Pocket money (merged)

Marcheline

You are not being at all harsh (though your daughter will disagree in the short term), in fact you will be doing yourself and your daughter a favour by cancelling her contract.

I am only 23, so not too much older than her and I had a part-time job in Waitrose from the month after I was 16, until I was 18 and went to uni. All through my A-Levels I worked 16 hours a week and I got 4 As, so if she wants to get good grades, having a job won't stop her! My mum also used to make me give her £10 a month in petrol money as she used to drive me around a lot too, (it probably didn't cover the cost of the petrol, but it def made me think about money!) I also had to pay for any holidays, mobiles, make up, socialising etc. myself out of my wages. I found it hard as I went to private school and I was only one of 2 girls who had a job there, but it's a good feeling to earn your own money and my parents couldn't afford to support me anyway! I also paid my own way through uni with a student loan and part time job while at uni and full time work during holiday periods.

To sum up: if you want to help your daughter financially, I would put some money aside (the £20/month currently going on the phone for example) in a savings for when she reaches uni. Before then though, I'd have her out working. The only reason she's not working now is because she can't see the point with you subbing her. I don't mean to sound critical with this post, just tell you what I'd do. I know you are only trying to be a good parent...it's a tough job!!

arthur_dent_2

I would have thought that a £10 a week on top of phone credit would be fair

aliasojo

Personally I feel pocket money is important. I think a bored kid who cant afford to do anything is a recipe for disaster.

A generation ago, teenagers had more backbone imo and if they didn't have it they were more likely to go out and earn it themselves but society has changed drastically and I think it's important to be realistic. It's all very well saying she should be doing this that or the other, but you do have to balance things in order to stop your teen from becoming a resentful, sullen handful imo, especially as she is doing well at the moment.

It really all depends on your finances though at the end of the day. You cant provide what you dont have and you shouldn't provide all she wants otherwise she'll never strive to achieve anything for herself.

Sharra

If you are in a position to give her 'pocket money' - then why not make her earn it at home by taking on extra chores? I'm sure a few weeks of scrubbing the bathroom would give her an incentive to find a better job. And if she still can't find one then at least she is learning the value of money.

My_Fathers_Daughter

Not wanting to throw a spanner in the works but do you know why it is so much more expensive this month?

I did this once whilst at Uni when my parents were paying my bill and it was because I was extremely unhappy having split with a boyfriend....

If she is normally good then there may be a reason that her bill has doubled this month


Having said that, I think she should get a job too...

Surfbabe

Its all very well saying she should get a part time job but that depends where you live - in the area I live (rural area) they are few and far between and most 16 - 18 years old that are still at school can;t get a part time job for love nor money!!
Having said that I pay my teenage (17) DD phone - its on contract at £15 pm and she also gets an alowance of £20. She does have a part time job teaching swimming - 3 1/2 hrs a weeks which earns her about another £20 a week (mind you it cost £300 to get her through the swimming teachers course!!!)

tillybilly_2

hi, i was just talking to my cleaner about this this morning and she says her granddaughter gets £40 per month from her mum to spend as she likes (including on her phone) and if she needs more she has to earn it. Sounds fair to me.
I had a job from the age of 14 all the way through university up until my last year when I had to stop to spend more time studying but managed to do all gcse, a-levels a Bsc and an Msc whilst working part time. As others have said, if it really is difficult for her to get a job elsewhere then helping with chores etc is at least a start!
My brother is doing his Alevels at the moment too, hope your daughter does well!

Skint_Catt

i didn't have a mobile at that age (before the days when anyone but city types had 'mobiles' though they were more like bricks!) but I was 'given' my 'child benefit' to spend as I wanted (£40 a month at that time) - you soon learn what to budget for! I don't know how much it is now, or if you could afford to do that. Then if the phone bills higher than she budgeted for its her problem.

I do agree on switching to PAYG though - its easier to budget for!

C xx

ElliotReid

I only got an occasional £5 top up on my PAYG every so often. When I was your daughters age, contracts were more expensive than they are now and you got an awful lot less for your money, but even then I wouldn't have been able to keep within the constraints cos my texting addiction. [where as now I can't be bothered with texting that much :rotfl: ]

I'd cancel it and apply a little more pressure on her to get a job [not a stupid amount but a timeframe with a little bribary to grease the wheels like a PAYG top up or something

Bebsie

To sum up: if you want to help your daughter financially, I would put some money aside (the £20/month currently going on the phone for example) in a savings for when she reaches uni. Before then though, I'd have her out working. The only reason she's not working now is because she can't see the point with you subbing her. I don't mean to sound critical with this post, just tell you what I'd do. I know you are only trying to be a good parent...it's a tough job!![/quote]

Thank's so much, it is good to get the view of a person younger than me! You are 100% right, it's time to get tough! Thank you!