Son got first job, fair rate for board

[infernox]

What worries me is the apparent need to go to university?

I work in IT and I would be probably worse off in regards to debt.

I don't owe a penny. Don't even think uni would give me anything beneficial anyway. But hey everyone's different.

 

[Dis86]

I used to pay 200 a month when I was working part time and earning 800 a month.

 

[Derek W]

Time to get really friendly with some ageing relatives I think

 

[Efour]

Charge him £200, put £50 a month in an account, when he moves out give him the savings to help set him up.

Do exactly this with whatever % you decide... I think that's an amazing gesture.

 

[Nutella33]

Used to pay 240 from a 800 quid pay (supermarket job whilst at college). Seems like I was robbed

 

[makavien478]

Make them pay for what they use if they are old enough to earn a wage and live life like a adult then they should be treatedlike one .
This argument its your kid is rubbish they are adults so pay rent or move out ...I have 3 kids and all were told the same thing

 

[Metalface Mark]

I don't think i'll ever understand this culture of charging your children.

Do you need the cash he contributes? If no, don't charge. If yes, then he should be contributing whatever you need, regardless.

But maybe that view is because I didn't grow up here.

My girlfriends parents took money from her but put it into a savings account that she didnt know about, when she went to buy her first house they gave her all her dig money back.

If you can afford to do something like that its sensible (teaches kids about bills and responsibilities) but you are not really taking from them on the sly.

 

[Richdog]

I don't think i'll ever understand this culture of charging your children.

Do you need the cash he contributes? If no, don't charge. If yes, then he should be contributing whatever you need, regardless.

But maybe that view is because I didn't grow up here.

If you don't understand basic principles like this, then I feel sorry for your own children who will grow up not learning them.

 

[garyfl]

while i think its relative important to help contribute if your parents are really struggling and to pay your way with what you use, i believe it to be faux pas when a parent asks you for a really ungodly sum, especially when they spend it on crap ! if my parent spent that on holidays at the time id just up sticks and rough it in a hostel, how is using it for holidays a lesson on money.

 

[Sudden]

My girlfriends parents took money from her but put it into a savings account that she didnt know about, when she went to buy her first house they gave her all her dig money back.

If you can afford to do something like that its sensible (teaches kids about bills and responsibilities) but you are not really taking from them on the sly.

If you don't understand basic principles like this, then I feel sorry for your own children who will grow up not learning them.

Is it not possible to teach kids about financial responsibility without doing this? My parents never charged me for rent, and never would. I've been living on my own for about 5 years now and have always been careful with what I spend. I'm fortunate enough that I can spend, reasonably, without worrying about how much I'm spending, but that still doesn't mean I'll go and start spending ridiculous amounts on crap.

By all means teach your kids about responsibility, encourage them to save. But forcing them this way? Is it not possible just to talk to them and teach them these principles while growing up?

while i think its relative important to help contribute if your parents are really struggling and to pay your way with what you use, i believe it to be faux pas when a parent asks you for a really ungodly sum, especially when they spend it on crap ! if my parent spent that on holidays at the time id just up sticks and rough it in a hostel, how is using it for holidays a lesson on money.

This is very different. If your parents are struggling, then yes you should be contributing. Similarly to the above, I would never think twice about giving them anything they needed, even if it meant the whole paycheck.

 

[Ilikeitblackplease]

Whats a fair rate for someone who has secured first job.
We aren't talking pocket money here, around £1200 take home per month.

So whats a fair rate for all in board and lodgings?

Initially I off the top of my head said 20%, but at £240 maybe that's a bit steep, its not supposed to be a profit making exercise lol.

He eats a lot, that's probably the most significant bill, but also uses a fair amount of electric and is not careful on the usage either. Eg got locked out the other night as I was locking up I noticed his light on, so had assumed he was in, he wasn't, he had been out for hours.

So would something like £150 be fair (a month)
That's just over £34 a week over 52 weeks, allowing £30 for food and £20 a month for utils. TV etc are in effect free as we would pay them anyway.

Too high, too low?

He is your son why charge him? if you are going to charge him then save the money for him. I never understand the concept of charging your children.

 

[Sudden]

He is your son why charge him? if you are going to charge him then save the money for him. I never understand the concept of charging your children.

Glad to see i'm not alone.

 

[PMKeates]

If you don't understand basic principles like this, then I feel sorry for your own children who will grow up not learning them.

If we were talking about bestowing children with life and perspective altering amounts of cash and support then maybe you'd have a point. However, we're talking about £200 a month. They'd be better off enjoying life with it or saving on their own, rather than having some false and warped sense of financial management imposed on them.

 

[Richdog]

Is it not possible to teach kids about financial responsibility without doing this? My parents never charged me for rent, and never would.

Personally, I wanted to contribute something towards the life I was living. To me that is basic principle and morality, clearly not as common in some people.

If we were talking about bestowing children with life and perspective altering amounts of cash and support then maybe you'd have a point. However, we're talking about £200 a month. They'd be better off enjoying life with it or saving on their own, rather than having some false and warped sense of financial management imposed on them.

You are teaching them that when they ear a wage, they need to support themselves and contribute to a household on some level. If you consider that "warped" (what bizzarre wording), then I feel sorry for your current and future children also.

The amount charged should always be affordable, and if so then all good.

 

[PMKeates]

You are teaching them that when they ear a wage, they need to support themselves and contribute to a household on some level. If you consider that "warped" (what bizzarre wording), then I feel sorry for your current and future children also.

Should you choke them to teach them that they need oxygen? You are giving them a gift of a place in your home, whenever, whatever, at no cost. It's patently obvious that things aren't free and somebody is always paying. This will be obvious when they have to pay, you know, money for things. If your current and future children are too stupid to realise that without your simplistic impositions then I feel sorry for them.

 

[Richdog]

Should you choke them to teach them that they need oxygen? It's patently obvious that things aren't free and somebody is always paying. If your current and future children are too stupid to realise that without your simplistic impositions then I feel sorry for them.

Yes, because that is of course such a sensible and logical analogy. Charging a wage-earning adult is the same as choking them to teach them they need to breathe... blinding bit of common sense there. Eagerly awaiting your next nugget of wisdom.

 

[Sudden]

You are teaching them that when they ear a wage, they need to support themselves and contribute to a household on some level. If you consider that "warped" (what bizzarre wording), then I feel sorry for your current and future children also.

Or, you know. Let them enjoy life a bit until they get into the whole needing to earn to support themselves thing.

I'd like to think i've done pretty well. Have a good career, hoping to be permanent come January. All managed without ever having to pay rent or any such thing to my parents.

 

[Rroff]

Is it not possible to teach kids about financial responsibility without doing this? My parents never charged me for rent, and never would. I've been living on my own for about 5 years now and have always been careful with what I spend. I'm fortunate enough that I can spend, reasonably, without worrying about how much I'm spending, but that still doesn't mean I'll go and start spending ridiculous amounts on crap.

By all means teach your kids about responsibility, encourage them to save. But forcing them this way? Is it not possible just to talk to them and teach them these principles while growing up?

Maybe its about the parent and not the child heh - seems like some are projecting their low expectations of themselves onto their children :S

My parents took it as a responsibility bringing a child into the world and would support me *whatever* though there is an expectancy that while I can afford to I should pay for my own consumption which I think is how it should be and I try to contribute to the general household one way or another which they are less expecting of but I think its the right thing to do and don't blame parents for charging their kids for it especially if the kids are lazy ***** and don't contribute in other ways.

 

[Sudden]

Personally, I wanted to contribute something towards the life I was living. To me that is basic principle and morality, clearly not as common in some people.

We clearly have different expectations of family. If I was living with friends, I'd want to contribute something (though would not in the least have the same expectation if a friend was staying with me for an extended period of time (to distinguish from having a room-mate which is a different situation)), but with family? I'm pretty sure all of my family, including extended family, would be offended if I even offered. At the most, they'd accept a dinner as a thank you.

 

[PMKeates]

Yes, because that is of course such a sensible and logical analogy. Charging a wage-earning adult is the same as choking them to teach them they need to breathe... blinding bit of common sense there. Eagerly awaiting your next nugget of wisdom.

Let's not confuse generic 'wage-earning adult' with your own children. If Fred Bloggs wants to live in a property I own then yes he can pay, but there's no need need to charge your own children a pointless and tokenistic sum for what amounts to tens of thousands of pounds of benefit under the guise of teaching them something worthwhile.