What is reasonable for spending money freshman year at college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents gave me $50 / week. That was back in the early 00's, though. It was more than enough.

About the same here. I had a debit card but the statement went to my parents and if I went over I was questioned and if it wasn't a reasonable explanation it got taken off me or less of a budget. I mean, there really isn't that much they should have to spend money on if they have a meal plan (especially since a lot of colleges have meal plans that include actual restaurants in town nowadays).

[Anonymous]

I gave 80/week
there's pizza, personal hygiene items, haircuts, lost sneakers, and uber costs...

[Anonymous]

No suggestions on amount but a friend watched her son blow through all his money early in the year and she HIGHLY suggested, even for a kid who is frugal, to parcel out any spending money evenly throughout the year to help them learn to budget. I have a child headed to college this year and I will transfer a set amount every month to his bank account and anything beyond that comes from his savings. We will pay books and any school fees as part of our contribution with room & board. Everything else is on him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No suggestions on amount but a friend watched her son blow through all his money early in the year and she HIGHLY suggested, even for a kid who is frugal, to parcel out any spending money evenly throughout the year to help them learn to budget. I have a child headed to college this year and I will transfer a set amount every month to his bank account and anything beyond that comes from his savings. We will pay books and any school fees as part of our contribution with room & board. Everything else is on him!

We do a semester amount and to me part of the value is that they learn to budget. If they blow through it then it's on them. It's not like they can't eat (meal plan) so a pretty low risk way to figure out how to manage spending.

[Anonymous]

We pay tuition, room, board, books and club sport fee. No monthly/weekly allowance. Entertainment/spending money comes from DC's summer job.

[Anonymous]

Columbia (NYC) / $400 plus minimum meal plan (girl)

Penn State / $100 plus full meal plan (boy)

Location makes a difference. No summer earnings due to unpaid internships.

[Anonymous]

^ These are monthly expenses.

[Anonymous]

Whatever she earns from her part-time job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No suggestions on amount but a friend watched her son blow through all his money early in the year and she HIGHLY suggested, even for a kid who is frugal, to parcel out any spending money evenly throughout the year to help them learn to budget. I have a child headed to college this year and I will transfer a set amount every month to his bank account and anything beyond that comes from his savings. We will pay books and any school fees as part of our contribution with room & board. Everything else is on him!

We do a semester amount and to me part of the value is that they learn to budget. If they blow through it then it's on them. It's not like they can't eat (meal plan) so a pretty low risk way to figure out how to manage spending.

Right. Part of attending college is learning basic life skills, like budgeting. And it's on parents to teach their children that skill. Don't be an enabler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave 80/week
there's pizza, personal hygiene items, haircuts, lost sneakers, and uber costs...

Lost sneakers?

Make that a few trips to the local alcohol and beverage store, PP.

[Anonymous]

We told our son he has to have $2,000 in the bank before starting college in September - giving him essentially $250/month of spending money. So he's worked all summer and has surpassed that target.

I'll probably slip him $100 at dropoff day, and we'll pay for all books, dorm needs, etc., but then he's on his own for spending money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We told our son he has to have $2,000 in the bank before starting college in September - giving him essentially $250/month of spending money. So he's worked all summer and has surpassed that target.

I'll probably slip him $100 at dropoff day, and we'll pay for all books, dorm needs, etc., but then he's on his own for spending money.

Same exact thing we've told our son. Did this with his two brothers when they went to college too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:whatever the student earned over the summer.

+1 They can work seasonal jobs on breaks if they need more money to make it through the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:whatever the student earned over the summer.

+1 Once tuitiin, room & board, & books are covered it should, imo, be up to the student to earn any additional spending money.

[Anonymous]

It's so complicated when they move out of the dorms and ratchet down the meal plans. My kid is shall we say frugal so we find ourselves actually pushing for him to spend more money on decent food.