18yr old birthday & pocket money

74jax

I 2nd the holiday. For my DDs 18th just me and her went to New York - utterly amazing.

We've just had her 21st and back a few days ago from the golden triangle.

Fantastic memories.

mutley74

Kim_kim wrote: »

I was going to suggest driving lessons.

Yes driving lessons was on my mind too, but don't want to buy vouchers from one driving company as he probably want to go with the same one his friends use. Will ask him if he wants this.

chesky

Kim_kim wrote: »

I was going to suggest driving lessons.

Me too, I've done that for both my grandchildren.

onomatopoeia99

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

A voucher for driving lessons is probably the most sensible thing, if he hasn't already learned.

I started lessons the Saturday following my 17th birthday (paid from my wages, not my parents) and passed well before I was 18. Always surprises me when I meet people outside of zones 1-3 that have made it to 18 and not even started learning.

£1,000 would get a Mk1 MX-5 for his first car ...

Silvertabby

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

£1,000 would get a Mk1 MX-5 for his first car ...

Shame about the insurance, though !

TBagpuss

Ask him what he would like.

If you are currentyl estranged, then showing that you careanough to ask him and accept his reply could go a long way, but you would need to be prepared to buy something that you feel is frivolous or not 'significant' enough.

You couldstart by asking what he would like, and perhaps specifcally ask whether he would like you to pay for driving lessons.

Regarding child suppport - keep paying it to his grandparents if that is where he is living. Ask *them*whether they think it would be a good idea to start giving it to him directly. They may be happy with that, they may say they would rather that they have it as otherwise they would have to ask him to start paying it to them as rent and that could make their rleationship with him more awkward.

supermezzo

Put it into a help to buy for him, towards his 1st home (whenever that may be)?

onwards&upwards

onomatopoeia99 wrote: »

I started lessons the Saturday following my 17th birthday (paid from my wages, not my parents) and passed well before I was 18. Always surprises me when I meet people outside of zones 1-3 that have made it to 18 and not even started learning.

How long ago was that? Driving lessons aren’t cheap!

I agree they are a great birthday present though, a skill for life! You don’t have to get a voucher for a specific school, just throw something together yourself saying that he can decide on the instructor and you will pay.

NaughtiusMaximus

re driving lessons - there's no point giving those as a gift unless either the OP or someone else either buys his son a car or insures him as a named driver on their car.

Seems blatantly obvious to me but someone I work with made exactly that mistake, paid for lessons for their daughter who passed her test first time but didn't get behind the wheel of a car again for a couple of years by which time she'd forgotten most of what she'd learnt.

JGB1955

silvercar wrote: »

Why not spend some time with him and build memories rather than throwing money around?

My father (soon to be 88 years old) walked the Pennine Way with my brother when he graduated from university, some 30 years ago. It's a memory that they both hold on to, especially as my father now has little mental capacity.


My brother took the same (Pennine Way) route with his son a couple of years ago - so pleasing to see memories being re-worked.


Hopefully, in 30 years time, my nephew will walk the same walk with his own special person.