Real life MMD: Should SIL help with fuel?

esthomizzy

Unless I was completely skint. I probably wouldn't ask for the cash but if she's reasonable (and if she wasn't there's no way I'd want her on holiday with me anyway) I would in all likelihood expect that she would offer and if she didn't then I'd feel morally superior for being less stingy and let it go anyway.

Mappie

I think Scrimperdave has it nailed to a point - but I would bring up the subject when you are next having a laugh and not when you are arguing over which restauraunt to stop at. The numbers in all these posts are not quite proportionate though. One man and two ladies! That is one share for the man and two each for the ladies (the amount of luggage and not the build!), So she ought to pay two fifths, not half or a third as most have suggested. I bet, if she has any sense, she will be using this site and she will have read all the posts here and will offer to stump up a "share" before you even ask. I would not expect her to pay part of the vehicle hire unless the insurance is high and she will be a named driver....

kalpsn2000

Normally you would expect 3 people going on holiday together to share the cost equally.

But then it can depend on situations and the relationship between the people.

Usually I only go on holiday with friends and family that I would not have to ask to contribute to/split joint costs, they would offer.

So I would expect her to offer to split/contribute the car hire and fuel costs, but only you would know if she is likely to.

But at the end of the day its a holiday and you don't want to spoil it over small issues (especially as you had already booked the car and were expecting to cover the fuel yourself).

dnsey

If you (or at least your wife) don't know your SIL well enough to discuss the issue with her before the holiday, do you think it's wise to take the holiday together in the first place?
It's just a case, when discussing other arrangements, of asking 'What shall we do about fuel?.

annbar_2

We travel with family members all the time we just split everything seven ways if there a seven of us or three ways if three & so on Including the children. This covers fuel, food etc all goes onto credit cards then get the bills at the end and it usually works out fine We have never had any problems over this. If we have a villa then we split that into one family pays one week the other pays second. we certainly dont sit in resturants with the calculater out how embarassing that is we have seen it happen. in this case surely you should have talked about this before even you bought the flights!!
If there is single person room supplements then we just split whole cost between the three of us! Its a holiday Enjoy it! we toured USA for three weeks great way to see it only one driver though!! Me Ha.

oldandwise

I just don't understand the modern generation. You were going to have to pay for the car whether your sister-in-law went or not so what is the problem, it's famiy for goodness sake. I have to say I do enjoy MMT even though I never actually use it as I was brought up to pay as you go. It's quite interesting to see the mess some people get themselves into. We had to manage without a guru like Martin.
But then life was much simpler then, if we hadn't the money we didn't get it, we didn't have to have the latest thing at whatever price.
Methuselah:T

zzzLazyDaisy

I would say yes to her contributing 1/3 of the petrol (why would you even think she should pay half??).

As far as the car is concerned - unless you are strapped for cash, I would swallow the cost of the car hire, as you would have had to pay that anyway, but more importantly, it appears that the decision about which car to hire was your decision, and she was not consulted.

As others have pointed out, she has probably had to fork out extra in accommodation costs, as single travellers get hit for single room supplements. While this is not your problem, it is a consideration, and ultimately this is a family holiday not a business arrangement.

jgriggle

If it was me I wouldn't expect her to chip in, as it's an expense I would have incurred whether or not she was there.

I'd be mighty miffed if she didn't offer though.

macavity

yes. and 1/3. easy dilemma.

stmartinsdiver

As you would have had the car and fuel costs anyway I'd not worry too much about sharing the hire costs. It would not be unreasonable to ask for a contribution towards fuel costs - just ask if she is happy with contrbuting 1/3 of these costs.
She may also offer to share hire costs at this point, but if she does'nt then at least you still have a saving on what you would have spent on fuel so you would all still benefit from a sharing arrangement.