

stepawayfromtheecclescakes · 10/10/2011 15:25

if she has offered the YANBU say thanks very much as we are abit short at the moment it will come in handy have a good time,

LaLaLaLayla · 10/10/2011 15:26

I think that would be very mean. Just feel good that you were able to treat your friend.

reelingintheyears · 10/10/2011 15:28

Sometimes it's just nice to be nice.

I wouldn't ask for anything.

mumsamilitant · 10/10/2011 15:29

No don't charge her. If she's like me she knows you've done her a favour and will make up for it on the day.

pozzled · 10/10/2011 15:31

Well, she offered to pay and the vouchers are worth £10. I'm sure that if you booked tickets for something that cost £10 you would both expect her to pay- I don't really see a difference when it's a voucher.

I would be guided by her though. If she mentions it again and genuinely wants to pay, let her. But if she doesn't mention it I wouldn't bring it up.

tigermoll · 10/10/2011 15:32

She has offered to pay you for it, so I don't think you'd be risking offending/upsetting her if you took her up on the offer.

But, seeing as you're having a nice day out together, I agree with other posters who say she could contribute to food/petrol costs. This is a much nicer way of her 'paying you back'.

Catslikehats · 10/10/2011 15:34

I wouldn't charge a friend myself.

pigletmania · 10/10/2011 15:34

I would not charge, you got the vouchers for free. It's nice to treat a friend sometimes

Original poster
MediumOrchid · 10/10/2011 15:35

Interesting - quite a split of opinions!

I wouldn't consider charging her if she hadn't offered.

I had suspected I might be being mean but it's nice to know other people would consider it too!

She is driving, and it's quite a way, so I was going to pay half the petrol anyway, and I don't know what we're doing for lunch.

I think I will say that she shouldn't pay me anything, and knowing her she will probably insist on buying me a coffee/lunch sometime anyway.

Thanks for your thoughts!

OP posts:
grovel · 10/10/2011 15:36

These vouchers have cost you something. You spent a fortune in Tesco to get them.
If she's a good friend she'll pick up a tab on the day and refuse to let you go halves.

grovel · 10/10/2011 15:37

And you will gracefully accept.

bumpybecky · 10/10/2011 15:39

I think maybe I've got a different attitude to Tesco vouchers - I used to be a serious collector a few years ago when there were more codes about. They paid for my new range cooker though and a holiday as well as loads of little things :)

These vouchers are not free and they are pretty much equal to cash if you shop in Tesco. I'm really surprised at so many people saying the OP should effectively hand over £10 to a friend.

If the friend pays £10 she's still getting a great discount off the normal entry price, I'm sure she'd be happy to pay it.

grumplestilskin · 10/10/2011 15:40

I wouldn't charge for them, or any vouchers I got through reward points type things. I would prob be a bit Hmm if someone charged me for them. If I got reward vouchers I'ld be happy to share them with friends for a treat for us all

GetOrfMo1Land · 10/10/2011 15:45

I wouldn't charge - I would look at is as a friend thing.

Peachy · 10/10/2011 15:46

Surely it's easy- you got tickets, she gets petrol? that's how we would do it

BridgetBust · 10/10/2011 15:58

Agree with Peachy.
And take a picnic which you both pack.

valiumredhead · 10/10/2011 17:03

I have done this lots of times and would never charge a friend.