Introducing TripMates to make group trip planning easier and prevent people going into unwanted or accidental debt

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Planning group trips can be a minefield of social anxiety and financial stress but our new online tool, www.TripMates.co.uk, aims to ease these difficulties by allowing trip organisers to manage plans anonymously and making sure everyone invited can afford and enjoy the trip that ultimately gets planned. 

How TripMates works

TripMates provides a straightforward solution by enabling trip organisers to select multiple-choice questions covering key trip aspects such as budget, destination preferences and activity ideas. Once the desired list of questions has been selected, the organiser simply needs to add in the email addresses of all those the trip planner needs to be sent to, and they’re also provided with a link they can send directly over text, WhatsApp or email.

Upon receiving an email from TripMates to confirm the trip enquiry has been set up, attendees can anonymously respond to the pre-set questions, offering their input without the fear of judgement. 

The importance of using anonymity to reduce the stress and social anxiety of saying “no” to an expensive trip or activity.

“We know that the anonymity aspect is a really important part of this tool”, said our very own resident consumer champion and money saving expert, Vix Leyton. 

“All too often people end up spending loads of money that they simply don’t have, just because they have no way to quietly and anonymously duck out of a trip they can’t afford, without being perceived to lose face. The anonymous factor was a must have for us when we were designing TripMates.co.uk.”

This approach helps planners gauge the group’s desires without anyone feeling pressured to agree to something they can’t afford or would prefer not to do. 

Participants can also select deal breakers or opt-out if their preferences aren’t met or they simply can’t attend, ensuring everyone is comfortable with the final plans.

During the setup process, a deadline can be set. After it passes, both the organiser and attendees receive an email summary of who wants to attend. This helps the organiser plan the trip based on affordability, travel distance, duration, preferred activities, and any deal breakers.

As well as allowing the organiser to provide a few options to create a more tailored trip, deal breakers include X, Y and Z.

Addressing a common money problem

The launch of TripMates was backed by our recent research that revealed a worrying trend: almost a quarter of young adults have taken out credit cards to attend social events like weddings or hen parties. The fear of seeming rude or feeling embarrassed often drives people to spend beyond their means. With TripMates, the hope is to reduce this social spending anxiety by making financial limitations a natural part of the planning conversation.

What can you plan with TripMates?

This tool is particularly useful for organising events like hen and stag dos, milestone birthdays or even golf trips. By allowing everyone to have their say in a manner that respects their financial boundaries and holiday preferences, TripMates fosters a more inclusive and financially responsible approach to group travel. At the end of the day, the goal of TripMates is to ensure that these events are enjoyable for everyone without the added burden of debt.

Vix Leyton, has the last word on why we think TripMates is such a valuable tool for weekend away and trip planners.

“Talking about money has been taboo for too long. With it being seen as crass to discuss financial situations, we all risk falling into the trap of going into debt keeping up appearances when we would prefer to spend less and are hoping someone else speaks up. Social media has pressured organisers into trying to deliver a picture-perfect experience, and in doing so they risk not having the people they want the most at the event as they are priced out, or worse, sending their friends and family into debt who want to be there for them despite the cost.”

“Hopefully this tool takes away the stress of being honest about what you can afford, and make sure any event you are organising is priced in an accessible, realistic way to get the most people there having the best time, without worrying about the financial hangover.” 

Our new online tool can be found at: www.TripMates.co.uk.