Train Season Ticket - Loan / Credit Card???

Bravehearted_2

l_eemac wrote: »

You are looking at London Midland prices that don't get you into London till after 9. Scroll down for the Virgin rate....

And it's not as though you work right at Euston. There may be the underground to factor in.

I do this as well - still on the 2143 now - although lucky enough to be able to expense it AND have a rail card- still comes in over 600 pm.

The commute can be hell though, my hip is killing me!

malcolmffc

Apply for a 0% balance transfer cards, and a couple of cashback cards with 5% intro deals. Split the cost of the ticket on the cashback cards then BT it.

opinions4u

Many employers offer interest free season ticket loans.

It might be worth investigating.

ReadingTim

l_eemac wrote: »

If i buy a yearly ticket i could save about a £150 a month

Is an annual season ticket really £1,800 more expensive than 12 monthly tickets?!? I can't quite believe that to be honest... £150 overall might be more believable, but even that's pushing it, based on my experiences doing Reading to London...

There are also a couple of other things to consider:

1 - buying a monthly (or slightly longer, odd period ones) allows you to avoid bank holidays, your summer holidays etc - all times you won't be travelling.

2 - unless you buy it year on year, you might not benefit from the discounts on renewal offered by train companies when they fail to meet their performance targets (punctuality etc). A monthly allows you to benefit from that sooner than you would normally.

3 - risk of loss (as other posters have mentioned), plus wear and tear - getting a new ticket issued when the current one is dog-eared and faded seems to be a right pain, even when the ticket office is open....

jon142

Amex Platnium cashback card might help,

First £2,000 is 5% cashback so would be - £100

Then the other £7000 would be 1.25% - £87.50

So at least your getting something back. and you could spend all your other expenditure on it too.

Cashback isn't capped with the AMEX and it will boost your credit rating, plus it doesn't matter about credit limit as you can pay the AMEX off weekly.

Personally speaking £9,000 a 0% is a big ask. maybe MBNA would be the best to go for as they give big limits.

molerat

The world has gone mad, needing to earn £16k at basic rate tax just to get to work then £12k for average rent, no wonder people stay on benefits !!

dalesrider

opinions4uv & BookWorm

l_eemac wrote: »

and the company i work for doesn't offer a loan scheme.

Thanks!

From the 1st post......

BookWorm

dalesrider wrote: »

opinions4uv & BookWorm



From the 1st post......

Whoops missed that

xgingerx

Hi, i pay 152/month so x12 is 1824, if i pay for the year its 1584 so saving 240 a year / 20 per month, so saving if im correct 13% BUT i only work 48 weeks of the year so actually im my case im better off just buying my monthly season ticket or in the months I have a holiday just buying the weekly ticket.

So what im trying to say is MAYBE paying monthly isnt much of a difference overall once you take into account holidays when you wont be travelling??

ChrisRFincham

My season ticket from Coventry to London is £8k + p.a. My employer can loan me up to £5k tax free and I have to find the rest. Not exactly the same subject but does anyone know if in the last budget HMRC are planning to raise the tax free amount on a season ticket loan from £5000 up to £10,000 from next year? I've heard this might be the case but cannot get anyone to verify it. Thanks