[J.G.M]

Okay, my mates just got a car and is learning to drive over the summer and will hopefully be driving it after summer

Anyway, he's gonna be giving me lifts too and from school most days - used to get a bus which was £2 one way (maybe not everyday as he can sometimes leave early and i cant, and vice versa, so i wont be getting a lift back home from him about 1-3 times a week)

now im not cheap so i'll be chiping in petrol money but im not sure how much i should give? i dont want to be paying so much that'll cover all his petrol, but i dont want to give too little (btw, we live very close so he doesnt have to go out of his way atall, im on the way to his house infact) and incase you think it'd be a factor, he's pretty loaded and me, not so much - hence why i've got no car

so how much do you reckon i should chip in a week?

btw, the car is an old mini (dunno what the milage is like) and the journey is 4 miles one way

[UPPSY]

you can’t legal buy him petrol or ‘put in for it’ but you could maybe give him some beer money.
check it out with a lawyer or the cops they will tell you the same

[Kage]

I used this:

http://www.fuel-economy.co.uk/calc.shtml

With the rates we get at petrol stations around here (130 to even 139 in some places) I've chosen 135 as it is probably the average if he may need to change between petrol stations.

With a mini, I don't know what MPG it will do, but I've chosen 50, but it depends what the run contains. Motorways or roads?

With these factors, a 4 mile trip would cost 49p, so if used all 5 days - £2.45 and 3 times on the way back - £1.47 = £3.92 a week.

If its more powerful, it may only do 30mpg for example on standard roads with traffic, so that would be 82p per journey or £4.10 if used 5 times.
and 3 times on the way back - £2.46 = £6.56 a week.

Thing is, I don't even consider the price to do this when picking up a mate, etc. I just do it, but if its going to be a regularly thing, he probably would have to.

BUT seeing as you said he lives pretty close, you could probably pretty much halve that a week, in each instance, but I probably wouldn't even bother charging you.

[J.G.M]

Cheers kage, that's really helpful

I think i'll just ask him if he expects me to chip in and if so just agree on a value since it'll be a regular thing, but i'lll use that website as guide

[Mr Bee]

If I were you, I would just give him a fiver a week? Maybe £7.50 depending on how enjoyable the journey is

[JC.]

50mpg from a mini? Try 35!
It's an A series not a two stroke!

[katyness]

(Original post by J.G.M)
Okay, my mates just got a car and is learning to drive over the summer and will hopefully be driving it after summer

Anyway, he's gonna be giving me lifts too and from school most days - used to get a bus which was £2 one way (maybe not everyday as he can sometimes leave early and i cant, and vice versa, so i wont be getting a lift back home from him about 1-3 times a week)

now im not cheap so i'll be chiping in petrol money but im not sure how much i should give? i dont want to be paying so much that'll cover all his petrol, but i dont want to give too little (btw, we live very close so he doesnt have to go out of his way atall, im on the way to his house infact) and incase you think it'd be a factor, he's pretty loaded and me, not so much - hence why i've got no car

so how much do you reckon i should chip in a week?

btw, the car is an old mini (dunno what the milage is like) and the journey is 4 miles one way

I'll be honest, I don't have good advice to give you or numbers on how much you should give.

But as someone pointed out a calculator thingy I thought I should share this: my mum always complain that people are skint with petrol money and forget that the car is not just petrol! So if petrol turns out to be £10, I'd give £15.

[x Danny]

I'd just give him a fiver or something, I wouldn't bother working it out to the penny. Whenever I take someone I don't think of the money, unless it doesn't benefit me (like bringing mate home from Uni), other than that I rarely ask for money if I'm going there/that way anyway but to be polite £5-10 or maybe his breakfast or something will suffice?

[squeakysquirrel]

(Original post by J.G.M)
Okay, my mates just got a car and is learning to drive over the summer and will hopefully be driving it after summer

Anyway, he's gonna be giving me lifts too and from school most days - used to get a bus which was £2 one way (maybe not everyday as he can sometimes leave early and i cant, and vice versa, so i wont be getting a lift back home from him about 1-3 times a week)

now im not cheap so i'll be chiping in petrol money but im not sure how much i should give? i dont want to be paying so much that'll cover all his petrol, but i dont want to give too little (btw, we live very close so he doesnt have to go out of his way atall, im on the way to his house infact) and incase you think it'd be a factor, he's pretty loaded and me, not so much - hence why i've got no car

so how much do you reckon i should chip in a week?

btw, the car is an old mini (dunno what the milage is like) and the journey is 4 miles one way

It is no wonder there is an obesity crisis in this country - 4 miles one way. You should be cycling or walking. I cycle 4 miles to work - takes me half an hour and I go slowly. No petrol costs, no car park costs and I am fitter as a result. Walking takes 45 mins.

[Palatial Veranda]

Ah, that's simple and straightforward. I usually just base my petrol money donations on the following:

[FXX]

I'd say a tenner a week if it's only for the 24 miles per week to and from school. As someone above said it isn't just petrol costs involved in running a car and you should expect to pay for the convenience of a taxi service.

How much money he has is irrelevant. Unless he tells you he'll do it for nothing, you should pay him properly.

[mphysical]

4 miles one way. You should be cycling or walking. I cycle 4 miles to work - takes me half an hour and I go slowly. No petrol costs, no car park costs and I am fitter as a result. Walking takes 45 mins.

No-one walks 4 miles in 45 minutes.
You cycle at 8 miles per hour, about right, but walk at 5.3 mph no way!

[NOBODY MOVE!]

just buy for them a lunch :}

[ROG.]

Bus fare you say is £2 for a one way trip so as it is only 4 miles then £1 a trip will cover all his fuel costs for that 4 mile trip and save you £1 per trip

He saves on fuel and you save on fares

[SillyEddy]

(Original post by UPPSY)
you can’t legal buy him petrol or ‘put in for it’ but you could maybe give him some beer money.
check it out with a lawyer or the cops they will tell you the same

I presume that's because of 'for hire' or 'commercial' insurance reasons.


On the DirectGov website, this also comes up:

"Insurance and car sharing

The Association of British Insurers says that car sharing won't affect the insurance of their members as long as:

the vehicle seats no more than eight passengers
a profit isn't made from any payment by passengers

However, if you have any concerns, you should check with your insurance company, as terms and conditions may vary between insurance providers."


So long as it's 'not for profit' then chipping in with the fuel should be fine. Which isn't a finite answer, but pretty much covers it.


A fiver a week sounds fair. It depends how far out of the way it is for them though. If you live next door, then slap them if they ever ask for money from you!

[sweety0471]

some people have given an indication, but you could always use the AA route planner or google maps to find an average cost, and go half of that or something.

Alternatively, you could ask the person giving lifts what you could give them and come to some agreement. Even if it is something like buy them a drink (if you're both over 18) each week or some other agreement

[initiation]

I would say go for £5/week unless you are always running late and he has to travel far of his original route. Ask though and if he says no then atleast still get the occasional treat like some sweets or a pint etc...

[flying plum]

When I was working, we used to reimburse participants 20p per mile, and staff members 40p per mile. I tend to go somewhere in the middle when I'm working this out for friends and go at 30p - to cover both petrol and some of the wear-and-tear on the car.

So, for you, that would be (8*30p)/2, so £1.20 each day. Ask you friend if that sounds fair - £6 a week. Or just offer him a fiver...

[James']

£10 a week sounds fair.

[shaun12345]

Lifts between friends is nothing. Just offer to buy something for him whenever you're out somewhere and when you pass always offer up a lift