How much money do you give your new college grad a month to get started?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m planning to help cover security deposits, will likely give them a car, and maybe help furnish but I’m done after that. They are welcome to live home the first year to save up if needed, we live in the DC area.

+1 If they still need financial help, then they should be living at home. I'm sure your DC can find a job in the DC area as easily as in NYC. If they aren't getting paid enough in NYC to live there on their own without the parent's help, then they shouldn't live there.

And I say this as someone who grew up in CA, went to college there, and got my first job there. I lived with my parents for a year before I moved out on my own. I got used furniture, second hand appliances, and my parents gave me some other kitchen stuff, and that was it.

[Anonymous]

zero. My kids know other people their age who live in nicer apartments, travel more, etc. because they are still being subsidized by the Bank of Mom and Dad, but if you do that then you end up like my brother, and he's a loser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assuming no college loans to pay and kid is working a low-paying/entry level job in a high rent city like New York or San Francisco, how much do you cover financially? Rent, extras? Thinking ahead and would like to plan.

$0.

Everyone I know who picked a different number had a hard time stopping. It’s like smoking - just don’t start.

[Anonymous]

My mom bought me a mattress for a graduation present. That was nice because I was sleeping on an air mattress. Everything else was on me.

[Anonymous]

Nothing

[Anonymous]

Mine is a senior so we have been thinking about this. She will not be making big bucks because of the field she has chosen. Our support will be in the form of letting her move home for a while until she can find a safe and affordable living situation. We hope she will use that time to save her income. We won’t pay rent if she moves out (though we will always be a safety net in an emergency like a layoff or serious illness). For graduation we will probably make a few thousand dollar down payment on a car for her. She will need a car to have a job as we have no public transportation option walkable from our home and if she rents she will probably have a very long commute. Otherwise, we will help with essential medical expenses.

[Anonymous]

I would ask them to send me their budget and then work from there. This can be adjusted monthly or quarterly.
If you give too little, they may go in debt. If too much, they may get into habit of overspending.
If they bring in $3500 after taxes and rent is $2000, the rest is seems like perfect amount for living within means.

[Anonymous]

I’m planning on helping DC after graduation. They will likely live on one of the coasts and rent is high. Im thinking first last security some basic furniture and then 1k per month and ween them off as their income increases. I’ve already paid a guzzillion dollars to put them through 20 years private schools and college, why would I make them suffer now?? They just need like 3 years before their income rises to level of fully supporting themselves in a big city. I’m okay with that.

[Anonymous]

$0, though put kids will still have the car we bought them and the free education we gave them.

[Anonymous]

DD is senior (but does have fairly lucrative major). I might buy her some furniture but otherwise NO other support. It kinda pains me and she has worked every summer since 9th grade and two years part time in college but kids this days (at least my kids) need to sacrifice more! My DD spends all the money she earns getting spray tans and nails done and tons of clothes. I do not pay for this and advise her that she doesn’t need new outfit for every event but it seems they all do. She needs to align her lifestyle with her earnings-immediately. If you want to value expensive lifestyle then you better make a lot of money. Dad and Mom gravy train is over. I suppose I will hear that I raised this and that might be accurate but I never get my nails done and buy most of my clothes at Target.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m planning on helping DC after graduation. They will likely live on one of the coasts and rent is high. Im thinking first last security some basic furniture and then 1k per month and ween them off as their income increases. I’ve already paid a guzzillion dollars to put them through 20 years private schools and college, why would I make them suffer now?? They just need like 3 years before their income rises to level of fully supporting themselves in a big city. I’m okay with that.

the Bank of Mom and Dad. It's a slippery slope, and your kid won't learn to ever live within their means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m planning on helping DC after graduation. They will likely live on one of the coasts and rent is high. Im thinking first last security some basic furniture and then 1k per month and ween them off as their income increases. I’ve already paid a guzzillion dollars to put them through 20 years private schools and college, why would I make them suffer now?? They just need like 3 years before their income rises to level of fully supporting themselves in a big city. I’m okay with that.

How do you send your expressed milk to them? I'm having a hard time finding the most reliable option. Cost is not a consideration.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly every situation is different. My kid goes to a private in an expensive city and some of his friends only have what they make/made in summer and some have unlimited use of their parent's credit card. In our case, he gets 1k/month in spending money. Half from me and half from exh.

You're answering a question that wasn't asked. OP's kid is not in school.

Oh yes, I misread.

To be fair, of course you did, it’s a stupid question.

Why are people asking how much money other people are sending to employed college graduate adults?

Zero. Live within your means. Don’t like it, work to get a better job.

[Anonymous]

Zero beyond possibly giving them very used car they are driving.

[Anonymous]

Zero.

If they get cancer or need some emergency dental surgery or something, then yes I would help out.

But a perfectly healthy college grad with no student loans? Get a roommate and a subway card and a job that covers expenses.