National Trust lifetime membership a good deal?

bobbie78

Hi I'm not sure if this is the right board or not but here's my question.

I'm considering buying a lifetime membership for my house mate and I to national trust. My house mate has a 3 year old son but it wouldn't let me choose the family package as they don't let you put in date's of births for under 5's. So I guess I can only get joint lifetime membership for now or waste a couple of years money till he is 5. I just wondered had anyone bought this and if they had have they tried upgrading it to include children when they are old enough. Also as it is lifetime joint or family membership with named people if we fall out for what ever reason (we are only house mate's not a couple) how do you think that would work. I know I can ring national trust and ask just wondered what others thought about this and it is too late to ring right now and their website doesn't seem to have very detailed t's and c's as far as I can see.

As we are 25 and 28 and go every other week to different parks so his son can have a run around etc. currently surely it would pay for itself in 20 years if they don't put the prices up which they will, and then I'll have somewhere to go and keep warm in winter when I'm old and can't pay for my own heating

Clowance

If the only reason you go is to take the son, and you would probably stop if not for that: well I predict that by the time the son is 11 or so (8 years) then that is how long you would get use of it as they won't be interested in a "run around" by then. Also it is usually a lot cheaper or free to access the grounds and not the building of any property, so my feeling is you probably wouldn't get value for money. Mind you,I don't know how much lifetime membership is, but think it is several hundred quid.
I did know someone who had it but it was bought years and years ago and obviously didn't cost so much then, she went to properties only a few times a year.
Why not buy just annual membership and see how it goes?

moanymoany

My dh bough me life membership when we had dd. We use it in phases, but we have had our money's worth from it over 32 years. I foresee more use when we retire.

You can take one person in with you on single person life membership.

I think the buying a year to try it out is a good one. It will give the opportunity to check out the local area - also log how many times/how much it would cost to pay to get in.

ps The woman who lived on £1 a day bought her brother and his wife life membership as a wedding present.

Sooler

Have you seen this thread?

Legitimate 75% off annual National Trust membership

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=831225

MGTF_2

The other half and myself both took out single memberships earlier this year for the NT via quidco. we received £20 cash back on each membership (£40).

Can not remember the exact cost but worked out something like £12 for the Year each, plus we both received a free NT ground rug...

This deal was posted on this site at the time....

bobbie78

Hi,

Thank you for your responses. I had seen the new zeland thread however it seems to me, please correct me if you think this is wrong, that if a joint lifetime membership is £1,350 and a yearly equivalent is currently £57.75 by dd then even if they didn't put the price up (which they will with inflation etc) after 23 years everything after that would be free. I understand what people are saying about the son growing out of it, but I think if it was there to use when ever you wanted without having to think about the cost in the future, as there are quite a few places locally where we live, we'd end up going as it would be a "free" day out.

As you can never tell what will happen in the future job wise etc, just knowing that there is an option to go out and not have to hunt around each year for the best deal or have that cost each year am I missing something as to why paying for it now while I have the cash to do it is a bad idea? Like I said before at least then if/when we're old we still have somewhere to go that's a day out for free.

I guess they could make it all free like they did the museums in london, or they could close down or something that is always a risk that I'd loose money then but it is also for charity and maintaining these beautiful places so I don't begrudge them that money no matter how money saving it is I guess - not that I'm saying people that sign up for a year or something on a cheap deal are doing this, I take advantage of deals where I can and everyone spends their money in the best ways they can to get by, but I look at the membership as not just entry and as maintenance as well.

It is like bletchley park which is desperate for funding and only has a 10 quid a year membership, I'd gladly pay more to make sure that place stays open for the next generation but I don't know if they will make it.

Sorry this has gone off topic a bit. So just for financials I guess anyone think of any reason apart from them going bust or something or me dropping dead in a year as to why this isn't worth doing?

I've emailed them for more detailed t's and c's so I guess I'll have to wait for that information to come through still before I have a clearer picture.

Bongedone

Sooler wrote: »

Have you seen this thread?

Legitimate 75% off annual National Trust membership

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=831225

Thanks for pointing that out. Bargain at that price.

I was in Bath at the weekend and they charge £10 per person to go on the site seeing bus but only £5 with NT membership card.

HairyHatMan

From a moneysaving point of view, buying life membership is a very long term investment with possibly little gain. If you put the £1350 into some kind of savings account, it only needs to pay 4.2% net interest to pay the £57 for annual membership, plus, you've still got your money!


As the years pass, the membership fees will undoubtedly increase, meaning that you'll have to add to your savings for the interest to pay for the yearly membership, but there may be years when you don't want membership, or the interest earned is higher than the annual fee.

In any case 20 odd years before you break even on an 'investment' is a very poor return.

However, the NT depends on funding from its membership and if you think it is a worthwhile cause and want to contribute, there is no better way.

We bought life membership with money we received as a gift and wanted to do something meaningful with it that would have longevity. We use it at least half a dozen times a year and enjoy visiting places when we're passing (you can always find an NT property for a picnic en-route to somewhere) or on holiday without ever having to consider paying at the door or annually - it's just always there, which makes a big difference to how you view the membership.

So, financial investment, no. Lifestyle choice, yes!

keith99_2

I am an annual member and after a few visits the card more than pays for itself if you are a regular visitor as i am.
Be advised that in the link about the NZ card, the reduced price for NT DD payments applies to first year only.

cmh4135

We have a lifetime card and I'd agree it's a lifestyle thing. we don't use service stations on long journeys, we divert to an NT place.

If we're stuck for something to do, we'll find an NT place.

Our card was bought for my hubby when he was 5 years old. Almost 30 years later I can say that we've got value for money!