MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. What's the price of romance?

jetfighter

Yes, he should take her, and no, he shouldn't tell her how much it cost him! He should also learn to research stuff beforehand to check prices before making promises. :rolleyes:

civil_disobedience

He should of used the Flight Checker to get two return tickets for under a fiver. :money:

flokie

£300 return in 2nd class? That's surely the most expensive it can get. When that happens there's got to be Leisure Select tickets on some trains on the same day for a similar price. If Edward is going to pay £600 for 2 Eurostar tickets, he'd better make sure that includes champagne and a nice 3 course meal
Or try and check prices for a return the next day, or a departure a day earlier and see if the price difference is big enough to pay for the extra hotel night.

dodgster

There's more to life than saving money at every turn... He promised it, he can afford it, he should deliver on it. Nothing to discuss.

debholt

I'm having a similar experience myself at the moment. I'm taking my other half away to Edinburgh in December for his 30th - he picked the venue as he's not one for surprises. I booked the hotel with Travelodge (£19.50 a night in the sale - bargain!) in June then researched train fares/flights. I found that we could go first class by train for £21.50 each/each way. I set a reminder in my calendar for 12 weeks before we went to book the train tickets - and have been trying to book them since last Wednesday. They are still advertised for £21.50 on various sites yet each time I try and book them, the request is refused.

I eventually called the train company yesterday and was told that ticket was no longer available (despite it still being advertised on their site) and the next cheapest first class tickets were £34.00 each. I told them I would keep looking. I then went back to the various sites but the next cheapest first class ticket I could find (other than the not available yet still showing £21.50 ticket) was £258 each/each way on the Trainline site and £301 in total on the Raileasy site. We don't want to travel standard class as I've done this before and ended up standing most of the way. We don't want to change the times as we want to leave as early as possible on the day we go and as late as possible on the day we come back.

Therefore, if Edward's situation is anything like mine, it's likely he did do his research in advance but has been thwarted by a very dubious (and I suspect, possibly illegal) pricing structure.

Anyhow, I talked it over with the other half and we've decided to fly instead - £135 return for both of us!

focus888

I think if he didnt tell her a specific date then he can get away with buying tickets for when it will be the cheaper price. Then at least he can still tell her the date that he booked them for so she can still look forward to it. Instead of just backing out of it completely!

CutTheJargon

If I was the girlfriend (and being a bit of a Money Saver myself), I would rather he was honest about the situation.

Surely if she was worth taking to Paris, then they could discuss such things. I would say it was a lovely, romantic thought, but let's get our heads together and book it for a less expensive date. Then using a bit of the money saved, we could go for a curry on my Birthday. After all, it's about being with the one you love - wherever!!

signol

Firstly, to all those who said fly - the original problem is that flights are also more expensive.
I'd still offer to take her, but another way... either take Eurolines (from £25 book in advance, or walk up for £42 each way) or maybe drive and take a ferry accross the channel. Even driving for two might be cheaper than £300.

signol

CutTheJargon

Sheepster wrote: »

A quick look at the AA shows there's a Paris just outside of Blackburn, Lancs, so he could be a total tightwad and take her there

Have you ever actually risked doing something like this yourself?
If so, would love to know the outcome :eek:

minerva_windsong

'For' her birthday implies they could go whenever they so chose. I've done plenty of things - trips to London, dinners out, shopping trips etc - 'for' my birthday, but not actually on my birthday. If he hasn't specified a weekend then they could go

Personally if it was me I wouldn't let him pay for both of us and would insist on paying for at least some of it - maybe saying, "You get the flights/Eurostar, I'll get the hotel" or some such. But then that is probably because neither me nor my boyfriend have much money and also I like my independence, so I wouldn't feel happy letting him pay for everything.

In this case though, unless it was really going to stretch my finances for some time afterwards, I'd cough up the £300. Or alternatively, book the cheapo £59 tickets for another weekend and say the original weekend was sold out. That way he's keeping the promise and saving money, and everyone wins. And hopefully he's learnt not to make rash promises!