Board and Lodging cost.

[Horiontal Jogger]

I wonder what fellow members are paying or charging their offspring for board and lodgings?

When I was at home with my mother, I was handing over £70 per week, that was back in 1996, some £165-175 per week now.

My partners daughter has a decent job and for Decembers pay, got almost £2,500 to take home, she gave her mother £300 and that was it, she spent £250 on a new hairstyle that included, cut, style, colour and some other stuff. She's banked the rest. She's worked less hours in January and wasn't paid as much and insisting she can't pay any money this month as her car tax is due and her car needs petrol.

It's not my business and keeping out of it, but my partners asking me what she should do and say.

Any suggestions?

 

[4x32]

Not paying anything then I'd show her the door. She needs to learn budgeting and consequences for her actions.

 

[RockSolidAlibi]

You choose to have the kids expecting them to pay rent is ridiculous.

Taking money off her wont teach her budgeting. If you wanted them to learn a good sense or fiscal responsibility that should have been taught earlier and enforced through the teenage years.

Also the fact she has banked the rest and not spent it on ket or a car payment doesnt exactly speak badly for her. If you want a house you will need to cough up 30k for a deposit and that isnt just going to come from thin air

 

[Matt@Nearfield]

My lad works for me. I charge him 30% of his wages.

 

[Matt@Nearfield]

You choose to have the kids expecting them to pay rent is ridiculous.

Taking money off her wont teach her budgeting. If you wanted them to learn a good sense or fiscal responsibility that should have been taught earlier and enforced through the teenage years.

Also the fact she has banked the rest and not spent it on ket or a car payment doesnt exactly speak badly for her. If you want a house you will need to cough up 30k for a deposit and that isnt just going to come from thin air

Really? Good for you pal.

My son pays rent. 30% of his wages. As it happens I put it straight into a ISA which he will get when he goes to buy his first house. But you do you buddy.

 

[BARNEY20]

Back in the day I gave my mother the requested money every Friday 25% of my pay . Lived like a king on the rest.

 

[3595wilk]

I was only allowed to ask them for £50 a week. Mrs 3595wilk was adamant.

Bearing in mind the youngest was on £35k I didn't think that was adequate....but in the longer run has worked out.

They have both left home now, one is 23 the other 21. I know a lot of kids are stuck at home until mid 30s so seems a bit of quid pro quo really, they saved and got out.

 

[SabreTroop]

I charged my lad £200 a month but he hardly ever paid it.

 

[Matt@Nearfield]

Lived like a king on the rest.

As does my boy. A good luck to him to. He'll be shouldering bills for the rest of his life. Let him spend it on women and parties and waste the rest

 

[BigAndy]

It was about £50 a week, but I paid the (home) phone bill and towards the gas and electric bill on top. After my father died it was £100 a week and half of the gas and electric bills, and my own internet bill.

A workmate has charged both of his kids £100 a week once they started earning half decent money (£50 a week before that). When each of them announced they where moving out and buying houses, he gave them the all of the money back plus interest as he had been putting it separate saving accounts for both of them without ever telling them!

 

[jesim1]

£200/month and I'm not out of pocket, this covers the little food my daughter eats and odd things she gets back like when I pay for meals out etc. I don't need the money, so I'm not trying to make on it, but I still think kids need to contribute, especially if you have a lad like I had before I moved and he could polish off £200 in grub alone

Remember there are lots of costs you don't think about, extra showers, extra washing up, extra toilet rolls soap powder/tumble drier etc, etc........

If I needed the cash then I'd have an honest conversation explaining the ways of the world, and that they could not expect me to struggle while they lived it up, I'd also sit down with them and show them just how much the bills add up to, I'm around £100/month just on broad band and TV subscriptions before we look at all the other expenses

 

[Cannon Fodder]

I paid 100% of my wage in rent to my parents between 14 and leaving home at 18 to go to university, it wasn't a hardship though as I didn't even realise I was employed (that's what you get for having a self employed accountant as a father).

Don't have kids but hear this often discussed at work by those that do, personally I think you should be charging whatever a room in a shared house goes for in your area plus a portion of the food bills, if the kid is unhappy with it they can move out to a house / flat share, if you need the money then spend it but if not save it up for them for a deposit (or a portion of it as appropriate).

Some of my colleagues are in the ridiculous situation of charging their kids who earn more than they do at the local power station a pittance in board whilst living paycheck to paycheck themselves whilst letting said kids off weeks worth of board because they've booked a holiday. I think teaching financial responsibilities should be part of your aim as a parent.

But then as I said, I've no kids and might think differently if I did.

 

[pjgtech]

I think parents should educate kids on having a good work ethic and how they will have to pay their way in adulthood.
Anything less is not adequately preparing them for the real world IMHO.
When I first started work (many years ago) I paid my Mum/Dad £25 a week, I was earning £70 a week (1980's).
I thought it was cheap, bearing in mind I also got all my washing/cleaning done as well.
When my GF and I got a first flat in around early 1990's, we had to pay £70 a week rent, then three years after that we got a mortgage on a house, our payments were more than double what we were paying in rent!
When the kids leave home they have to learn to fend for themselves, so start early I say.....
Ask your daughter in law where else she could live for £300.mth, eg: Nowhere!
I'd be asking for more, and if you can, putting it aside for them when they leave, don't need to tell them if you don't want to, so will be a nice surprise?
They need to realise what it actually costs to live in the real world, not just in the world(bank) of mum and dad....

 

[Thegogg]

24 yr old twins pay £300 each and it goes in to a savings account for their futures.

 

[The Robin]

Have two lads and never charged them a penny. Only thing I asked was help out, walk the dog, wash up, make a brew, don't be an idiot, do things for the right reasons and think about what your doing ...

Both moved out within two weeks of one another, one got a great deal on rent and other went to university.

Both now in full time employment and are decent guys

 

[Shadowryder]

Left school at 15,got a job on a local farm,{had worked for him summer hols etc}
I worked a 6 day week 6am to 5 pm my wages were £1 a day plus a bowl of porridge and mug of tea at 9.00am after milking was done.
Every friday I handed my paypacket unopened to my mother and I got £1.50 back which I used on pictures/milkshakes and juke boxes etc.
I had enough to last me the week.

 

[Robbi]

Mine is paying £100/wk which includes most meals as well, this is fair

 

[Rudolph Hucker]

My first job at 16 was £55 a week - I always gave Mum £30 a week.
We've managed to give our daughter a good work ethic and, she seems to be doing quite well.
We've never taken a penny from her on the understanding that she always works on her savings. She pays for any nice extras that she wants.
It seems to work ok for us

 

[Paynut]

Late 70’s, started as an apprentice on 24.60 a week, Ma got a tenner from that

 

[Dudd I]

Mum took half my fortnight's dole when I left school, £21.50.
When I had a job, it was 25% of monthly/weekly pay.