Once your kids are earning should you charge them Housekeeping?

On_My_Lonesome

I haven't read the whole thread but thought would give my two pennies worth.

As soon as I was working my Mum took 50% of what I earned as board money, I hated it thought it was far too much. What I didn't know was that she was putting half of it (25% of my income into a savings account) and when I moved out she gave it to me to buy furniture etc, was a complete surprise she couldn't have afforded to help me herself but suddenly having a decent lump sum given was a huge help. It was about £3000 I had saved without realising. Paying 50% worked well for me besides that it meant I had a good idea of how to budget when I had my own place and bills to pay etc.

Heart_Shaped_Diamond

Some of you sound very expensive to live with. I'm in my 20's and still live at home. At the moment i've only had my job coming up for two months and we have discussed what I shall be paying when handing in keep money. But it's not been set in stone yet, so I haven't contributed anything so far.

I only earn between £90-£100 per week. If my mum was to take £50 a week off of me, that would only leave me with £200 wages per month, maybe less. And in my opinion, whilst i'm saving, it's really not enough to live on. My job is an hour away from home and lunch every day costs around £5 give or take. Most of my wages are spent going to work and and eating during the day.

I understand what a lot of you are saying about putting it away to contriubute to a new home or wedding, and I think that's a very nice idea. Although, I would rather give the money to my mum to help with the house as my parents don't earn much at all between them.

Young people who are unsettled, students for example - don't tend to make a lot of money, working in a supermarket for instance as I am. There is paying keep money and giving back what was given to you for so many years... But there is also a limit to it. We work hard too, to look forward to doing all of thing things in our youth that you all dreamt we'd do - travelling abroad, etc. But if you take away half otu earnings, then what have we got to live for then? Working 9-5 in a supermarket and having a meal on the table when we get home? A meal that has been there since the day we were born?

If you're going to charge us money to live in the family home, then please be reasonable about it. When I hear friends talk, it is as if they went from being son/daughter to being room renter.

I have a friend who is 25, he and his seven brothers and sisters have never been asked to hand a penny into the house. I guess that's his mothers choice, everyone differs in opinion.

For those who mentioned budgeting, a lot of us know too well about paying bills. For example, mobile phone, and car, some of us even have to pay for our own TV box in our room if we have one. At the moment I am still paying back a student bursary because SASS over paid me years ago and sent me out a letter stating "Oops, we gave you too much money and only just realised - we are now going to take money out of your bank each week until 2012". Thanks.

Just because we live at home does not mean we do not have other responsibilities in our lives involving cash. I'm all for helping out my mothers income but quite frankly, some of the pay you lot expect scares the living day lights out of me!

property.advert

Are these the same parents who have totally neglected to save up around £100,000 so their kids can go to university without being burdened by huge loans and overdrafts ?

If yes, then I question their right to force financial planning on their kids when they made such a poor job of it themselves.

kerri_gt

property.advert wrote: »

Are these the same parents who have totally neglected to save up around £100,000 so their kids can go to university without being burdened by huge loans and overdrafts ?

If yes, then I question their right to force financial planning on their kids when they made such a poor job of it themselves.

I chose to go to uni, I finansed myself through it, and yes, I am paying off my loan still - but why should my parents have paid for me?

Oldernotwiser

supermum370 wrote: »

My 18 year old son is working, he's saving up to go to university - should we be asking him for housekeeping or would this be mean. He hasn't even offered and we don't know how to approach him, would appreciate any views on this. How much should we expect.

Is he still in education?

mountainofdebt

Junior is in a similar situation; will either go to Uni (hopefully,lol!) next year if he doesn't get into the Armed Forces.

Agreement is that he saves half his wages in the meantime (so will have a pot to make life comfortable at Uni if he goes) and to give us £20 a week.

Almo

property.advert wrote: »

Are these the same parents who have totally neglected to save up around £100,000 so their kids can go to university without being burdened by huge loans and overdrafts ?

If yes, then I question their right to force financial planning on their kids when they made such a poor job of it themselves.

You have to be joking right? I can't believe anyone seriously thinks their parents should pay for them to go to uni, let alone 100k.

dirtysexymonkey

Almo wrote: »

You have to be joking right? I can't believe anyone seriously thinks their parents should pay for them to go to uni, let alone 100k.

never heard of america then.

Twod

After I finished univeristy I paid housekeeping. It has always been 1/5th of my monthly take home after tax. Same for my sister. That includes bills and food. If we want washing and ironing its an extra £5 a week. Mum hates ironing and seeing piles of dirty clothes (slightly OCD), so we often have to pay this!

And we do our fair share of cleaning, cooking etc all split 4 ways. Only thing we're not allowed to interfere with is the food shop(OCD again!)

Supernatural

Of course kids should pay as soon as they leave education. When I turned 16, and in the absence of a full time job, I was told to get off my butt and go apple picking to contribute to my board. I'm always very careful with money as a result.

My ex never paid a penny to his parents and he still doesn't know how to budget, as a consequence he's never been able to hold down a place of his own and still lives with (and takes handouts from) his parents - aged 46!!!!