Budget/ Spending $$ for college students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get flamed every time this is asked. DC is in a high COL city. $1000/month no meal plan.

Same about here too but also a small meal plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to HSYP and even there we had time for an 8-hour/week job. There are lots of studies showing that a part-time job is associated with doing better academically. It also teaches good time management. It's also a great way for kids to make friends and get some work experience. At many schools, work is academic (like research or tutoring other students) and looks great on grad school applications.

IMO the parents saying they send their kid to college to only study are suckers just like the parents who believe that their high school students need a cell phone in their room to do their homework each night.

That's funny - my kid has straight A's. More MAGA types on the board, calling people suckers. Why not call us vermin, as well?

[Anonymous]

In dorm on a meal plan. $300/month spending money. DD also works during the summer and has that for spending money.

She has friends with more and friends with less.

Families make different choices. I have friends that pay everything except for spending money but then they buy their kids nice cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In dorm on a meal plan. $300/month spending money. DD also works during the summer and has that for spending money.

She has friends with more and friends with less.

Families make different choices. I have friends that pay everything except for spending money but then they buy their kids nice cars.

This is totally reasonable.

According to the previous poster, though, you're a sucker. And yes you should expect that your daughter will also get terrible grades because you give her money. I don't get the haters on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if your kids don’t make their own spending money, what do they do during the summer?

Also, aside from toiletries and other necessities, what are they spending hundreds of dollars a month on?

I'm a pp that doesn't give her kid anything beyond food costs, and I wonder the same.
At least at my kids' schools, so much of the entertainment is free or just a couple dollars- Sporting events, concerts, organization meetings/events, etc.

I remember on one of the parent facebook groups a couple years ago, a parent complaining that their daughter had already spent several hundred dollars on Uber rides and Ulta. This was less than a week after dorm move in. In a city with a great (free for students!) bus system. No way would I be ok funding hundreds of dollars in Uber and Ulta each week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aside from the meal plans (any kind-- student caf, school "bucks" or whatever your kid's school option is), how much money do you give your college student to spend per month? I know the COL is different in different places, but I'm curious about the average. Trying to figure out how much to plan on budgeting and what a reasonable amount to give DD will be.

Thanks.

We paid for tuition, room and board, books and the stock up of needed things at the beginning of the semester. They were responsible for their spending money from the proceeds of their summer jobs. So, we never sent a monthly allowance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to HSYP and even there we had time for an 8-hour/week job. There are lots of studies showing that a part-time job is associated with doing better academically. It also teaches good time management. It's also a great way for kids to make friends and get some work experience. At many schools, work is academic (like research or tutoring other students) and looks great on grad school applications.

IMO the parents saying they send their kid to college to only study are suckers just like the parents who believe that their high school students need a cell phone in their room to do their homework each night.

I do not want my kid to work during the school year, they get well paying jobs during the summer. They use their time at school engaged with the community through playing a club sport, volunteering in the community and being in a greek organization. This with academics does not leave time for work.

[Anonymous]

Your kids should be working in the summers. If they are, they can easily earn a minimum of $4k that way. Stop treating them like children who are incapable of making their own money. They don’t need allowances anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kids should be working in the summers. If they are, they can easily earn a minimum of $4k that way. Stop treating them like children who are incapable of making their own money. They don’t need allowances anymore.

Ignoring your attitude, roughly estimating your student is budgeting $100 per week to spend at college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kids should be working in the summers. If they are, they can easily earn a minimum of $4k that way. Stop treating them like children who are incapable of making their own money. They don’t need allowances anymore.

Ignoring your attitude, roughly estimating your student is budgeting $100 per week to spend at college.

He doesn’t spend it all. He currently has nearly all of the money he earned last summer. The point is, your kids are capable of earning their own money. Stop babying them with an allowance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fascist cheap-ass parent like these other posters - I give my kid some dough for non-essentials, going out money and some travel/gas. He has saved up money from the summer but my message is that I support his school efforts and want him to focus on that instead of a part time gig. He's not out there spending it on hookers and blow, just a normal social life.

DP. Raising kids to pay for non-essentials is nowhere near fascist. What a bizarre accusation. Gifting a couple hundred for spending is an entitlement. Not that there is anything terribly wrong with a little entitlement. I just don't see why you jump to conclusions of fascist (unless you are a right wing troll posing as inflammatory leftie) or to the conclusion that not gifting would equate to a job while taking classes (or that that would be detrimental to studies). My kid works breaks and summers. It's enough for spending money, if we cover the meal plan. I was responsible for my spending money in college. I know that is back in the day, but I thought that was the norm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if your kids don’t make their own spending money, what do they do during the summer?

Also, aside from toiletries and other necessities, what are they spending hundreds of dollars a month on?

I'm a pp that doesn't give her kid anything beyond food costs, and I wonder the same.
At least at my kids' schools, so much of the entertainment is free or just a couple dollars- Sporting events, concerts, organization meetings/events, etc.

I remember on one of the parent facebook groups a couple years ago, a parent complaining that their daughter had already spent several hundred dollars on Uber rides and Ulta. This was less than a week after dorm move in. In a city with a great (free for students!) bus system. No way would I be ok funding hundreds of dollars in Uber and Ulta each week.

Our kids might be at the same school. I am always a little surprised at how many kids uber when the bus is free. Also how many parents paid for Taylor tix. Not in our budget. I think kids on a budgeting for themselves have more autonomy. They also don't equate fun with spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fascist cheap-ass parent like these other posters - I give my kid some dough for non-essentials, going out money and some travel/gas. He has saved up money from the summer but my message is that I support his school efforts and want him to focus on that instead of a part time gig. He's not out there spending it on hookers and blow, just a normal social life.

You mean you provide an entitled life style.

Your kid can't manage working PT and taking classes in college?

Nah, you're wrong. If you think giving a couple hundred bucks a month means entitled, you're just a Maga tool. Kid can work a job but doesn't want to because he wants to focus on his studies. I'm fine with that. Keep being a crappy parent, dude.

DP. I am actively anti-MAGA and kind of agree that hufting a couple hundred for spending is an entitlement. Not that there is anything terribly wrong with a little entitlement. I just don't see why you jump to conclusions of fascist and maga (unless you are a right wing troll posing as inflammatory leftie) or to the conclusion of needing to hold down a job while taking classes. My kid works at breaks and summer. Hustles baby sitting, pet sitting, even busks if there isn't time for something regular during breaks. It's not a lot, but it's enough for spending money, if we cover the meal plan. I also covered my spending money in college. I thought that was the morm.

You are outside reality if you think $200 a month is an entitlement. I'm paying for my kid to go to school and learn. Implying that he can't "manage working PT taking classes in college" makes you sound like maga and a jerk. Accept it.

nah, you just sound like an over protective parent who doesn't think their snowflake can handle PT job and college. An 18+ yr old can learn in college and work. Millions do it.

I hate Trump with a passion, and my spouse is a lifetime liberal. And we both agree on this, and both worked PT jobs in college. Great learning experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to HSYP and even there we had time for an 8-hour/week job. There are lots of studies showing that a part-time job is associated with doing better academically. It also teaches good time management. It's also a great way for kids to make friends and get some work experience. At many schools, work is academic (like research or tutoring other students) and looks great on grad school applications.

IMO the parents saying they send their kid to college to only study are suckers just like the parents who believe that their high school students need a cell phone in their room to do their homework each night.

That's funny - my kid has straight A's. More MAGA types on the board, calling people suckers. Why not call us vermin, as well?

My kid has straight As, too, dual degree in STEM field, and manages to work PT.

Maybe teach your kid better time management and study skills.

You sure do have a huge chip on your shoulder about this.

[Anonymous]

Whatever our DS makes in his job, he puts into his Roth up to the maximum. We give him spending money, not a monthly amount but about $1000 during three quarters. He lives in the dorm and has a meal plan and no car so he doesn’t need much.

We are glad to help him save his earning to fund his Roth.