Once your kids are earning should you charge them Housekeeping?

Stargazer_Lily

I paid £50 per week (10 years ago!) when I was waitressing over the summer before Uni. Unbeknownst to me, my step-mum was putting it all into a high interest account and gave me the whole lot back (just under £1000) as a lump sum when I got the train. £50 a week was about half of my wages each week, but still left me plenty to live on - in fact I had more spending money then than I do now!

I'd charge a reasonable sum of say 40-50% of their earnings (a lot less than I put towards my bills!) and put it away for when they need it.

Lil

cymrugirl

When I got my scholarship to uni I still had to pay board to my parents. It was fairly reasonable though ~ £80 pcm. Then when i got a job it went up to £150 which was still quite reasonable. It certainly stopped me being irresponsible with my money.

Actually, looking at what others had to pay I got a pretty good deal!

marksandsparksgal

I think it's reasonable that kids contribute. When I was working part time before I left for sunny Berlin I repeatedly offered to but bless my parents wouldn't take any money.

However I do do the cooking / cleaning / fetch the weekly shop from Tesco every week for them, and the agreement is that I put myself through uni. Obviously when I graduate and get a 'proper' job, then this will change but I hope to be moved out by then.

Their argument was they'd rather I sort my education and and save for the future if poss, as they want me to be in a position to get on the housing ladder.

Parents are lovely.

[Deleted User]

Very simply.. take 30% of their earnings and then do the following depending on your circumstance's based on 'Do you need the money?'

Yes: Ok, keep the money. Bills aren't free and an earning adult should pay their way

No: Save the money in an ISA/high interest account and give it to them when they leave home. Don't tell them about it. Don't charge them the same amount that they could actually go out and rent for.

I guess it does depend on how you brought up your kids. If you take 30% off them and they're still saving away, maybe drop a hint that you're saving for them also. If they spend money like it's going out of fashion, don't tell them and use the money to pay off their eventual debts.

geordie_joe

It's got nothing to do with whether you need the money or not, or if it is right or wrong to charge them. You have to charge them as it teaches that in life there are things that must be paid before they spend money on clothes makeup beer etc.

Too many kids leave home thing is something to spend on the things they want, not pay what they owe.

If you don't charge them housekeeping they will leave home and sooner or later come back asking you to pay their debts for them.

silvercar

My parents never charged me a penny, and I still managed to budget and save.

I wouldn't charge my kids, unless I needed the money to pay the bills.

We would have the running costs of the house whether the kids were living at home or not, so I think to charge them any more than the extra costs that them living at home brings (eg phone bills) is unfair.

I would be happy for my children to live at home as long as they wanted to and certainly wouldn't charge them for the privilege!

painted_lady

Yes, living expenses are a part of life. My parents used to not charge us until we had finished education, but when working, they took a small amount off us towards bills, food, washing and so on.
I know a family who charge their daughter even though she is still at uni, they said it will show her how to prioritise.

tallyhoh

Definitely- when I left School my mom told me to go out & get a job & not to come home till I had one. I did this- in my 1st job I took home £4.50. Mom had £2 of this but saved a £1 for me. I got paid on Thursday & if board money wasn't on the table by Friday morning I got locked out.

I have never, ever been in debt, even when I was flat broke.

My OH, on the other hand had parents who did not only not expect him to contribute but gave him money & bailed him out of debt as well.

He has always, always been in debt & gets no better.

Now-- who had the right idea??

geordie_joe

silvercar wrote: »

We would have the running costs of the house whether the kids were living at home or not, so I think to charge them any more than the extra costs that them living at home brings (eg phone bills) is unfair.

Why? They are using things so they should pay for them.

I think I'll try your way next time I do my shopping at Mr T's.

"Mr T, you would have to pay your staff wages whether I came and bought something or not, you would stil have to pay your water, electricity and gas bills too, not to mention your rent/lease and your business tax. So can you deduct the amount you add to your prices to cover those from my shopping bill as you would have to pay them even if I hadn't bought anything."

My shopping bill is going to be so cheap this week

geordie_joe

tallyhoh wrote: »

Definitely- when I left School my mom told me to go out & get a job & not to come home till I had one. I did this- in my 1st job I took home £4.50. Mom had £2 of this but saved a £1 for me. I got paid on Thursday & if board money wasn't on the table by Friday morning I got locked out.

Same here, but my first take home wage was £14. I got to keep all my first weeks wage every week after that I paid £6.

About nine or ten years ago I moved into a flat, on my own, but as it had two spare bedrooms and was a little expensive for me I let a young (25) lad lodge with me. His first time living away from home. He paid his rent on time the first month but the second month he kept forgetting to get the money out of the bank.

After six days I changed the lock. When he came home he didn't have his rent money with him so he didn't get in. He thought that because I was his mate and his dad was my mate and supervisor at work he could get away with not paying.

He went home and told his dad, who laughed and said "Just right too, I've been wanting to do that for years but your mother won't let me. If you want to live in the big wide world you'll have to learn that your mother is the only person on earth who will let you get away with not paying your rent."

Then he rang me and said "Come on down the pub, I'll buy you all the beer you can drink."

So I did