Spending money in college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

Lol. Girls especially will spend money on food outside the dining hall (if not meals then coffee, snacks, pizza), personal upkeep (nails, hair, waxing - particularly if they are going out or rushing), clothes, ubers, dorm decor, gifts... not excusing it but it is what it is.

Our daughters need a reality check. They waste too much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Books?
Backpack and school supplies?
Toiletries?
Laundry Money?
Car Insurance?
Phone Bill?

NONE of that is "spending money".

Exactly.
OP said they were covering tuition and room and board, which doesn’t include these either. They need to consider these when making budgeting decisions because whatever bucket you want to put them in, these type of expenses have to be dealt with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage him to get an on campus job. That will give him spending money plus is a good way for introverted kids to make friends.

We gave our kids $50/month the first year + they spent from their savings so I don't know what their actual expenses were.

Campus jobs often go to need candidates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

So you just live in your house and eat your grocery food and never do anything else? No friends, no hobbies, no entertainment, no dinners out or Uber Eats in, no occasional coffee or milkshake at that little place on the corner, no new clothes, no haircuts, no new anything? Must be thrilling.

I live in a house in a city, NOT in college campus in a rural area. LOL.

Besides we don't consider haircuts, new clothes, hobbies, or groceries part of "spending money" and I don't think my kid does either. Those are all necessities.

You asked what they’d need to spend money on outside of room and board, I answered.

You have a very wide definition of “necessity” that seems to basically include anything someone might want to spend money on, so of course you wouldn’t need to spend anything else. Out of curiosity, if not personal care, new clothes, hobbies, or groceries, what would you consider something that needs “spending money”? Movie tickets? The occasional 2 am IHOP visit with friends (I loved those in college, personally)? Maybe expenses for a date?

OP said the school was in a big city. But even if OP hadn’t specified, there are things to spend money on in a rural area too, even if it’s the cafe in the student center.

And to be clear I’m not saying any of this needs a ton or money or that it has to be the parents who provide it. Again, I was just answering your question of what costs there might be outside of room and board.

For Freshman year while living on campus I truly don't think my kid should have any "spending money" expenses. Next year, once they move out of campus, it will be a different beast!

Also, my kid is working this summer so they'll have hard-earned "spending money" in their bank account to use as they pleased.

[Anonymous]

we're playing this one by ear. My daughter has not had any luck finding a summer job (a camp gig fell through, and it was too late for any others). She's literally trying to do instacart as we speak. Almost signed up to donate plasma for cash until we figured out you had to do it 8 times for the dough.

I think her "fun money" will mostly be if she and friends go out to eat or she takes the train into the city or something. We will take care of a target run for things she needs for the dorm or if she needs grocery type stuff (freezer meals or something) If she needs clothing, she can order online using one of our cards, but that is if she actually NEEDS something.

We'll see about a job - I'd rather she focus on school her first year. If she got a little side gig on campus or got a job teaching dance to little ones on weekends at one of the local studios (or if this instacart thing actually works out and she can do something in the college town), that's probably fine. We're encouraging her to be an RA or something like that for money NEXT year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

Lol. Girls especially will spend money on food outside the dining hall (if not meals then coffee, snacks, pizza), personal upkeep (nails, hair, waxing - particularly if they are going out or rushing), clothes, ubers, dorm decor, gifts... not excusing it but it is what it is.

Our daughters need a reality check. They waste too much money.

The reality check is making them earn their own money for clothes, upkeep, Starbucks, etc. (though note it's not fair that boys have no expectation of "upkeep")
Agreed we live in a materialist society - let's stop with having the dorm rooms on Instagram look like that Taj Mahal for one thing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

Lol. Girls especially will spend money on food outside the dining hall (if not meals then coffee, snacks, pizza), personal upkeep (nails, hair, waxing - particularly if they are going out or rushing), clothes, ubers, dorm decor, gifts... not excusing it but it is what it is.

Our daughters need a reality check. They waste too much money.

The reality check is making them earn their own money for clothes, upkeep, Starbucks, etc. (though note it's not fair that boys have no expectation of "upkeep")
Agreed we live in a materialist society - let's stop with having the dorm rooms on Instagram look like that Taj Mahal for one thing...

yea, I'm not paying for that. I don't mind getting her a little plant but nothing like some of the stuff I've seen online.

[Anonymous]

I added each of my DDs to a credit card. After the first semester, we sat down and went through spending habits and adjusted from there. Neither abused it. They both have upper 5 figures in their brokerage accounts because I don't make them spend their job money. Compounding interest is a powerful and important lesson. One went to school in a big expensive city, the other goes to a suburban type environment near a small city. Unless there's a financial need, don't be stingy at first. Let them feel their way around and see what they end up being into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

Lol. Girls especially will spend money on food outside the dining hall (if not meals then coffee, snacks, pizza), personal upkeep (nails, hair, waxing - particularly if they are going out or rushing), clothes, ubers, dorm decor, gifts... not excusing it but it is what it is.

Our daughters need a reality check. They waste too much money.

The reality check is making them earn their own money for clothes, upkeep, Starbucks, etc. (though note it's not fair that boys have no expectation of "upkeep")
Agreed we live in a materialist society - let's stop with having the dorm rooms on Instagram look like that Taj Mahal for one thing...

yea, I'm not paying for that. I don't mind getting her a little plant but nothing like some of the stuff I've seen online.

Shoot, even the basics for college dorm add up, though. I haven't bought any decor items (unless you count bedding, which you need any way you slice it), and we're still hundreds of dollars deep

But my child got an earful before prom when she was insisting on fancy acrylics. Girl, I rarely get my nails done at all, and you are saying I'm ruining your life if I don't pay over $100 for your nails for one night? NOPE.

She has gift cards coming her way via grandma and some that were received as gifts. Use those, chica.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some big cities give college students free tickets to events. The question of what he'll spend would rest on what he likes to do and if those things are free or not.

My college kid attended a big school near a city. They did not spend very much. There is SO MUCH to do on campus, and much of that is included in the activity fees.

Basketball, soccer, and football games
Choral concerts
Theater performances
Other musical performances
Rec clubs for sports
Various clubs
Playing music with new friends
Gym -- racquetball, etc
Hiking/biking/fishing
Brunch

Sometimes, going out with friends to places for bubble tea or Taco Bell. Not very expensive.

I'd say $50 / week is way more than what's needed if they are going to a school with a lot of free activities.

Would you mind sharing name of college? I am only seeing schools that charge for the big games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rising freshman DS has not been able to get the hours he anticipated at his summer job and is therefore not likely to make the money he’d hoped to bring to school. We are paying tuition/R+B but had said the rest is on him. How much spending money do kids take to school?

FWIW—he’s an introvert who does not have a lot of interest in partying and chose a school with that in mind. His college is in a big city.

We have come to the conclusion it varies widely. There are people who insist their child has to have $1000 per MONTH in college to cover food not on campus, entertainment, extra clothes, club/sorority dues , etc. There are others who give the kids $1000 a semester and they seem to be fine, and others who have no $ to spare and only provide book fees in addition to Tuition/room/board and basic toiletries, and their kids get by and get good at free on-campus concerts/activities (more common at well resourced schools).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage him to get an on campus job. That will give him spending money plus is a good way for introverted kids to make friends.

We gave our kids $50/month the first year + they spent from their savings so I don't know what their actual expenses were.

Campus jobs often go to need candidates.

It seems to depend on the school. Mine are at super high endowment ivy /t10 and they have jobs on campus that make $3000-5000 per semester, for 10-14 hrs per week, and while the work study kids get jobs first, there are many others and they always are advertising that they need students(library assistant, tutors are the higher paying ones but also the ones that require specific grades in certain coursework)

[Anonymous]

I’m going into my sophomore year at a school close to a large city. My parents give me $500/semester and it’s 100000% enough money. I also work during the summer and work study jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What? They live on Campus and housing and meals are paid for. $$$

What would they need money for?

So you just live in your house and eat your grocery food and never do anything else? No friends, no hobbies, no entertainment, no dinners out or Uber Eats in, no occasional coffee or milkshake at that little place on the corner, no new clothes, no haircuts, no new anything? Must be thrilling.

I live in a house in a city, NOT in college campus in a rural area. LOL.

Besides we don't consider haircuts, new clothes, hobbies, or groceries part of "spending money" and I don't think my kid does either. Those are all necessities.

You asked what they’d need to spend money on outside of room and board, I answered.

You have a very wide definition of “necessity” that seems to basically include anything someone might want to spend money on, so of course you wouldn’t need to spend anything else. Out of curiosity, if not personal care, new clothes, hobbies, or groceries, what would you consider something that needs “spending money”? Movie tickets? The occasional 2 am IHOP visit with friends (I loved those in college, personally)? Maybe expenses for a date?

OP said the school was in a big city. But even if OP hadn’t specified, there are things to spend money on in a rural area too, even if it’s the cafe in the student center.

And to be clear I’m not saying any of this needs a ton or money or that it has to be the parents who provide it. Again, I was just answering your question of what costs there might be outside of room and board.

For Freshman year while living on campus I truly don't think my kid should have any "spending money" expenses. Next year, once they move out of campus, it will be a different beast!

Also, my kid is working this summer so they'll have hard-earned "spending money" in their bank account to use as they pleased.

Are you the poster I was responding too? If so, I’m still super curious what you consider a “spending money” expense since you said new clothes, groceries, and hobbies are essentials. Sure, beyond those things kids probably don’t have much else, depending on how you classify the occasional dining out or entertainment expense, but I think most people don’t consider those things essentials. I would not expect my freshman to not spend money to go out to eat or to a movie or concert every once in a while, for example, and I would consider those to be non-essential “spending money” expenses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would encourage him to get an on campus job. That will give him spending money plus is a good way for introverted kids to make friends.

We gave our kids $50/month the first year + they spent from their savings so I don't know what their actual expenses were.

Campus jobs often go to need candidates.

It seems to depend on the school. Mine are at super high endowment ivy /t10 and they have jobs on campus that make $3000-5000 per semester, for 10-14 hrs per week, and while the work study kids get jobs first, there are many others and they always are advertising that they need students(library assistant, tutors are the higher paying ones but also the ones that require specific grades in certain coursework)

Would you be willing to share the name of the school? I would love for my DC to go to a school with this opportunity for a non-work-study kid.