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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you lie about kids ages for free entry?

368 replies

coffeeforone · 15/05/2018 15:18

My DS turned two last weekend. We bought advance tickets for an adventure farm on Saturday. Going along with a friend who has a 4 year old and a DD who is 3 months older than DS.

It's free for under 2's and £11 for everyone else. I paid online and bought us all tickets including my DS and her DD, and let my friend know. She is now furious with me as I have apparently wasted £22 by paying for my DS and her DD. She says its normal not to pay for about a year after the cut off, and was shocked that I paid. TBH it didn't cross my mind when booking, but thinking about it they would never know. WIBU?

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 16/05/2018 12:07

"...But i agree with my son pretending to be 15 on the bus. Bus fares are extortionate in our city..."

If you agree with this, @JoffreyMonfrere - do you also agree with him suffering the consequences if he was caught out in this lie? If someone checked, and he was thrown off the bus, for example - would you be OK with that? Or would you be furious with the bus company?

Tumsnet · 16/05/2018 12:08

My 19 month old looks like a 3 year old, I always feel I have to convince staff and that they are reluctantly allowing me to go through. Sad

Babybearsporij · 16/05/2018 12:12

I have done. Not for everything, but for stuff that's quite expensive. My DC are small for their age, my 7 year old could pass for a 4 year old!

BelieveAnything · 16/05/2018 12:18

I love these threads too.😁

I'm definitely not perfect but lying about my kids ages to avoid paying more is not something that would ever cross my mind. It not something that I would ever give any thought over I just wouldn't think to do it. On the other hand I would be pissed off at the cost and I would whinge about paying so much for a just three year old. I still
wouldn't lie about it though.

I agree that it's the people that try to justify it that are the most annoying. If you are happy to lie then at least own it and don't pretend that it's in anyone's interests but your own.

NutElla5x · 16/05/2018 12:21

Of course.

Trinity66 · 16/05/2018 12:22

Everybody does it in real life.

Not on MN though
Grin

I've often done it yes

MiggeldyHiggins · 16/05/2018 12:35

Right so a private attraction charging an entrance fee to enter their property and access their facilities is not useful (the money pays staff and will contribute to economy), appropriate (charging an entrance fee is a pretty standard thing) or fair (noone is forced to pay and prices are available beforehand so people can make an informed decision

Have you mistaken me for one of the posters who have said whether they lie on entrance fees or not?

You may want to work on your basic comprehension as well as your moral posturing.

Bumpitybumper · 16/05/2018 13:06

@MiggeldyHiggins So much to work on, so little time...

You were arguing based on your self specified criteria that the decision to pay the correct entrance fee was morally grey. I suggested that the answer was pretty clear when applying your own criteria...

JoffreyMonfrere · 16/05/2018 13:53

Yes SDGT but I don't think they'd prosecute- the backlash for the bus company/ council would be appalling. It would probably result in a change to the fares (adult fares for 18s and overs?) and a potential loss of income. He's only trying to go to school.

MiggeldyHiggins · 16/05/2018 14:27

You were arguing based on your self specified criteria that the decision to pay the correct entrance fee was morally grey

yes and I'm sorry for you that you don't understand how morality works and need it to be imposed on you by others, but I'm afraid that is yoru problem to work on.

jacks11 · 16/05/2018 14:56

In my experience, people who think rules only apply to them when it suits them get VERY upset when the a rule that benefits them is not applied correctly to them. But more than happy to flout rules and cheat when it's to their benefit.

I prefer not to cheat/be dishonest to save a few £'s. If you are happy to be dishonest, whilst I strongly disagree with it, I think you also have to take it on the chin when a rule is not applied correctly to you (obviously different in life/death or very significant situations).

WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam · 16/05/2018 15:14

Your friend is a dick to be furious at you for literally buying the correct tickets for your day out. A friend would not act that way. Did this really happen like this?

You made an honest mistake - quite literally - if she cared so much about this, she should have raised it earlier and clarified with you.

Eh? OP didn't make a mistake, she did the exact right thing Confused

To answer the OP: no, I wouldn't lie to get into an attraction for a cheaper rate. It's literally fraud. I'd much rather pay the price that I'm supposed to, worth it to not teach your children lying for personal gain is fine.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 16/05/2018 15:16

@JoffreyMonfrere - the point I was making (obviously not very clearly - sorry) was that there are other consequences to this sort of behaviour - like being slung off the bus (or being barred from a shop or restaurant, if you’ve diddled them out of money/shoplifted etc), and if you are OK with this sort of minor dishonesty, you have to be prepared to suck it up if you get caught and get slung off/barred/whatever.

Original poster
coffeeforone · 16/05/2018 17:44

Wow a a very mixed bag of views. I do have to say I don’t feel too strongly either way. Happy to have paid but had my friend bought the tickets and skipped my DS I don’t think I would have made a fuss to pay, given he could pass for under 2.

Your friend is a dick to be furious at you for literally buying the correct tickets for your day out. A friend would not act that way. Did this really happen like this?

Yes, it really happened like this. She is a good friend but one of her worst traits is her tight-fisted so I now realise she would have never paid! She was fairly matter of fact to my face and just explained how surprised she was that I’d paid and wasted the money we could have spent on lunch. But then called another mutual friend and ranted about how angry she was about what I’d done. The mutual friend found it quite amusing how strongly she felt but admitted she herself would have also expected me to double check before paying for a just-turned 2 YO.

OP posts:
graysquirrel · 16/05/2018 17:47

Nope would rather be honest. But then my 2 always look 2 years older than their peers as they're so tall!

Thisimeagain · 16/05/2018 17:50

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

SingingOutOfTune · 16/05/2018 17:54

I do sometimes. Especially I some restaurants that have set menu for only under 10, etc. They don't lose any money and I don't waste food and money buying an adult meal for a child. Also find this new trend of 12 years olds paying adult rates a bit much. Since when is 12 years old an adult?

SingingOutOfTune · 16/05/2018 18:06

I'd like to add that I would never put my kids in a position that they would have to lie about their age. They were blissfully unaware of my devious very waysGrin

squeezylemons · 16/05/2018 18:09

Prob would have lied about 2 yo but paid for 4yo

Mayflymaynot · 16/05/2018 18:10

Yes I did scam my ds into alton towers age 5 by stashing him in my daughters pushchair with a blanket on him and hood down. I carried my dd who was 3. I was also free and so was my partner as we had sun alton towers tickets. Took a pichic. Was gutted had to pay £3 for parking. Saved well over £150 ching ching lol!!

rachaelclaire1 · 16/05/2018 18:22

Most definitely- most of the major parks charge Adult prices from 12 years of age, which is just not right. Then charge way over the odds for all other consumables, once inside !! Most of the time a child of 12 does not meet most of the height restrictions either !

Passenger42 · 16/05/2018 18:24

Yes totally would, I don't like paying full price for anything! Lol. I have to be careful as my child is very proud of his age and sometimes blurts it out.

blaaake · 16/05/2018 18:26

When they were younger I did it till I couldn't get away with it anymore Grin

WalkingOnAFlashlightBeam · 16/05/2018 18:30

Yes totally would, I don't like paying full price for anything! Lol. I have to be careful as my child is very proud of his age and sometimes blurts it out

I totally get that in terms of getting bargains and coupons etc, but theft (okay, fraud)? Really?

That's like sneaking into a cinema to watch a film you've not paid for because 'I don't like paying full price for anything'. Would you do that?

Oysterbabe · 16/05/2018 18:31

No I wouldn't lie. It's no different to helping yourself to something from the gift shop.