My rising freshman is stressed because she also isn’t getting many hours at her summer job, and she keeps reading warnings that she will blow through money at college. She doesn’t really understand what that looks like.

I anticipate she’ll spend money on:
Halloween costume
Holiday decor for room/dorm door
Little gifts/birthday cards for friends
Some off-campus food
Starbucks
Ubers to get back to campus at night (city school)
School merch, especially for attending games

We bought her a football/basketball ticket package, and we anticipate covering all food and Ubers (we want her to be safe in the city). We’re thinking we give her some additional money, but really not sure how much.

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.

Hobbies are necessities?

I can see some kid who collects those boxes of pokemon cards for 100s of dollars having a field day with this. 😂

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.

Mine spent very little. Maybe a little on occasional bite or Uber, but most snacks on meal plan swipes/bucks and just hanging with friends in common spaces. I bought some food from TJs or Target and would occasionally reimburse cvs charge and sent a few things via Amazon. I'm guessing she spent maybe $300/semester tops. Probably more like $200.

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.

Hobbies are necessities?

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.

Anonymous wrote:

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

NONE of that is "spending money".

With the exception of car insurance, that was all stuff I (female) had to spend my own money on in college. Plus clothes, pizza/food outside of dining hall, tickets if we went to a "real" movie or show off campus, bus/train tickets to go into the city (and airfare home at break), etc. The idea of my parents paying for Uber or getting my nails done or legs waxed is so hilarious to me! I did have friends with allowances like this though, and one with a trust fund who got $1000 every month deposited into her bank account for "whatever" even though we lived on campus and had full dining plans.

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.

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

NONE of that is "spending money".

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.

Looking back at my experience, I wish I would have been made to work freshman year. It would have added structure and balance. I lived on campus and maybe $100 a month? Maybe? When I lived off campus my sophmore year, I'd say maybe like $300. I did not have a meal plan. Ate lots of tuna. Small campus, not too many bars.

There’s no right answer here. Give what you can afford and what feels right to you. There are kids that get nothing and there are kids that have unlimited access to their parents credit card and many variations in between

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

I just finished my freshman year of college, and I haven't spent more than $250 any month. I get $80 a month from my parents, and work an on-campus job for the rest. I personally prefer having the job, as I feel awkward asking my parents for money for personal expenses like non-dining hall food or going out.

Anonymous wrote:it just is so kid dependent - my first is going into her senior year of college, is in a city with endless opportunities to spend money, but really mostly lives a campu-based life with free events etc and spends next to nothing. She's also a cheapskate and loves nothing more than free stuff so is always in search of it. My second kid will start college next near and blows through money like a tornado so I anticipate he'll spend much more. Neither kid will get spending money from us, that's on them from summer work etc. But how much they spend will vary enormously.

Agree with the above. Also agree with PP who said an introvert may be less likely to spend.