Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not bail DD out with car damage

311 replies

brokenbiscuitsadness · 19/01/2026 14:00

DD 18 is at college. She has a car and an earns a good wage from her part time bar job.
I try to have ongoing conversations with her about saving money but it goes in one ear out the other. She literally spends every penny she earns without any thought to the future/car maintenance/emergencies.

when it was really icy a few weeks ago her car skidded in the college car park, causing £600 worth of damage to another car.
Naturally she has now come to me begging for me to loan her the money as she doesn't have it and so she doesn’t have to go through her insurance. I suspect she will have also asked ExH to also help - he will probably give in.

if she was more sensible with money I would be willing to lend it to her but I am now so exasperated I want to say no. That way she will have to figure a plan out herself and hopefully start to consider see why it’s so important to put money aside

AIBU?

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 19/01/2026 14:09

I’d loan it to her, but a loan and i’d tell her that next time you will not bail her out and this is exactly why she shouldn’t spend 100% of what she earns. If you just hand her the money she will learn nothing.

annmarie6 · 19/01/2026 14:09

I’m probably too soft, but I think I would just lend it to her and get her to pay back a certain amount per month.

My parents always did this with me. I was terrible with money and even worse now. Perhaps don’t listen to me actually.

Although if Dad is going to lend it to her anyway, then you might as well.

Minnie798 · 19/01/2026 14:08

I'm going to vote Yabu. Parents can still claim child benefit and uc top ups in this situation ( not saying you do personally), An 18 year old at college is still a dependent.
I'd be against not telling car insurance though tbh.

Hankunamatata · 19/01/2026 14:06

Tell her to use her insurance.

brokenbiscuitsadness · 19/01/2026 14:06

She’s spending it on social life and ‘stuff’.

the owner of the car got a private quote for the work which has only just come back.

Of course I don’t want her premiums to rocket, I want to her to take on board responsibilities. She could easily have saved £600 in a 2/3 months and still have enjoyed herself. She has had this job for over a year and literally not saved a penny

OP posts:
Redcandlescandal · 19/01/2026 14:04

That’s what insurance is for.

Flangle · 19/01/2026 14:03

Lend it to her, but set strict repayment terms, include interest which I know won’t embed much but you could at least use it to start a savings pot for her.

she knows she doesn’t have to save - she has you and her dad as safety nets!

Luxberg · 19/01/2026 14:02

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

sharkyroy · 19/01/2026 14:02

The sensible thing to do would be to teach her what her insurance is for, and that you always use it when you have damaged someone else’s car. Slightly bemused anyone would wait weeks for your DD to come up with the money. I would have reported her long ago.

TomatoSandwiches · 19/01/2026 14:01

This is the only way she will learn to think about finances for the future. She is an adult, she is responsible for her own car.

Luxberg · 19/01/2026 14:01

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.