Should I ask my student son to pay housekeeping?

Jackieboy · 13 October 2016 at 11:37AM

Camster wrote: »

Yes, I think he has over £600 a month and his only actual expenses is £40 a month for his bus ticket to Uni. He gets all his meals, laundry etc. provided for him, but buys his own clothes, and pays his own mobile phone (PAYG).

We don't actually need the money, but I thought that it wasn't unreasonable to ask him to contribute towards the cost of food, gas etc given the money he has available each month.

Also, maybe I'm a bit old fashioned, but I've always thought that when you turn 18 you become an adult and should no longer be treated as a child. To me part of that involves contributing to the family where you are able to.

I think it's very reasonable to charge him for his keep, student funding is for maintenance, not just pocket money.

kelpie35 · 13 October 2016 at 11:49AM

OP you say that you don't need the money, so if you do decide to take something for his "keep", could you put it into a savings account, without him knowing, and then it could be given to him when he finishes his studies as a small surprise.

Weisenwolf · 13 October 2016 at 11:52AM

After his bus fare he has £560 to spend on himself.

Do you have £560/month to spend on yourself? I know I don't

Yes he should cotribute something; he should also think carefully about not spending that student loan just because its there.

TBagpuss · 13 October 2016 at 12:42PM

I don'tthink it is unreasonable to ask him to chip in. After all, if he was living in halls of residence he would have rent and food costs to pay.

I would sit down with him, explain what you propose and listen to what he says. I'd also be prpeared to share eatils with him of what the utility and food bills are, so he can see what you are paying each month.

I didn't live at home as a student so had to manage my own bills etc, however, when I did live back at home for a while I contributed, it never crossed my mind not to , I don;t remember that my paretns had to bring up the issue, althoug hwe did discuss how much I would contribute which took into account my expenses and the additional costs to them of me being there.

Pixie5740 · 13 October 2016 at 12:53PM

Camster wrote: »

Also, maybe I'm a bit old fashioned, but I've always thought that when you turn 18 you become an adult and should no longer be treated as a child. To me part of that involves contributing to the family where you are able to.

You might think he's an adult at 18 but as he is under 25, SAAS have taken the household income into account when deciding how much financial assistance they will provide.

tea_lover · 13 October 2016 at 1:14PM

Why has he got a loan for that much with outgoings that small? Do you have to take the whole amount on offer? It's a long time since I was at uni.... it could well have changed a lot.

He should be aiming to graduate with the least debt possible, surely. If he's living at home, has no tuition fees and basically just pays bus fare I can't see that he possibly needs over £4k for that.

sheramber · 13 October 2016 at 4:53PM

One son stayed at home and did not take a student loan.H e did get a grant .

I did not take any money from him as he needed money for lunches and supplies as he did a design course.

Second son was in student halls, then student flat. He had a grant and took the maximum student loan but still need support as his rent came to more than his grant.

He did get a part time job in the later years which helped.

jackyann · 13 October 2016 at 5:46PM

OP says her son has a job. I often think that courses vary a great deal in the amount of work required and how reasonable getting a job is.
For some courses, the experience of having a job is invaluable - architecture students working on building sites, fashion students in fabric shops etc. But some students, often those on science courses, and some of the medical /nursing / allied professions do very long hours on very demanding courses.

silvercar · 13 October 2016 at 6:16PM

So the reward for taking a part time job while studying is that you get charged to live at home ?

Peter333 · 13 October 2016 at 6:38PM

Jackieboy wrote: »

I think it's very reasonable to charge him for his keep, student funding is for maintenance, not just pocket money.

This ^^^ With bells on. The student grant is for living expenses; therefore some of it should be passed onto the parents if the adult child is living at home whilst doing their degree. If they lived in halls, they wouldn't be keeping the whole grant to themselves! They would be paying for their rent and bills and food for it!

Should I ask my student son to pay housekeeping?

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