How much do you give your freshmen DD in allowance per month?

[Anonymous]

All these posters are judgmental in ways that are unhelpful.

Yes, $1500 per month is a lot of money. But let's imagine she spends $250 per week on food (door dash or takeaway once per day, after tax and tip).

Then, it's $500 per month left: that's one set of highlights OR one pair of designer jeans, plus concession money at football games and ubers home from off campus parties.

So, OP, have a conversation with her about her budget. My guess is that she is going to spend every cent you give her. If you expect her to save/ have money for emergencies, discuss where she can reduce her spending.

[Anonymous]

Two in college in big cities. They get no allowance. They work at on campus jobs to pay for things. Once a month I’ll pay for a $30 grocery delivery. This is where adulting begins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All these posters are judgmental in ways that are unhelpful.

Yes, $1500 per month is a lot of money. But let's imagine she spends $250 per week on food (door dash or takeaway once per day, after tax and tip).

Then, it's $500 per month left: that's one set of highlights OR one pair of designer jeans, plus concession money at football games and ubers home from off campus parties.

So, OP, have a conversation with her about her budget. My guess is that she is going to spend every cent you give her. If you expect her to save/ have money for emergencies, discuss where she can reduce her spending.

This is a great comment because I genuinely can't tell if it's real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All these posters are judgmental in ways that are unhelpful.
…

To be fair, OP’s question was how much other people give their kids, and most people have answered that, even if they also have expressed amazement at OP’s budget.

[Anonymous]

My college daughter works during the summer and funds her own spending money.

We pay for room and board including meal plan and books.

I will say that she was recently sick and I paid to door dash her some medicine, Gatorade, and cans of chicken soup.

[Anonymous]

My dd doesn't really have a budget. Yes, I pay for hair, nails, clothes, concerts, food, travel. Flame away, but I don't really keep track. She works hard, has her own money from jobs & internships, and saves/invests it all. She already has a very well-paying job secured (she's a senior). I plan on paying for pricey things as gifts after graduation. The DC area is filled with people who are loaded. I'm surprised this type of spending is shocking to anyone. OUr entire social circle continues to pay for everything for college kids and heavily subsidizes young adults

[Anonymous]

My jaw dropped when I read OP’s post. I had no idea there were people spending that much money. We could afford it …. I just can’t see spending it.
We don’t actually track how much my daughter spends. She has some food issues so I am happy for her to spend as much as she wants on food — she usually get groceries at Target or bagels, so it’s pretty frugal. She cuts her own hair and does her own nails by choice. The wiggle room is probably around shopping — she’s not into designer stuff but has probably more clothes than she really needs and likes to shop and thrift with friends. None of it is expensive but of course $50 here and there does add up but I’d be surprised if she spends $1500 a year on that stuff. When she goes to concerts or buys expensive tech stuff she spends the money she earned at her summer job. Well pay for things like bike repairs as she needs to bike to get to class.

I’d guess it averages out to a couple hundred a month but maybe it’s more than that with all the little random Amazon stuff like charging cables and tampons and laundry detergent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these posters are judgmental in ways that are unhelpful.
…

To be fair, OP’s question was how much other people give their kids, and most people have answered that, even if they also have expressed amazement at OP’s budget.

Yes, but the assumptions that the money is going to partying seem designed to invoke fear. I think it's much more likely the money is going to clothes/ restaurants/ massages etc. Sounds like OP is willing to pay for some of that -- OP set the initial budget of $1500 -- but OP hasn't made clear that DD is expected to save for emergencies out of the monthly allowance.

I think OP needs to have a serious budget conversation with the DD. Where is all the money going?

[Anonymous]

When she was in the dorms about 200/month plus any and all Ubers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All these posters are judgmental in ways that are unhelpful.

Yes, $1500 per month is a lot of money. But let's imagine she spends $250 per week on food (door dash or takeaway once per day, after tax and tip).

Then, it's $500 per month left: that's one set of highlights OR one pair of designer jeans, plus concession money at football games and ubers home from off campus parties.

So, OP, have a conversation with her about her budget. My guess is that she is going to spend every cent you give her. If you expect her to save/ have money for emergencies, discuss where she can reduce her spending.

This is a great comment because I genuinely can't tell if it's real.

PP: to be clear, I think it's crazy for a college student to be spending $350 per week on food. But some of them -- including many of the rich ones -- do. I think $200 jeans are not a necessity but many 20 years olds disagree. If OP's kid is hanging out with friends who have NO budget and can spend whatever they want each month, the DD needs to be made aware of her own family's situation and limits.

[Anonymous]

She only has enough budget for 1 bottle of Cristal per week! Stop depriving her.

[Anonymous]

That’s $50 a day every single day—if she also has a meal plan, that’s an absurd amount of money. What happens when her first job out of college doesn’t pay much? Will you cover her manicures then? I think you’re setting her up to be poor later in life if you’re not giving her a chance to figure out how to “live lean” now.

[Anonymous]

My dc is in an apt by college so no meal plan, does his own laundry etc and I give maybe 400 a month.

[Anonymous]

$1500/month … yikes … we give our kid $0/month.

[Anonymous]

Nothing. We pay tuition, room and board and transportation.

Extras are on him.