Splitting petrol money?

[Spacebound]

Hi my fiancée and I are travelling up to Edinburgh this week with our two friends and we're staying in my parents apartment.

We are going to drive as they don't (we always drive up there) problem is I got a txt of my friend today sort of hinting that they might not be going halves on petrol money and I'm a bit pee'd off.

It's a 4 hour drive so we will be looking at about £80 round trip. It's just so awkward to bring up the subject, we just wouldn't dream of not going halves if it was the other way round, any ideas? Thanks !!

It is NOT cheeky to tell them they need to pay for petrol!

Text back, 'Sorry for any misunderstanding, but we need half the petrol money before we go. £40 on Friday (or whatever day).'

If they buy £80 of food and drink for the weekend, would you be okay with that? Or perhaps they just mean the chore of driving merits them buying food.
How about...
'That sounds great but please don't worry - we'll just split the petrol and food bills shall we? We don't mind driving'.

Not sure how you can hint you won't be contributing? Either way don't hint back tell her in no uncertain terms that a contribution is expected

You don't have to be awkward or cheeky.

"Excellent. We'll get petrol and you get food for the way there then & vice versa for the way back x"

Just keep it simple. Say, no, we can all buy our own snacks, but can you have your half of the petrol money ready cos we are going to fill up after we pick you up.

Agree with expat, spell it out before you go. Name the amount of ££ you want for petrol.

'You get xxx food and I'll get xxx food, only fair that we split food costs seeing as we'll be splitting petrol. Your share will be about £ xx. I'm so glad my parent's place is free - it'll be a great bargain weekend for us all x'

This is what I would send.

Atruth ...your advice is genius!

Ok well i would respond to that "ok no probs, petrol works out at £80 total, so £40 each, see you at x time"

Just say really glad we are all travelling together. Do you want to give us the 1/2 fuel costs on the day or do you want to transfer if into my bank. Either is good with us. Don't worry about snacks just get your own and well get ours. See you Saturday ...

And if they pull the 'well, you were driving up there, anyway.' Tell them, 'And where else can you get a weekend in Edinburgh for £40 + some food?'

Don't let people take the piss.

X post. Just text back 'petrol is going to cost around £80 so we can split that and then just sort food when we get there'

Depends how much food she's planning on buying really but better to just have a frank conversation

It's not entirely clear that they're saying they won't pay towards petrol - they might just be agreeing to pay for food in acknowledgment that you're doing all the work of driving. I think Catsize's approach is best.

Ok, I know I'm old and out of touch, but why would you need to eat anything on a four hour journey? I can understand needing a glug of water on a hot day, but food? Surely you just eat before you leave?

We take our car to Edinburgh all the time. DH and the DD's are natives. They may have a permit or it may be flat with parking. SIL lives in Newhaven and we park in her street for free.

Would never go to Edin with our kids without the car, it would cost a bomb on public transport and be a nuisance.

LadyCordelia, OP says they "always" drive up there to her parents' apartment. It's reasonable to assume they've got parking sorted.

Do they not drive, ever? Sometimes non drivers can be unaware of the shockingly high cost of petrol. Either way, I think you're going to have to be straightforward with them and explain their half is £40 and offer to split food as well.

oldlady - one needs cappuccinos and m&s yum yums for long car journeys. It is practically illegal to travel without them.

I don't read that as intending to duck out of petrol costs. I think that as you are doing the driving they are going to bring the food. I would be a bit annoyed to receive a text from you implying I had been trying to freeload if I were your friend if I had just been trying to be nice and bring some nice food for the journey. I would be very careful with how you word the text. You could say something like 'no problem for us to drive. It'll be fun and cheaper all going together.'

Thank you ici.
OP, I will happily drive you to Edinburgh for free any August in the future if we can stay in your flat! We are four hours away too.

Do they mean they are bringing a cool bag and a bread tin full of food for the whole weekend?

Or a bag of revels and some warm coke for the drive?

If they mean the first, they may think it's a fair split.