Parents, How Much $ Did/Will You Allocate for Allowance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$0. They are responsible for their personal expenses. We pay for tuition, R&B and books.

This. I have twins who are rising juniors. I also provide them with used cars, and they pay for gas with money from summer work and the occasional school year odd job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is a rising senior in LA and is on the college dance team. We send $400 per month for weekend recreation including movies/meals/food deliveries and it also covers two bi-weekly visits to the hair salon plus pop ups for dance supplies. She uses her summer intern salary for fun, books, clothes and a spring break trip. Our other DD (rising soph) is in a small college town and spends 25.00 per weekend plus money for two bi-weekly salon visits. She is a D-1 athlete and has little free time. She does not have a summer job. We purchase all her clothes.

Ugh, DD is heading to USC and I've been afraid she may need closer to $400 per month vs what some other pps are sending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus christ. I did not know it was a thing to send your college aged children (who by the way, are ADULTS) pocket money. This generation is screwed.

I went to college in the 80s and got an allowance then. I make c.$500k/year now so it didn't dampen my ambition or lead to a life of leisure.

I do draw the line at biweekly salon visits for college students though. I'm lucky to get to the salon every 2 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus christ. I did not know it was a thing to send your college aged children (who by the way, are ADULTS) pocket money. This generation is screwed.

I went to college beginning in 1994, and my parents sent me money each month. They did not want me to work during my freshman year of college. I had worked 19 -24 hours a week since I was 14 and during summers would work a full time job during the day and a part time job at night and on weekends. They just recognized that going to college was a big change and wanted me to focus on that.

Who said they have to work during the school year? They can earn money in the summer and over break for their personal expenses. That is what my sister and I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is a rising senior in LA and is on the college dance team. We send $400 per month for weekend recreation including movies/meals/food deliveries and it also covers two bi-weekly visits to the hair salon plus pop ups for dance supplies. She uses her summer intern salary for fun, books, clothes and a spring break trip. Our other DD (rising soph) is in a small college town and spends 25.00 per weekend plus money for two bi-weekly salon visits. She is a D-1 athlete and has little free time. She does not have a summer job. We purchase all her clothes.

Is this a joke??

[Anonymous]

^ No. It's about $75 per weekend (they take cabs everywhere) and $45 (plus tip) for the two salon visits. Also, DD keeps water, sports drinks and cereal/snacks in her mini refrigerator.

My other daughter is fine with the $25 per weekend (includes the above stocking of refrigerator) and hair maintenance is about $30 plus tip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ No. It's about $75 per weekend (they take cabs everywhere) and $45 (plus tip) for the two salon visits. Also, DD keeps water, sports drinks and cereal/snacks in her mini refrigerator.

I guess proving the old USC nickname - University of Spoiled Children.

[Anonymous]

^She does not attend USC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$0. They are responsible for their personal expenses. We pay for tuition, R&B and books.

This is my plan for our teens as well. They will be responsible for their personal expenses. These can be paid for with money earned through summer jobs. Or they can get a part-time job at college. If they need clothes, they will buy them themselves or they can let me know they'd like clothing for Christmas/birthdays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ No. It's about $75 per weekend (they take cabs everywhere) and $45 (plus tip) for the two salon visits. Also, DD keeps water, sports drinks and cereal/snacks in her mini refrigerator.

My other daughter is fine with the $25 per weekend (includes the above stocking of refrigerator) and hair maintenance is about $30 plus tip.

What is happening at these salon trips? I am fascinated.

[Anonymous]

OP disregard all the I walked 5 miles in bare feet and flipped burgers through college talk unless that's what you expect your son or daughter to do in college. You know what you spend on your child for clothing, entertainment, food and transportation. Apply that formula to college and you'll come up with a corresponding allowance. The kid at Montgomery College or UMD or George Mason won't have the same expenses as the kid at Brown, Bowdoin, Bucknell or BC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP disregard all the I walked 5 miles in bare feet and flipped burgers through college talk unless that's what you expect your son or daughter to do in college. You know what you spend on your child for clothing, entertainment, food and transportation. Apply that formula to college and you'll come up with a corresponding allowance. The kid at Montgomery College or UMD or George Mason won't have the same expenses as the kid at Brown, Bowdoin, Bucknell or BC.

OP here and I definitely plan to ignore those posts-although I absolutely expected them.

I'm always amazed that some parents think that creating hardship for their children is somehow better for them in the long run. In my opinion, if you have children who are doing the right thing by going to college (and likely did the right thing all along to get to that point), you should support them and do what you can to help make that time as easy as possible. Being a full-time college student requires a lot. If the children can relax a bit or work during the summer for spending money that's great. But my parents supported me during my 4 years of college without requiring me to get a job and it made that time so much easier.

There will be enough hardships waiting for our children when they graduate and go out into the real world for a job. There's no need to manufacture it for them.

That said, I do take small issue with your contention that students at some schools will need more than others. I think that for the most part, the expenses are the same. If room/board and a meal plan are provided, the name of the school doesn't matter. If anything, I'd think location matters more. The kid going to school in New York would likely need more spending money than the kid at Brown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP disregard all the I walked 5 miles in bare feet and flipped burgers through college talk unless that's what you expect your son or daughter to do in college. You know what you spend on your child for clothing, entertainment, food and transportation. Apply that formula to college and you'll come up with a corresponding allowance. The kid at Montgomery College or UMD or George Mason won't have the same expenses as the kid at Brown, Bowdoin, Bucknell or BC.

OP here and I definitely plan to ignore those posts-although I absolutely expected them.

I'm always amazed that some parents think that creating hardship for their children is somehow better for them in the long run. In my opinion, if you have children who are doing the right thing by going to college (and likely did the right thing all along to get to that point), you should support them and do what you can to help make that time as easy as possible. Being a full-time college student requires a lot. If the children can relax a bit or work during the summer for spending money that's great. But my parents supported me during my 4 years of college without requiring me to get a job and it made that time so much easier.

There will be enough hardships waiting for our children when they graduate and go out into the real world for a job. There's no need to manufacture it for them.

That said, I do take small issue with your contention that students at some schools will need more than others. I think that for the most part, the expenses are the same. If room/board and a meal plan are provided, the name of the school doesn't matter. If anything, I'd think location matters more. The kid going to school in New York would likely need more spending money than the kid at Brown.

+1

I went to school in the late 80's (sigh…I'm old) and my parents sent me an allowance then. I also worked on campus and in the summers for extra money, but I went to school in an urban environment where doing just about anything cost more than friends who were in rural places. My parents always said that it was their job to "set me up for success". Although I was expected to contribute with jobs in the summer for some extras, my parents felt strongly that my concentration should be on school work. In fact, they weren't thrilled that I was working during school since they thought I should just be doing school work. I will be doing the same for my DD who is going off to school in the fall. She is there for school work and has worked very hard through her years to get where she is. I am also lucky to be able to financially support her and plan to do so while I am able. I do not plan to manufacture hardship and trouble to just make a point…of course, as she goes through school and situations change (either for her or me) we will re-evaluate how much is given (i.e. if she gets a paid internship during school then she will not need as much from me, moves off-campus, etc.).

Having said this I do not get the bi-weekly salon appointments...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP disregard all the I walked 5 miles in bare feet and flipped burgers through college talk unless that's what you expect your son or daughter to do in college. You know what you spend on your child for clothing, entertainment, food and transportation. Apply that formula to college and you'll come up with a corresponding allowance. The kid at Montgomery College or UMD or George Mason won't have the same expenses as the kid at Brown, Bowdoin, Bucknell or BC.

OP here and I definitely plan to ignore those posts-although I absolutely expected them.

I'm always amazed that some parents think that creating hardship for their children is somehow better for them in the long run. In my opinion, if you have children who are doing the right thing by going to college (and likely did the right thing all along to get to that point), you should support them and do what you can to help make that time as easy as possible. Being a full-time college student requires a lot. If the children can relax a bit or work during the summer for spending money that's great. But my parents supported me during my 4 years of college without requiring me to get a job and it made that time so much easier.

There will be enough hardships waiting for our children when they graduate and go out into the real world for a job. There's no need to manufacture it for them.

That said, I do take small issue with your contention that students at some schools will need more than others. I think that for the most part, the expenses are the same. If room/board and a meal plan are provided, the name of the school doesn't matter. If anything, I'd think location matters more. The kid going to school in New York would likely need more spending money than the kid at Brown.

It's not about creating hardships for children. They're not children, that's the point. They're adults in college. And you're still keeping them spoiled children. It's fine if you want your adult son or daughter to function as a spoiled child. To each his own.

[Anonymous]

^^Certain hair types require specific maintenance.