Store gift cards to help daughter?

Cycrow

When i went to uni, they did lunch vouchers that you could buy in bulk, and use to get lunch/dinner from the student union. I knew alot of people whos parents bought them a load of these to help them out at the start of the year

toffifee

I'd be wary of putting too much money onto gift cards because of the lack of security. If it's lost and someone finds it, they can spend the money on it with no questions asked. I think there might be a process to report a lost gift card and get the money back but that's probably a lot of hassle and who knows whether you'd get it all back, or just what's left on it when you report it missing.
My DH has a scheme at work that puts £100 per month onto a Sainsburys card but it only costs us £95. I make sure we keep the balance low, otherwise it's like carrying around a load of cash.

jackieblack

We started putting a small amount away each week for our DD a couple of years ago when she started talking about Uni as a possibility. As has been said above the cost of open days and interviews can add up, especially if an overnight stay is necessary. I know some people don't bother with open days before applying but we found it very worthwhile (there were places that looked great on paper but had not-so-great elements on visiting :eek:, and as they only have a limited number of choices why waste one on somewhere they wouldn't want to go to)

Our DD now has a firm (made unconditional) offer for her first choice of Uni (also our first preference for her, as parents, although the choice was totally hers) and that amount we put away has paid for Uni visits and a new laptop for her to take. There is also an amount left which we will give her towards initial expenses (she will have to buy uniform and pay a fee to register with a professional body).

I have also been picking up bits and pieces of kitchen equipment etc that she will need when I have seen them heavily discounted. We have a box in the spare bedroom where we have been collecting these. I have also been buying a few extra food, laundry and toiletry items with my weekly shop when they've been on offer so she'll have those to get her started.

The loan & grant she will get will be a decent amount for her living expenses (as long as she doesn't go mad!) and we will continue to put the same amount away to help out with any additional 'one off' expenses she has later on.

DigForVictory

Store cards can be helpful, but cash is accepted at All supermarkets. (So far.)

Help her with savings to get to open days is wonderful - but point out sites like MSE! there's beyondbakedbeans for student cooking & other sites but I'd encourage her to get Martin's email as a start!

bambinaUK

My daughter has just finished her first year and because my salary prevented her from qualifying for any extra support I put £30 every week into her bank account to cover food, books and transport etc.

I had considered giving her a variety of gift cards, but decided it would be a better idea for her to learn to budget her cash herself.

I also stocked her up with tins and packets and pasta when she moved in and after Christmas.

Annie_Elisabeth

maybe a couple of nice giftcards around special occassions for her to have a nice meal out with friends too ?

Zinger549

When I was at uni my dad set up a weekly dd from his account to mine to pay for food ect.

Owain_Moneysaver

£1000+ on a Tesco Giftcard might be spent in the first week of term on anything other than food e.g. one hell of a party!

You'd be better putting the money into an interest-bearing regular savings account.