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AIBU?

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AIBU - expecting son to pay for his own 'luxury' groceries on top of rent

758 replies

QuaintNewt · 15/01/2026 14:12

23yo DS pays £500 a month 'rent'. This includes, all bills including mobile but ive recently asked him to take this on himself as he can get cheap sim only contract and good for credit rating etc. It also includes meals and snacks Sunday - Thursday with the original agreement being he buys his own meals on weekends (take aways) although if im cooking i will offer to include him and his gf in meals too.

We are very comfortable and not financially 'short' but also not loaded, we live well but dont have loads left over, and DS earns around £1800 after tax and has EV paid through work costing him £30 a month BIK (he charges at home and claims work mileage as expenses) so no other outgoings .

He thinks £500 a month is excessive and we have recently had a discussion about him paying us for his car electricity on top of his rent, I also do not want to buy him large packs of canned drinks and coffee pods (nespresso) as part of our weekly shop. The coffee machine was purchased as weve recently moved rurally and i miss my occasional coffee shop coffee but dont expect to be paying £150 a month in pods for is all which I can see happening ig DH,DS,DD all start drinking 2 o 3 coffees a day!

AIBU and a tighta**e or do you think expecting him to purchase these things himself is fair?

OP posts:
Pyew · 16/01/2026 19:17

You sound a) tight and b) overly focused on trivialities. You might think you're "teaching" him valuable lessons but if he's observing you accurately he won't be getting much worthwhile.

Parentoffour · 16/01/2026 19:16

£500 is relative, depends on where you live, what the accommodation is ect. Small box room or large room with shower etc. if you live near/in London it’s cheap, if your up north it’s expensive. Do you shop in M&S or Lidl? Hard to make a judgement. I’ve told all my kids I will charge them all 30% of there income but I plan to put some in a saver for them to buy a house. This will bill if bills don’t keep going up.

Strider55 · 16/01/2026 19:16

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:15

@QuinqueremeofNiveneh

That is a disgraceful post. His parents are already profiting from him and you want them to make even more?

He earns a wage and it is his to do with as he sees fit.

"he earns a wage and it is his to do with as he sees fit"

I'm going to ring the council and tell them to sod their council tax, it's my wage to do with as I wish 💰

Minnie798 · 16/01/2026 19:07

I think I'd be working with him to figure out how he can move out and live independently of you ( without getting into financial difficulties again) .
He's already moved out twice , so that's clearly what he wants anyway. House share ? Teaching money management, budgeting, putting a spread sheet together etc. I'd focus on that rather than coffee pods tbh, based on what you've posted.

Usernamenotav · 16/01/2026 19:05

Ooooookay · 16/01/2026 08:35

She’s said she’s giving him £10k and that other family members are giving him another £10k! The £500 is about teaching him to be responsible with money, he has already been in financial difficulty before

Thanks for clarifying.
A lot of people use the excuse of 'teaching financial responsibility' to take money from their kids.
I never had to pay though and don't struggle with finances. My husband on the other hand had to, and he is useless with money, so i habe to wonder how much it actually teaches.

SleeplessInWherever · 16/01/2026 19:01

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:57

Failure to launch 😂

The vast majority of 23 year olds live at home. He is hardly some sort of unique circumstance.

Do they? Where I’m from if you haven’t moved out by around 21, you’re quite likely attached to your mother’s apron strings.

Even if most young adults do live at home in certain areas, they are adults, and adults pay their way.

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:58

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:57

In which case she is exploiting her son.

@SilkySquirrel

no she isn’t. He is paying his way, as grown ups do.

QuinqueremeofNiveneh · 16/01/2026 18:57

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:42

Not by anywhere near £500 they won’t.

The OP is being subsidised by her DS at present and will need to ensure she is prepared for when that income stops.

Yes, she must brace herself for the tidy house, the smokeless air and the absence of a useless, entitled man baby.

How ever will she manage?

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:57

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:55

@SilkySquirrel

shes already said she doesn’t need the money! She’ll be ok 😀

In which case she is exploiting her son.

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:57

SheilaFentiman · 16/01/2026 18:49

I would imagine OP is far more capable of running her budget in line with her income than the DS, given his double failure to launch and his smoking habit.

Failure to launch 😂

The vast majority of 23 year olds live at home. He is hardly some sort of unique circumstance.

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:55

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:42

Not by anywhere near £500 they won’t.

The OP is being subsidised by her DS at present and will need to ensure she is prepared for when that income stops.

@SilkySquirrel

shes already said she doesn’t need the money! She’ll be ok 😀

Blades2 · 16/01/2026 18:55

So many posts like this recently.
My Autistic 19 year old has more sense than some of these adult children. She will always pay for her own expensive items, if I want to treat her I have to do it quietly else she will just buy it herself.

SheilaFentiman · 16/01/2026 18:49

I would imagine OP is far more capable of running her budget in line with her income than the DS, given his double failure to launch and his smoking habit.

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:42

SheilaFentiman · 16/01/2026 18:27

Yep! And it's not like he costs nothing - food and utility costs will go down somewhat when he leaves too.

Not by anywhere near £500 they won’t.

The OP is being subsidised by her DS at present and will need to ensure she is prepared for when that income stops.

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:41

HouseReTurn · 16/01/2026 18:35

I disagree with it being high.

OP, I understand (I think), he’s not pulli g his weight at home, I bet you tried to teach him to tidy up atter himself, his girlfriend is also there a lot, you do all the cooking, housework, so it’s kind of a compensation.
I totally get how you want to help him (and you are, rents only in my area are 7-800 per room for example). and I’m assuming you’re tired of the arguments.

Yes, rents to a landlord who is making a profit 😳

ForCoralScroller · 16/01/2026 18:38

Issues

ForCoralScroller · 16/01/2026 18:38

Sadly you have issues of your own then..

HouseReTurn · 16/01/2026 18:35

I disagree with it being high.

OP, I understand (I think), he’s not pulli g his weight at home, I bet you tried to teach him to tidy up atter himself, his girlfriend is also there a lot, you do all the cooking, housework, so it’s kind of a compensation.
I totally get how you want to help him (and you are, rents only in my area are 7-800 per room for example). and I’m assuming you’re tired of the arguments.

Atsocta · 16/01/2026 18:33

Atsocta · 16/01/2026 18:30

My son earns about the same as yours, but in his own small apartment his rent alone £1600 a month … yours needs to pay up some more or try it alone ..

Ment to add he works another job at weekends too ..not sure what he gets for that, but he copes …his 24 and we’re proud of him .

Atsocta · 16/01/2026 18:30

My son earns about the same as yours, but in his own small apartment his rent alone £1600 a month … yours needs to pay up some more or try it alone ..

SheilaFentiman · 16/01/2026 18:27

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:23

@SilkySquirrel

shes probs gonna love her life tbh when he eventually goes… not having to clean up after a grown man, be nagged to buy coffee pads, smelling cig smoke etc etc
i think she’ll cope just fine!

Yep! And it's not like he costs nothing - food and utility costs will go down somewhat when he leaves too.

QuinqueremeofNiveneh · 16/01/2026 18:23

SheilaFentiman · 16/01/2026 18:21

Love your username @QuinqueremeofNiveneh

Hate my typo! 😄

But not Mumsnet-savvy enough to fix it...

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:23

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:21

It sounds like the son is subsidising the OP in this case tbh.

What is she going to do when she loses £500 a month from her income?

@SilkySquirrel

shes probs gonna love her life tbh when he eventually goes… not having to clean up after a grown man, be nagged to buy coffee pads, smelling cig smoke etc etc
i think she’ll cope just fine!

Cherrytree86 · 16/01/2026 18:21

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:15

@QuinqueremeofNiveneh

That is a disgraceful post. His parents are already profiting from him and you want them to make even more?

He earns a wage and it is his to do with as he sees fit.

@SilkySquirrel

he’s an adult! He needs to move out or be working towards it. Would you really be happy to be slaving away to pay the bills and cleaning up after your son while he spends all his money on cigs or whatever?? Really??

SilkySquirrel · 16/01/2026 18:21

Laurmolonlabe · 16/01/2026 18:18

Not at home- commercially, why should parents heavily subsidise children who are earning well?

It sounds like the son is subsidising the OP in this case tbh.

What is she going to do when she loses £500 a month from her income?