Do you charge for Gasoline?

[Benny367]

I just got back from a trip with a friend of mine and my brother.

On this trip I incurred a $360.00 gasoline bill and I am debating whether or not to ask them to split the cost of fuel with me 3 ways. They both stayed in my RV for the duration of the trip and we all spilt the cost of the campground 3 ways. My wife thinks I am being cheap by even thinking of asking to split the fuel bill 3 ways. All 3 of us guys all make about the same money and I was the poor guy that spent 3 days washing and then rubbing out the RV before the trip so that she would be all "pretty" for our trip. I also cleaned the interior before and after the trip. I sometimes feel that I am being used in that when it comes time to washing or waxing the RV nobody ever seems to have the time but they always have time to take a trip with me in my RV.

Am I being petty in considering that we split the fuel costs for the trip 3 ways? What would you do? What do you do when you are in this situation?

[SarahW]

I have never been in your situation. However if I invite someone, I consider them my guest and would not ever ask for any compensation. If you all planned the trip together, the expenses should have been worked out in advance. JMO, of course.

[Ramblin]

If I was a guest in your RV for a 3 day camping trip, I would OFFER to pay for fuel, you would not have to ask me for it. I think you're right to expect them to split the fuel if splitting expenses was the agreement. Gas ain't cheap, but your friends might be.

[flaggship1]

This sort of thing - fuel especially - should be worked out before hand - if it has to be worked out at all. They know the thing needs fuel and should have offered to split it. Then you could have taken the $ or declined. I would decline. I also would not expect them to clean up on either end if the trip.

When you have guests to the house for dinner, does your wife have the other wives come over and vacuum and clean the bathrooms before and after while you and the husbands mow the grass and clean the pool.

[army]

I think Sarah W hit the nail on the head. IMHO, you invited your friends, thus they are your guests. If you had not invited them, your gas expenses would have been the same. If in the future you choose to invite guests, the financial arrangements, if any, should be understood in advance.

[TRAILERKING]

Sounds like "Free-Loaders" to me. Remember you've always "Got Freinds That Haven't Used You Yet".

[jfran304]

Your friends sound like my In-Laws. They seem to think their presence is payment enough.

I personally feel that all costs should be split equally unless it was a trip that I was going to make anyway and invited them along for company.

Jon

[danes-on-tour]

Originally Posted by SarahW

I have never been in your situation. However if I invite someone, I consider them my guest and would not ever ask for any compensation. If you all planned the trip together, the expenses should have been worked out in advance. JMO, of course.

I have to go with Sarah on this one.

If this is really good friends they will understand to make it up to you and treat you some other time.

I normally say to my friends: "When you are at my place your money is no good". I am sure that evens it self out somehow somewhere. Having said that, I am a lot better at giving than receiving.

[GSGracie]

The OP doesn't say he "invited" them on his trip. Why would they split the campground fees if that was the case? If costs are going to be divided up, fuel is definitely one of them! It would not be reasonable to divide up tyre wear, depreciation, oil, registration and insurance costs, just the actual costs incurred on the trip. When I take my golf buddies out of town in my car to a distant golf course, they either give me gas money, or pay my green fees at the course in recognition of my transport costs. More importantly, I don't have to ask for this, they offer. Might be the last trip you take with these "friends"?

[Benny367]

Originally Posted by army

I think Sarah W hit the nail on the head. IMHO, you invited your friends, thus they are your guests. If you had not invited them, your gas expenses would have been the same. If in the future you choose to invite guests, the financial arrangements, if any, should be understood in advance.

Yes I did invite them and we agreed to split the costs for the campground 3 ways but I did not bring up the cost of fuel because the truth of the matter is that the cost of gas/ driving with just me or with 2 additional people is pretty much the same so I wasn't intitially concerned with being remibursed for fuel. But the fact is that their lodging costs of staying in my RV were a fraction of what it would of cost if they stayed in a hotel or motel. I guess I am just sick of being a maid cleaning up after other people's messes in my RV and then having to foot the bill for fuel.

[Benny367]

Originally Posted by GSGracie

The OP doesn't say he "invited" them on his trip. Why would they split the campground fees if that was the case? If costs are going to be divided up, fuel is definitely one of them! It would not be reasonable to divide up tyre wear, depreciation, oil, registration and insurance costs, just the actual costs incurred on the trip. When I take my golf buddies out of town in my car to a distant golf course, they either give me gas money, or pay my green fees at the course in recognition of my transport costs. More importantly, I don't have to ask for this, they offer. Might be the last trip you take with these "friends"?

I am the one that organized the trip and offered the use of my RV.
I made the campground reservations and all of the other reservations for the rentals of Dunebuggys and Mopeds etc.and again the cost of all these activities were to be split 3 ways (Which they were) but I did not bring up the cost of fuel.

[Grimesy]

Perhaps the fueling should take place after all the friends are loaded and you are enroute. This to me would be a hint that there are other expenses, just not camping fees. Seems to me that the cost of the camping fees should have been comped to you. Might also do a "My back is going to be aching when we get home and I need to clean the rig".

Nuf Sed !!!

Don G.

[Brockx]

Since it appears you are unhappy and feel used. I suggest the following: next time all three of you throw $250 in a hat and draw for all expenses from there, replenish if needed, split what is left by 3.

[Maladjusted]

Anytime we do a guys trip... the fuel gets split 3 ways, as does all of the ancillary trip expenses. CG fees, tolls, beer and food.

I pay for the expense of using the coach (there is a per mile expense for using any over the road vehicle or airplane or boat for that matter).

Mal