Pocket money (merged)

Lunar_Eclipse

aliasojo wrote: »

I have no suggestions with regard to how much but what I would say, is that a kid who can afford to go to things like ice skating and the cinema etc is preferable to a kid that cant, imo, purely because those who either have no interests or cant afford to have interests are usually the very kids who end up hanging about aimlessly. So although I know a lot of parents dont see pocket money as an important thing, I tend to disagree with that.

I would encourage him in his efforts to find a part time job, again, it will give him another interest, occupy him and let him meet new people as well as helping his cash situation.

Excellent insight.:)

Lunar_Eclipse

traveller wrote: »

Hi, thanks for all your replies. We've worked out that for a decent meal he's looking at 2.50 per day.Cinema/iceskating/socialising between £8-10 a throw.
So we have come up of a compromise of 80 per month all in until he finds a job.Thanks again for all of your suggestions:T

Sounds like you've come to a good compromise.

The only thing I thought I would consider and forgot to mention earlier, is that I think I would separate lunch money from the general allowance. But this might be because I have two girls who would be savvy enough to either forgo lunch to buy clothes/go out or effectively make me pay for lunch twice by taking a free packed lunch from home and frittering away lunch money on better things. Just a thought.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

holy crap! i dunno if its inflation or because this is London, but when i was that age (i'm 28 now) i used to get £10pw and bought my own school lunchs (assuming i didnt want sandwiches) and i felt like i was always loaded!

Bring back the good ol days! haha

2009

Hi, i am a mature student myself, i spend £20/week on food, papers and books, but i live on my own (which was paid for). So I think your son is so lucky to have you both.However, it is very important for him to enjoy his time with his friends as you do not want him to feel he can not do things his friends can do. :beer: .
If he can not find a job and you still want to give him extra money, link it to his monthly performance in school. That makes his feels he is doing a job and earning some money.:rotfl: :A

Bebsie

I'm after some advice please. I have a 16 year old daughter (17 in June) and I really don't know if I am handling things well! She is still at school doing her A levels at a grammar school and is doing really really well and is aiming high! But the biggest problem I have is that she does not have a part time job. She said she is "looking" but I can tell that she is not looking very hard! I ended up giveing her £5 here £10 there and it went on and on! Till two months ago and I have now stopped this, everytime she needs money I tell her to get a job! What I do do is pay her mobile phone contract which should only be £20 a month, however I got her bill today and it is £45! I am livid! She don't have money to throw away and are on quite a tight budget. Should I tell her today that I am cancelling her contract, am I being harsh - please help!

aliasojo

This is exactly why mine only ever got PAYG mobiles. I dont think contracts and teenagers mix tbh.

I would cancel it if it were me, I think. I take it it's in your name as she's under 18? Get her a PAYG sim card.

I'd give her the £20 and it's up to her what she does with it. If she uses it on other stuff then she cant use her mobile unless she gets a job or budgets better.

McKneff

my thoughts exactly, it may spur her on to looking that bit harder for a job

arthur_dent_2

I agree Cruel to be kind, cancel the contract and give her a payg of £10 every 2 weeks.

skylight

Mmm. I'm in 2 minds TBH. If she is doing A-levels and working well, then she is putting in some effort somewhere! And I guess she should be rewarded for working hard at school, so £20 a month for a phone is not excessive.

But I also think that she should be helping herself.

You could cancel the contract (as long as its out of term) but change it to a PAYG, so she keeps the phone and number, but has to pay for it. Then as suggested, you give her £20 a month and what she spends it on is up to her. What networks are you and her on???? I ask as Vodafone offer Friends and Family, where one person pays £5 a month and all calls between the group are free (4 members for £5), so my DD can always phone Dad or I whether she had credit or not. You could do something similar.

Bebsie

She has been really good for the past two years and this has never happened before! But I think you are right! What about pocket money, should she be getting any?