Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

TO ask how much petrol money to offer for a 2hour 40 minute journey

113 replies

Heartraker · 09/04/2019 20:55

Non-driver here.

My camping group has someone offering me a lift - I’m planning to volunteer money upfront as I don’t want them to have to ask and feel awkward but not sure how much? ( on a tight budget myself) They’re also camping.

OP posts:
PeachyPrincess · 09/04/2019 21:16

Um...1hr50 x 2 isn’t 2hr40

LordWheresMyShoes · 09/04/2019 21:19

Urgh. Cross posted, didn't realise it was 1h50min each way.

Adjust my previous post as suits Blush

Original poster
Heartraker · 09/04/2019 21:23

peachy GrinShock

OP posts:
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 09/04/2019 21:23

Urgh. Cross posted, didn't realise it was 1h50min each way.

Adjust my previous post as suits blush

Me too, although I misunderstood it as 150 miles each way rather than 1h 50m. D'oh!

Alsohuman · 09/04/2019 21:24

In my car the petrol would cost around £35 for the round trip, so I’d consider an offer of £20 to be more than enough. But, if I was going anyway, I’d thank you for the kind offer and tell you to just buy me a drink.

Original poster
Heartraker · 09/04/2019 21:24

146 miles

OP posts:
QueenBeex · 09/04/2019 21:26

Id probably give £20, offer £15 if you're tight on money at the moment. I'd appreciate you even offering upfront tbh!

BarbaraofSevillle · 09/04/2019 21:29

If they're going anyway, you should pay half the petrol as a minimum but round it up to account for them doing you a favour, and the fact that petrol is a minor component of car running costs, probably around a third at most. You've also got tax, insurance, wear and tear, and possibly penalty costs if they are on a limited mileage lease plan type arrangement.

It's not the time, it's the distance, but per mile, motorways cost less than town or any other stop start driving.

If it's 300 mile round trip, the petrol alone will cost around £40-50, so maybe offer £20-30. If they're taking you and camping gear to a remote area, thats' worth quite a lot, because you won't get there easily on your own without a complicated and time consuming combination of public transport and taxis, which will cost far far more.

NuclearReactor · 09/04/2019 21:31

I would offer About £10- 15. Petrol costs £30 for me to drive 3.5 hours on a 130 mile journey so that's what I'm basing it on this.

Schuyler · 09/04/2019 21:31

Is it a 146 mile round trip?

Divgirl2 · 09/04/2019 21:46

Offer £20, if they're anything like me they'll refuse but let you treat them to lunch.

Giddyuppp · 09/04/2019 21:53

If it's approx 150 miles then that would cost approx £40 in my car. So £20 is fair. I wouldn't offer less as it's also the 'work involved in driving rather than just sitting back and relaxing while being driven plus wear and tear on car (if you want to get in-depth in terms of costs to the driver Wink)

londonrach · 09/04/2019 22:00

It cost £40 for the journary so if two £20 but check out route finder re miles.

Original poster
Heartraker · 09/04/2019 22:00

I made the offer.

The die is cast Smile

I’ll update thread later on.

Lots of helpful perspectives - power of the hive mind.

OP posts:
YouBumder · 09/04/2019 22:10

I’d probably offer £15 for a total 146 mile trip. Double if it was double.

They’re going anyway so I wouldn’t worry too much about the wear on their car. Carrying an extra passenger and their camping gear is going to be pretty negligible in terms of “wear” on the car unless OP is actually taking a caravan.

Original poster
Heartraker · 10/04/2019 00:50

went for the average, offered £17 and got turned down with “you do breakfast”.

OP posts:
Chocmallows · 10/04/2019 00:59

Sounds fair, if breakfast is cheap you could pass a bottle of wine over after the trip too.

notangelinajolie · 10/04/2019 02:19

I don't drive either. I always insist on paying for fuel. It works best if you stop off at petrol station at the start of your journey and you get out before the driver has chance to and fill up to the top.

ChocChocButtons · 10/04/2019 07:34

If costs me 50/60 quid for a full tank but that gets me a round trip of 6 hours and change.

TOADfan · 10/04/2019 07:40

If I was driving and I was going anyway I wouldn't accept anything for petrol. It's no skin of my nose to take another person.

Offering to pay for a meal is the best bet. Glad to see your friend isn't a chancer.

sashh · 10/04/2019 08:09

Ask the driver to fill up when you set off, then when you get to your destination fill up again, the second fill will be exactly the petrol used.

Pay half for that ifit just the single trip and pay the full amount if they are bringing you back.

icelollycraving · 10/04/2019 08:14

£17 is such an odd amount! You should have rounded it up.

maddening · 10/04/2019 08:16

I would say that if they fill up before you leave and fill up when finished you can split the fill up at the end.

Slicedpineapple · 10/04/2019 08:18

17 quid....that's a really odd number, round up or down! But at least they've come to an agreement with you

ShirleyPhallus · 10/04/2019 08:22

£17 is such an odd number! Why did you offer that and not £20?!

Swipe left for the next trending thread