pocket money for children at boarding school?

[mumoverseas]

Am interested on how much other parents with kids at boarding school give them per term (and no, I'm not a journalist!)

Have two DC at boarding school (different schools) and am wondering what the 'average' is. (am fed up with sob stories, so and so gets x pounds per week etc)

Also, does your school set a maximum? DD's school did have a maximum of 5 pounds per week up until last year and now there appears to be no limit.

[goinggetstough]

Hi, I have one currently at senior school and he gets approx 100 pounds per term. From this he pays house trips eg to the cinema and still has money left at the end of term. My DD1 required less as she didn't have shops etc within walking distance of school. I think the idea of a limit per week is not now viable as so many children have their own bank cards. I don't think this is necessarily a good thing but it does mean that those without cards aren't penalised and only allowed a certain amount. My DD1 who has now left school says that she would have liked (in a perfect world) at least 10 pounds a week + if her school had been located near coffee shops etc. I think from my experience there is a very wide range of pocket money as many children (not mine) have an unlimited amount. I shall be interested to see how this thread progresses.

[mumoverseas]

thanks goinggetstough very useful information.
DD (aged 14) had been 'tapping me up' for around 10 pounds per week (so 120 ish) per term. That is what I gave the housemistress last term but she 'ran out' a few weeks before end of term as they paid a few house trips out of it too.

DS is 17 and I transfer into his account 65pcm plus pay his phone contract which is around 35.

Feel like I'm being fleeced!

[goinggetstough]

I know what you mean about feeling you are being fleeced. I assume from your name and previous posts that you live overseas, we do too. As the DC are not at home we also have to factor in money for shampoo, shower gel,tuck etc. I am always surprised to see how much they add up to. I do though try and stock DS1 up when I am in UK but even so I do think it can eat into their allowance. These are often outgoings that their friends don't have as if their parents pop in to see them at the weekend they bring the odd thing with them. As an end result our children feel slightly "poor" as they have to buy these things themselves! However, I wouldn't necessarily admit that to my DC..... It is a difficult one isn't it?

[Talkinpeace]

When my sister was at boarding school the big issue was the tuck box at the start of each term.
I finally pointed out to my Mum that taking tonic, ginger ale and soda water was a tad suspicious. Indeed, the sixth form were taking the other half of the cabinet.

[mumoverseas]

goinggetstough yes, am overseas at the moment so therefore am mindful that they do have to pay for extras such as toiletries etc

talkingpeace LOL!

[Pippaandpolly]

I'm a Housemistress in a sixth form house and we don't set guidelines as they're all expected to have bank accounts by Year 12. The amount they have really varies - some of them have thousands per term (usually overseas girls who have to buy their plane tickets home - I never understand why their parents don't do it) but most of them have around £10-20 per week. We are city centre. The younger girls (Years 7-11) are only allowed into town once per week and aren't allowed to ever miss meals but mine have a lot more freedom and are allowed to have supper in town up to twice a week with permission from me and obviously need money to do so. I don't think they ever go much further than subway though!