Who is bu about splitting the cost of a holiday?

[LilacCroc]

Not a typical AIBU, because I don't want to give away which 'side' i'm on, so that I get un-biased replies.

So the situation...a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 dc) are about to book a holiday. The cost is £500pp and because of free child places, 1 of their dc can go free, so total cost for them would be £1500.

Another couple, very close to the family (the dc's Godparents) will not have their own dc for that week as they are staying with their bio dad. So they put the feelers out about joining them on holiday, the family are more than happy and make them welcome. Fab.

So...now there are 6 people going, 4 adults and 2 dc, that means that overall they get 2 free childs places, so now both of the dc of the family can go free.

So the total cost of the holiday now, for all 6, is £2000.

The family think that each adult should now pay for themselves, £500 pp. The dc don't 'count' as they're both free.

The couple think this is unfair and that as the total cost for 6 people is £2000, the free childs places should be discounted and the total cost should be split 6 ways, with the couple paying £666 for 2 people and the family £1333 for 4 people (ish).

Who is right and who is bu?

Tell them to book their own cottage in the complex. Then you can relax about all your costs and they can feel they are getting the fair price for them alone.

He sounds like a bit of a knob tbh.

East point they do have children, they will just not be there.
I agree latte. It would appeal to my sense of bargain if us coming along had created another free child place then there was a child who could benefit from it!

Op are all the rooms the same? Are any en suite?

And yes I too want to know where this is! As I read it the cost included meals

Explored I want to know where it is too, it is a very good deal

OP is it a Pierre et Vacances? if so we went to one in Biarritz with our DC's Godfather (he paid his flight, we treated him as he was between jobs and we loved him dearly) but, they advertised the house as 2double one of them was a smallish double (very small with DC squeezed in with his cot) the other room was bloody bunks, our dear friend was very stoical.

there is no adult discount. they pay 500. thats what they would pay if they went on their own. they are looking a discount by joining on to your holiday!! if not already booked i wouldn't be rushing. let them book their own cottage

Calling it a "free" child space is really just the way the holiday company wants to market it because it thinks it will encourage families to go. I wouldn't really see it as a "free" child place if the child only gets a space because an adult will be going, particularly if the children will be getting their own room. I think that you should work out what both families would be paying if the other family wasn't going and then split the saving. Therefore you will pay £1,250 and they will pay £750. If they're not happy with that then don't go with them.

I think if there's this many problems now, I'd not bother.

We go away with another family, there are 4 of us and 6 of them, I would dream of them paying more because of the 2 extra children. Food bills might be split differently as the children get older, but we equally decide on which house to rent and split it evenly.

You could equally say the parents are tight wads for not sharing the discount though!

I would have been a bit if you had assumed that it would be a four way split between the adults do I can understand your friends being a bit pissed off.

I think it's fair to split it £1250 for the family and £750 for the couple.
Your family will be using 2/3 of the bedrooms so it's right you pay more,

The good thing is is that you are all going to discus it and sort it out before you go. It's much better than silent resentment.

I'd apologise for assuming they would pay the same as you and I'd offer the £1250/750 split.

I'd tell them that you dont want bad feeling over money so you'd rather go with your original plan & just go as a family of 4.

I liked the suggestion ^ of
Original cost for your family £1500
Original cost for couple £1000
New total cost £2000

You pay 60% of £2000 (1500/2500×2000) =£1200
That pay 40% of £2000 (1000/2500×2000) =£800
I think that is the most fair way.

OP... As you say that the husband of this couple is as laid back as your own husband and that you all get on well together, it's probably the grabbing at the start for the child space by your own family that triggered the meanness (if there is any). If they are tight-fisted, then so are your family. Sorry if it sounds childish, but your family started it...

I would offer the 1250/750 as a last offer and make it clear that it is in the interests of keeping the friendship. If they don't accept it then make your separate plans.

I think people have been unfair to the other couple. The DPs comment about paying £500 was only in demonstration of the unfairness of the original offer from the OP's DP's first offer.

Is the accommodation the same 3 bedroomed villa regardless of if your friends come along or not?
How much would if be for them to have their own villa?

To me the fair way is to split the extra discount for the additional free child place 50/50.

If you get to save £500 by having them join you then the discount should be split. Why should you get the full benefit? It may be their godchild but £500 is a lot to expect a holiday to be subsided by.

"£500 is a lot to expect a holiday to be subsided by."

Lets not forget that the couple only expected to pay the difference between what the family is already paying, and the full bill, so £500 between them, ie £250 per adult whereas the family is paying £500 per person for 3 people.

Is it booked already, OP?

Split the discount.

Also, are the child's places actually "free"? We've just booked a holiday with a free child place & the small print tells us we still need to pay certain things (taxes, transfers I think) so it actually only saves us a few hundred rather than the full child cost.

Quint, the OP did not say that's what they expected but that after they offered to let them pay full for themselves while getting a discount because they were coming they suggested it could also be split that way.

As a PP said, if the couple have been mean about the money then the OP and DP were mean first.

The childless couple have to pay that regardless (£500 each that is) I think it is quite mean not to allow another family to take advantage of a child free place. I would be positively embarassed trying to recoup holiday costs because of someone else's child's presence.

As other have said the family that benefits should pay for a meal out whilst there.

I woulnt want to be going on this holiday after getting into this about money beforehand.

free child place

The only fair thing is to split the difference IMO (so £1250 / £750). Expecting them to be delighted that by them coming along you've saved £500 is a bit cheeky IMO.

But I agree with others that if you're already arguing, a joint holiday doesn't sound like the best plan.

If the £500 per person includes flights etc how does that work with the kids? Do they get free flights? Or just free accommodation? I would look at the fine print very carefully as the 'free' place may not be a free as you think

Omg - annoying people, back out of them joining you. It will cost them 500 quid each anyway if they go without you so what is their problem? Tight fisted wankers.