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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to lie about my child's age?

170 replies

merrybloominchristmas · 10/02/2019 13:31

am looking at theatre website. i want to buy tickets to take my 15 year old son to see a shakespeare play tthat he is doing for GCSE.

Tickets for under 16s are 25 pound.
tickets for 16-25 year olds are 5 pound.

wtf?

would it be unreasonable to buy him a 16-25 ticket and lie?
he's nearly 16 anyway!

OP posts:
StepCatsmother · 10/02/2019 16:04

Some people don't have the luxury of having lots of surplus income

So then they don't get to do the same things as people who do.

I know that's blunt but there seems to be so much less acceptance in today's society that you need to live within your means. There will always be people who can afford things that others can't.

The fact there are people on the thread saying they don't even see why taking something without paying for it is wrong, is baffling.

MrsTerryPratcett · 10/02/2019 16:05

Who the fuck pays full price when they can get away with paying half? (Or less than half!)

I try not to lie and steal, particularly in front of children, particularly from charities. That isn't smug as much as a basic moral code.

WinterfellWench · 10/02/2019 16:13

This reply has been deleted

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WinterfellWench · 10/02/2019 16:17

@StepsCatmother

So then they don't get to do the same things as people who do.

I know that's blunt but there seems to be so much less acceptance in today's society that you need to live within your means. There will always be people who can afford things that others can't.

What a lovely attitude you have! If a family cannot afford to pay full price, they shouldn't do anything or go anywhere or enjoy anything!

I'm all right Jack, pull up the ladder. Hmm

What a thoroughly horrible post.

There but by the grace of God go you! Hmm

You are not 'blunt' you are plain rude and unpleasant.

You may as well say 'Fuck off poor people.' Confused

AssassinatedBeauty · 10/02/2019 16:20

What happened to the idea of living within your means? You're not entitled to do anything you want, money is a limiting factor for everyone.

What happened to the idea of saving up till you can afford it? Or waiting for a discount offer? Or deciding that it's not good value for money and going somewhere else that is?

NutElla5x · 10/02/2019 16:23

You'd be as stupid as the theatre's pricing system not to lie. Go for it.

BrokenWing · 10/02/2019 16:24

I don't go to these attractions because of the prices and because I don't steal.

I wasn't raised as part of this entitled selfish generation that thinks they can just take and bugger the consequences (ironically increased ticket prices) to anyone else.

StepCatsmother · 10/02/2019 16:26

That is a very odd interpretation of my post Winterfellwench Where did I say that because a family can't afford full price at one thing, they shouldn't do anything? All I said is that you live within your means.

In any event, you have no idea where I fall on the spectrum of 'haves' and 'have nots'.

There are plenty of things I cannot afford to do and plenty of things my parents could not afford for me & my siblings to do when we were young. The difference between me and some of the people on this thread is I don't stoop to fraud to have those things anyway.

There is no point in spending life moping about what you haven't got or can't have. Find other things to do that fall within your means.

RomanyQueen1 · 10/02/2019 16:27

We have this a lot as my dd attends the theatre often. We tried the schemes my dd is 15 now, but as you have to provide proof couldn't manage it, and end up paying full child place, which was still cheaper than the grown up prices. One of them said it was cheaper for the older age group as they were expected to sit i allocated seats and tweet throughout the performance.

CircleofWillis · 10/02/2019 16:40

"I realised I was wrong based on what someone posted on Mumsnet, and I changed my ways."

Actually this is true of me. I now always move into the leftmost lane when driving on the motorway unless overtaking.
I have changed my attitude to best before dates on food.
And plenty of other things.
I also own several ‘bat’ outfits which I lived in over the summer - thank you style and fashion!

MrsCasares · 10/02/2019 16:43

Theft is theft however you like to dress it up.

hotwing · 10/02/2019 17:01

The prices are probably inflated because they know people don't pay

CecilyP · 10/02/2019 17:07

Iwasn't raised as part of this entitled selfish generation that thinks they can just take and bugger the consequences (ironically increased ticket prices) to anyone else.

No it doesn't work like that. As "Winterfeall* tried to explain:

As I said (and many others have!) it's far better for a family of 4 or 5 to pay £70 in total (rather than the £100 they SHOULD have paid,) than for the zoo or attraction to get £0!

If lower income families are deterred from going at all, the zoo gets even less money and has to raise its prices even more. The fact is there isn't a limit to the numbers who can enter a zoo at any time (at least I don't think so) so people paying slightly less than they should are not taking places away from fully-paying visitors.

MrsTerryPratcett · 10/02/2019 17:20

Does that work for everything @CecilyP ?

If I go into a shop and steal a top because I know they overproduced and have loads left they aren't going to use? Or I break into your house and use your loo because no one is currently using it?

AngelaStorm73 · 10/02/2019 17:22

I certainly don't have extra money to spare (the opposite in fact) but I teach my DCs (by example) to tell the truth even if it doesn't go in your favour (which it often doesn't)

Mandraki · 10/02/2019 17:39

Happy birthday son! 16 so soon!

OwlBeThere · 10/02/2019 17:49

If you can't afford it, don't go
spoken as only someone who has income to spare.

i've lied and said my child is 2 when he was 4. not my fault the zoo in question has a daft policy where you pay once you're 3, but can't ride the rides until you're a certain height. I wasn't going to pay full price for a kid who can't use half the facilities.
so sue me.

BrokenWing · 10/02/2019 18:10

The fact is there isn't a limit to the numbers who can enter a zoo at any time (at least I don't think so)

There will be a limit for safety reasons.

You could say the same for anything. A Nike T-shirt costs pennies to make so JD Sports who sell for £25, would be just as well selling it for £15 to those that wanted the T-shirt but were only willing to pay £15 as they would still make a profit. The world doesn't work that way. They work out their costs and profit margins and come up with a price. You choose whether to pay that price or buy something else.

No excuse for stealing.

peachgreen · 10/02/2019 18:17

Cheap 16-25 tickets is a very common scheme at theatres. It's to encourage young people (who maybe don't have parents who have exposed them to the theatre as children) to get into theatre. Often it's only for holders of a 16-25 railcard but either way, proof of age will be required. Seats are usually limited so by fraudulently taking one you are preventing another 16-25 year old from getting a ticket. But I do understand why it's frustrating. It was very frustrating when I turned 26 and a lot of my friends were getting tickets for £30 or £40 less than me! But that's how it goes.

Soubriquet · 10/02/2019 18:19

I wouldn’t pay full price for my child if they can’t go on the rides they should be because of height restrictions

Original poster
merrybloominchristmas · 10/02/2019 18:22

what's frustrating is that his best friend in the same class would save 20 pound!

That's just ridiculous!

Another way that August born children are disadvantaged!

OP posts:
savingmysanity · 10/02/2019 18:28

If its the RSC key scheme they do ID check

Veterinari · 10/02/2019 18:29

I spent £40 in the gift shop last time I was there for a keyring, a cup, a couple of lollies and sweets and some drinks. I was horrified when she said “£40 please” theyre getting there money back, trust me!

You clearly have no idea how charities work. Yes there’ll be a mark up in the gift shop but essentially you’re paying for goods.

By sneaking past the gate fee you’re defrauding a charity who relies on that income to ensure good animal welfare and a living wage for their staff plus valuable research and conservation work.

If you resent paying £30 for your toddler to run past animals then go to the park and feed the ducks Confused

peachgreen · 10/02/2019 18:30

You're right to email the theatre OP, they might well agree to be flexible. Fingers crossed.

CecilyP · 10/02/2019 19:11

If I go into a shop and steal a top because I know they overproduced and have loads left they aren't going to use? Or I break into your house and use your loo because no one is currently using it?

No, of course it doesn't, Mrs Terry, I thought I made the difference clear in my post. If you steal a top, the shop no longer has that top to sell to anyone else. If an extra child enters the zoo for free, it doesn't reduce the number of other customers the zoo can sell tickets to. It also has the money from the adults and older children accompanying the child. Regarding the loo thing, I guess if they can break in without causing any damage and don't leave a mess (unlikely) I would be none the wiser!

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