If you do decide to enroll your oldest in private school, but not her brother, there is a risk that it could seriously damage his self-esteem, especially as he gets older. Remember, there are many ways to enrich your child’s education without going the whole pig and paying for private school.
Instead of spending that £ 16,000 a year on school fees, for example, you can spend it on private tuition, sports clubs or music lessons. In this way both children will benefit from the money and receive a better education.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below and by email [email protected].
You can also ask us (and anonymously) any question by using the email address above.
Last Week’s Moral Money: ‘I drive to work during the train strikes, can I ask my neighbors for a ride-sharing opportunity?’
Dear Moral Money,
I decided to drive in at work this week while the train strikes were going on. I live outside London, near Aylesbury, so I usually travel by rail. I wrote off any chance that I would be able to get on a train, so it looks like my commute will be a nightmare – involving two buses and a carriage and taking me at least three hours from door to door.
I complained about this last weekend at a neighbor’s garden party. Two women living on my way – and with whom I sometimes commute – were tearing their hair out over the strikes, worried about how they were going to make work. None of them own a car, so I offered them a lift during the strikes.
The problem is that it is not that convenient for me. Although they work somewhat near my offices, it will be awful to drive through London during the strikes. And with the cost of fuel being so high – it’s 165p per liter for lead – free at my local petrol station – it’s probably going to cost me at least £ 10 in petrol every day, working out to £ 40 all week. And then there is the exorbitant cost of parking.
Can I ask them to make a contribution? If I had driven some friends out of town, I would have had no trouble suggesting we split the cost. But is it too unbearable?
– Angela B, The Chilterns
Asking your neighbors to make a contribution to your management costs is definitely within your rights. With the price of fuel still soaring, driving together is not cheap at the moment. According to the latest data from the RAC, the average petrol price currently stands at 186.59p per liter, an increase of about 50p since last year, while diesel stands at 192.48p.
Time is money, too, and during the UK’s biggest rail strike in decades, a detour to their workplaces can significantly lengthen your journey, given the huge increase in traffic. The AA warns that major city routes will be extremely busy.
All in all, it just seems fair to have your neighbors turn on. But we all know that relationships with neighbors can be difficult. You may decide that it’s not worth the hassle of having a good conversation over the garden fence for the rest of the summer.
Maybe, instead of charging them a fee, you could offer to drive your neighbors just a short distance into town. Alternatively, could you ask them to return the favor and give you a lift at some point in the future?
Whatever you decide, you need to do what you can to reduce your fuel costs. To begin with, it is usually cheaper to refill your tank at the supermarket. You can also try to drive more efficiently to reduce the amount of fuel used.
Poll Results: Should our reader ask their neighbors for a ride-sharing opportunity?
Yes – it’s a big question, so downloading them is only fair – 77 pieces
Yes – but it should only be a drawing amount – 11 pieces
No – they should rather ask for a favor – 4pc
No – it’s not worth it to sour relationships with their neighbors – 8pc