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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Birthday party

34 replies

Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 14:35

My daughter and niece are going to be 3 in April and we are having a joint party for them, called an entertainment company and arrange for Elsa to join us for 2 hours lots of games etc. The cost for this £145 that's fine, the woman asked where I lived and I told her and she said oh it will be a no more than a couple of pounds for petrol as we were out of the 10 mile radius and she would let me know on the invoice.

Got the invoice today and she's trying charge me £41.60 for petrol costs. I live 26 miles away and think that's madness money.

I've emailed her saying that is huge amounts than what we discussed.

Aibu?

OP posts:
FunkyBoldRibena · 22/12/2014 14:36

Wow. £200 odd for a 3 yr old's party?

What's wrong with tea and cakes and games at that age?

EatDessertFirst · 22/12/2014 14:39

That is a lot extra for petrol but £145 is already a crazy amount to spend on a 3 year olds party. If you aren't happy, cancel the service and just do a normal party. I really don't think the LOs will notice how much you haven't spent anyway.

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 14:40

Don't worry I'm not made of money, it's just my daughter has been really ill her first and second birthday (she has moebius) and we got a really good diagnosis on her last scans and so I want to make a huge deal of it, she loves frozen so wanted to hire someone.

OP posts:
Me624 · 22/12/2014 14:40

Standard business mileage rate is 45p a mile, so it does seem high.

youareallbonkers · 22/12/2014 14:40

That is a lot, is it also for her time to drive the 26 miles?

Surely the Frozen craze will be long over by April though?

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 14:44

Considering I'm not her employer I've booked her for a party surely I shouldn't have to pay her for her time to travel to me. I'm paying her for 2 hours party already, I don't get anything else with that 2 hours just a princess.

Again I'm making a huge deal of her birthday because she has been really ill, still is but we got good scan results so want to make it really really special.

OP posts:
Mmolly2013 · 22/12/2014 14:44

Do you not know someone perhaps a friends niece or something who you could buy and outfit for, they could dress as else and giver her a couple of pound

Mmolly2013 · 22/12/2014 14:45

Sorry for spelling meant elsa give

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 14:47

Don't worry my grammar is awful writing on the iPad. Cant get used to it lol

OP posts:
teeththief · 22/12/2014 14:50

Whilst it's a lovely idea, your DD and DN are unlikely to remember their 3rd birthday and, as you aren't made of money, I think I'd come up with a plan B.

Yanbu to think it's a rip off!

Shedwood · 22/12/2014 14:53

There's a website you can go to (can't remember It'sname but google will know) where you put in the mileage and type of vehicle etc and it works out the fuel cost of any journey.

Use that to work out the cost of travelling 32 miles (the 16 mile each way above her 10m mile radius allowance) and even if you put in a minibus with a 2.3 engine I doubt it'd be more than a tenner, so you can then ask what car she has and use that as a negotiation tool.

ChazzerChaser · 22/12/2014 14:56

Esme, I've been in a similar position and I totally get why you want to make it a special birthday, in the way that suits you. Just wanted to say that with the way the thread is starting to go...

Re the mileage, if she said a couple of quid I'd want an explanation of the change in rationale.

nancy75 · 22/12/2014 15:03

I would get online and try to find another Elsa! are there any kids Drama schools near you - they often do parties and most will have a frozen option i should imagine. almost £50 for travel is taking the p

bozo14 · 22/12/2014 15:03

Can you say you will have to look into something else to the lady and see if she maybe will offer to lower her charges? She is charging alot for her travel looks like time as well.

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/12/2014 15:16

That's a huge amount for petrol! DS's speech therapist charges £9.50 for a 26 mile round trip.

I would cancel her a find someone else. Not sure why people are passing comment on the price of your party tbh, each to their own.

PrincessTheresaofLiechtenstein · 22/12/2014 15:19

Yes, shop around a bit.

TeenAndTween · 22/12/2014 15:21

Well, If you are 26 miles away, that is a 52 mile round trip. That means a good hour travel time probably. @45p per mile that is ~£22 plus time.

So yes it is a bit steep, but they are incurring extra time and costs. A couple of pounds would be way too little.

(Ignores £145 for the party in the first place).

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 15:23

teenandtween I'm 16miles outside her radius so only 32 miles total round trip

OP posts:
BarbarianMum · 22/12/2014 15:30

£200 for a joint party is presumably £100 per birthday child, which is pretty standard for an entertainer, I think. And nobody's business but yours OP.

I think the petrol costs are too high but you would be quibbling about half of £20 or so. So either shop around or let it go

Sternin · 22/12/2014 15:38

That does seem a bit of a leap from "a couple of pounds", so YANBU to at least question it. I don't know much about fuel costs so I couldn't really comment on whether it was a fair price or not.

(And I don't think you need to justify how much you're spending on your DD's party. Your child, your choice!)

Fanfeckintastic · 22/12/2014 15:40

I agree you shouldn't have to pay that much extra for her travel, I don't agree that people get so bothered about what you spend your own money on!

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 15:43

My sister and I will be saving up for this so we don't mind the cost. £145 for Elsa to play with the kids for 2 hours sounded like bliss. The girls would love it ;)

OP posts:
Fanfeckintastic · 22/12/2014 15:49

Is doesn't even matter if you were taking out a pay day loan, it's your own preference what you do for your DDs birthday.

Why it bothers other people so much I do not know!

Original poster
Esmeismyhero · 22/12/2014 16:08

Fanfeck Flowers

OP posts:
itiswhatitiswhatitis · 22/12/2014 17:26

No self employed person I know charges money for their traveling time. Petrol fair enough but no way I would pay some for travelling time.