How much spending mo why do you allow your freshman college student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a summer job and was expected to use that money for my expenses during college. I also had a campus job. No allowance. I turned out great. Next summer, make sure he gets a job.

You had a summer job during CoViD?

I'm not the PP you quoted, but I posted earlier in this thread that I have a freshman and a junior now. They both had summer jobs during COVID. The freshman worked full time at a large big box store. The junior was taking some summer classes so he only worked part time, doing night stocking a different big box store.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

My kid isn't traveling during a pandemic.
Walk to restaurants
Museums are closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

He couldn't walk or take the subway to those places?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a summer job and was expected to use that money for my expenses during college. I also had a campus job. No allowance. I turned out great. Next summer, make sure he gets a job.

You had a summer job during CoViD?

I'm not the PP you quoted, but I posted earlier in this thread that I have a freshman and a junior now. They both had summer jobs during COVID. The freshman worked full time at a large big box store. The junior was taking some summer classes so he only worked part time, doing night stocking a different big box store.

I was lucky and my kids had jobs but to say it was the norm or easy is showing a complete lack of seeing the world outside your own tiny bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

He couldn't walk or take the subway to those places?

Not always, no. Have your been to NY? Why are there taxis if you can take a train everywhere? Also sometimes it was at 4am. Again you really sound like you don’t have a college student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

My kid isn't traveling during a pandemic.
Walk to restaurants
Museums are closed.

No museums were not closed all of fall.
I don’t like my kids walking at 2am through bad neighborhoods.

You child didn’t travel to college? They stayed home with mommy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

My kid isn't traveling during a pandemic.
Walk to restaurants
Museums are closed.

No museums were not closed all of fall.
I don’t like my kids walking at 2am through bad neighborhoods.

You child didn’t travel to college? They stayed home with mommy?

Wow, you are nasty. No wonder your kid wanted to be far away from you!

My kid went to a school several hours away, but not in a huge city. The small museums in the area were definitely closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a summer job and was expected to use that money for my expenses during college. I also had a campus job. No allowance. I turned out great. Next summer, make sure he gets a job.

You had a summer job during CoViD?[/quo


Noooooo. I'm an adult. My 16 yr old got his first job last summer though. He worked PT last summer and PT this fall at an outdoor center/nursery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

He couldn't walk or take the subway to those places?

Not always, no. Have your been to NY? Why are there taxis if you can take a train everywhere? Also sometimes it was at 4am. Again you really sound like you don’t have a college student.

I've been to NY many times; pre-pandemic I usually went several times a year. Never once took a taxi or Uber. Yes, the subway goes pretty much everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

He couldn't walk or take the subway to those places?

Not always, no. Have your been to NY? Why are there taxis if you can take a train everywhere? Also sometimes it was at 4am. Again you really sound like you don’t have a college student.

I've been to NY many times; pre-pandemic I usually went several times a year. Never once took a taxi or Uber. Yes, the subway goes pretty much everywhere.

Everywhere you go possibly there is world outside of your little bubble. I guess it hits all the tourist attractions.

[Anonymous]

$20

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

How do you expect them to get to the airport, get to restaurants, get to museums, etc?

Yeah, sure, OP's kid is spending all his money on museums! That's the ticket!

Yes my student at NYU spent $ on museums.... and Concerts/ sports games/ etc... you don’t have college students do you. Go back and tell your toddler what a great parent you are nobody else cares.

He couldn't walk or take the subway to those places?

Not always, no. Have your been to NY? Why are there taxis if you can take a train everywhere? Also sometimes it was at 4am. Again you really sound like you don’t have a college student.

I've been to NY many times; pre-pandemic I usually went several times a year. Never once took a taxi or Uber. Yes, the subway goes pretty much everywhere.

Agreed. I lived in and went to school in NYC. Worked in a lab, and often didn't go home until 1 or 2 in the morning. And yes, went to school in Harlem in the bad old days (late 80s/early 90s). You can 100% live in that city without ever getting on a cab (although that might be more convenient sometimes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a credit card for emergencies but a monthly budget which I thought was reasonable but he overspends every month. I just want to know if we’re in the right ballpark. This is just for food/going out. Ubers/clothing/school requirements are not included.
I want him to be able to manage a reasonable/slightly tight budget and even save from it for and keep some aside for unexpected expenses and presents for his girlfriend etc.
Google says $200-$300 but we give him a bit more than that.
Thanks

Why does he need Uber, does he live off campus?

No. He’s on campus but sometimes they go off campus at the weekends. I just want him to know he can take an Uber if he needs one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you say food I am unclear. Does he have a meal plan, or is the 200-300 his only food budget for the month? If he has a meal plan, it is extremely generous (that’s 2 meals out a week at $50/meal!) but if he needs to buy all his own food and groceries it is low (I am an adult woman, not a growing boy, and my grocery budget before marriage was $300).

It’s also reasonable to ask for a rough expenses list - that way if it’s $200 on eating out you can gently ask questions to see if you are supporting just your son, or your son and his friend group.

He has a large meal plan for on campus eating and they have a lot of options. This is for going out at the weekends and such.