Lunch money - 6th former

mo1222

Hi, I know this isn't moneysaving but my son is currently taking his a-levels & I give him money weekly to cover lunches & snacks. After reading some of the advice about preparing students for uni I'm considering transferring an amount monthly into his account (I've just started giving him a clothes allowance in the same way) in the hope it will teach him to budget & not starve! It works out to be a few £s per day and I wondered if I'm being a bit mean!! My son hasn't complained but I know a lot of his friends get considerably more than he does.

Would any of you who currently have children in the 6th form consider telling me what you think is a 'fair' amount?

chugalug

I have 2 children at college but slightly different to your situation. I'm a student myself so cannot afford to give them much. having said that my daughter (17) qualifies for EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) which pays her £30 per week directly. I know this is related to the parents income so maybe this is an option for you. My son doesnt qualify for this payment as he is a year older so he works Saturday for his money. He's also lucky that he is sponsored for his Art course so doesnt pay for materials. Apart from that I feed them and keep them warm, provide a lump sum for clothing twice a year and help out when I can. Anything else is up to them. I know lots of people think I'm mean but I see it as thorough training for reality!!

robnye

i personally would give an amount slightly more than you think he would need.


then if he needs anymore, perhaps he should get a parttime job......

thousands of other students will be in the same position and quite happily do a job to earn some cash....

Savvy_Sue

I agree that you should give a little more than you think he actually needs, but if he's not complaining and you can afford more I would put it by ready for when he really will need it. Every so often you could check he is doing OK on it. Just because others have more doesn't mean he HAS to have more.

I agree that putting it into his bank account is a very good idea, my son doesn't get much more from me than his bus fares but he takes sandwiches from home. And he has a part-time job so has more disposable income than me!

The bus is £20 for 20 journeys - cheapest option - and it is teaching him to keep an eye on the cash levels in his wallet because he can only buy the tickets with cash on the bus! That means he is responsible for finding a cashpoint when he needs it, rather than hassling me for money at short notice.

Savvy_Sue

And do consider giving him more responsibility in other ways as well - like doing his own laundry! I was surprised how much difference it made to the family laundry pile when I started washing for 4 not 5!

mo1222

Thanks for your replies. I don't feel such a meanie now!! So I'm going to do as intended and just transfer monthly the equivalent weekly amounts and wait for him to say he can't manage

Savvy_Sue, you & I must be on the same wavelength as a few weeks ago I told him he had to start washing and ironing his own clothes - apart from school uniform which I've continued to do or he wouldn't go to school!

So far so good, although he does tend to 'iron and wear' which I suppose is better than ' wash, iron and wear wet' LOL

Savvy_Sue

mo1222 wrote:

Savvy_Sue, you & I must be on the same wavelength as a few weeks ago I told him he had to start washing and ironing his own clothes - apart from school uniform which I've continued to do or he wouldn't go to school!

Ah well, mine don't wear uniform in the 6th form. Did consider getting middle one started on the washing too, but he would probably continue to wear his blazer without washing it, which would probably constitute a health hazard. :rotfl:

mo1222 wrote:

So far so good, although he does tend to 'iron and wear' which I suppose is better than ' wash, iron and wear wet' LOL

Iron? Iron? What's an iron? Eldest picked up a toy iron at nursery and thought it was a boat!

Seriously, no-one irons in this house except on very special occasions. But we do have a tumble drier which may help cut down the creases. :rotfl:

nearlyrich

Savvy_Sue wrote:

And do consider giving him more responsibility in other ways as well - like doing his own laundry! I was surprised how much difference it made to the family laundry pile when I started washing for 4 not 5!

LOL I can't believe how little ironing there is when DS is away at uni, he used to triple the washing every week.

In answer to the original question I give my 6th former daughter £100 per month for food outside the house, clothes, bus fares ( now she drives so change that to petrol etc for her car) She doesn't get the Education Maintainance grant as we don't qualify for anything means tested. She does have a job as a waitress and is planning to work this summer before going to uni. She still get some extra money sometimes but she isn't too demanding.

I started to pay both my teenagers an allowance when they were about 14 so they could learn to budget in the safety of home and it seems to have worked as they are both good with money.

mo1222

nearlyrich wrote:

I started to pay both my teenagers an allowance when they were about 14 so they could learn to budget in the safety of home and it seems to have worked as they are both good with money.

I wish I'd done this when mine were younger instead of just giving them pocket money monthly which they tended to spend almost immediately!

loopyloo1986

Im in the last year doing my a-levels and starting uni in the autumn.
I don't get any EMA because the system changed and i had already started college and missed out by a year - sore subject I can tell you :mad:

Anyways, I have a weekend job that earns me around £200 a month and I have to survive on this money for food at college, clothes, driving lessons, everything I want really.

It has definately taught me how far money doesn't go! Paying for a few lessons a month takes most of the money away!

The only money I get from my parents is for travelling on the bus to college, and material costs for my course if required.

I'd agree with giving your child an allowenance if they don't work, but don't give them both! I'd also encourage them to get a job to stand on their own two feet more and become more finacially independant.

Hope that helped, I think being a parent would be hard workl :eek:

megsykins

This is what my mum did for me - monthly direct debit for clothes, travel, food at college, etc. She was a bit worried i'd starve myself to afford a new skirt or night out, but i didnt! She's since done the same for my sister and will set up one for my brother when he starts A-Levels next year. SHe's been giving us clothes allowance since we we about 12 although she would buy uniform and shoes (which obv doesnt apply in 6thform)

Only backfired on her when i started taking packed lunches, thus not spending the money and eating food she'd bought!

Your son will probably need about £2 a day, dep on where he's going for lunch. My school 6thform was out the way so ate from the cafeteria every day, but if had been in centre of town, would have been different. Also check how many lunchtimes your son will need to buy food. In year 13, I was only in all day once a week and off completely 2 days a week so didn't need much lunch money.

Hope that helps!! :cool: