Hey people lets get this Uni thang going...

Dantheman1212

Hello everybody sorry to bother you all but im snookered about how much to give my son each week / month for allowances. He is going to Birmingham Uni in September and heres the deal... I have paid all his accomodation out of his loan and grant over three terms doing it by direct debits so has no worries at all when he starts and only needs money for living / food / materials / nights on the lash etc etc. I have also sorted out a sim card mobile deal with Tesco / Insured his goods etc / got a railcard /and a laptop so he has got most of everything he needs to crack on. I now have to give him a weekly allowance to keep him going as i dont want to get him to get into bad credit and just have a debit card and student account to try and make it all easier for his first year. But i am not at all clued up on what to start with , he is a decent hard working kid and will get a job as i know he likes to earn money on his own, but i just dont know what a regular amount is which is for food etc living costs. If anyone or any other people have been in the same situation on what you lived on bearing in mind all accomodation is fully paid up with no worries i would be grateful for any feedback what i should give him weekly. Any help is greatfully appreciated. Danny,.

Lokolo

For starters, you should really leave him to do something! Without wanting to moan, it seems you have sorted his mobile phone, insurance, railcard and laptop. All of which he could do. He's going to live away for the next 3 years, apart from holidays, he needs to learn this stuff himself.

Rant over.

As for money, I get £200 a month and this is more than enough. There are already a few threads on this and to be honest, it's really upto you. I know people who get as much as me and still take out credit cards and overdrafts(!).

Indie_Kid

Dantheman1212 wrote: »

Loko are you a numpty or what !! I got the laptop because he needs one.

And he couldn't buy it himself, because...?

Dantheman1212

He is getting the Laptop because its a present for doing so well and I am quite proud of him. Thats all it is and as he has been doing a part time job I thought he deserved a reward, I would hope any parent in my situation would have done the same as an 18 year old kid usually hasnt got that kind of ammo to buy one himself.

Dano.

msmyth18

Dantheman1212 wrote: »

I have paid all his accomodation out of his loan and grant over three terms doing it by direct debits

Are you talking student loan/grant from the student loans company?
If so how have you paid that because its usually the 'Students' loan, which hasnt actually been paid yet for the 2010 freshers?

atypical

Look at what you originally wrote:

Dantheman1212 wrote: »

I have also sorted out a sim card mobile deal with Tesco / Insured his goods etc / got a railcard /and a laptop

It makes it seem as if you're organising everything for him. He'd be better off organising what he can himself. By all means provide the money, but he can do the legwork. It's meant as advice, not as an attack.

I would agree with Lokolo that £200/month is sufficient.

The_One_Who

Firstly, trying to insult other users doesn't really go down well, especially when they are simply offering advice.

Secondly, I can only echo everyone else. It seems like you have already done more than enough for him. Also, I don't really understand what you mean when you say you have paid his accommodation out of his loans and grants. That money won't have yet come in, and it should be going into his own bank account.

Amanda65

Hi Dantheman

My DD is going off to Birmingham in September too - which one is your son going to and where will he be living?

Can I say that whilst I accept what others are saying about letting them do things for themselves, I too have sorted out quite a few bits and pieces for my DD - it's part of being a parent and as much as they need to grow up and grow away (and I feel that her making a success of this is will mean all that I have done my job properly:D) it is also going to be an awful wrench letting her go

The bits and pieces we have done, we have done together - I haven't just left her to get on with it - as I want to make sure that her transition from home to her new home is as smooth as possible.

As for spends, I posted yesterday asking how people work out allowances for their children at Uni as I am interested to know what works for others. DD knows she will have to get herself a job as soon as she can to pay for her 'fun funds' and we will give her an allowance for food and materials (she's an art student). The £200 pm seems reasonable until we know how much she'll spend on art stuff.

Oldernotwiser

msmyth18 wrote: »

Are you talking student loan/grant from the student loans company?
If so how have you paid that because its usually the 'Students' loan, which hasnt actually been paid yet for the 2010 freshers?

And how can a parent pay for something with money that belongs to the student?

msmyth18

The_One_Who wrote: »

Firstly, trying to insult other users doesn't really go down well, especially when they are simply offering advice.

Secondly, I can only echo everyone else. It seems like you have already done more than enough for him. Also, I don't really understand what you mean when you say you have paid his accommodation out of his loans and grants. That money won't have yet come in, and it should be going into his own bank account.

Thats a better way of putting what i meant!

Anyway i suggest £50 per week, paid weekly on the monday!

devildog

I was the same as you last year(well almost) Laptop was purchased, insurance arranged(phone and railcard sorted out by student) as well as helping with initial food/cooking utensils etc(self catered accom)
Once we found out how much loan was coming through sat down with dd and explained how much she was getting, what the rent would be and how much she should dis-regard each month(for rent) and food(£30) each week and what she would have left for everything else. This has worked well and she has not used her overdraft. She has approx £45 pw and with this she funds social/clothes/rail travel/books etc.
Her second term she knew what she was doing and needed no further input. Couple of weeks time she will be renting privately and again I have run through rent/utilites etc.
Yes they need to stand on their own feet and learn life skills but if they can learn from the benefit of our guidance/experience I don't think that is wrong.