Would you give your teenagers this money (maintenance related)?

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

Hi just trying to gauge opinions on this and would like viewpoints. I have 2 dc aged 17 (18 next month) and 16. I receive maintenance from exh which went via CMS. Last month this was increased (presume he had a pay rise) from £420 to £620 so a £200 increase. Prior to this I was giving the dc pocket money of £10 a week each plus they also get £15 from grandparents per week. Once this increase happened I said I would give them the extra so £100 each more per month.

We have recently moved to a new town and both have got themselves part-time jobs locally. They will both be doing A-levels around this. Looking into the hours they will work and rate of pay they should be walking away with roughly £450 - £500 a month each. My parent will continue pocket money until 18 so dd will lose that next month.

Although I got married last year I do not live with dh so financially I am a single working mother. Money is not really tight for me but I am in no way flush. So my question is should I carry on giving them this extra £100 each or should they learn to live on their wages? £500 is a lot of money for a 16 and 18 year old and I want them to really learn the value of earning it. As an aside they are regularly given chunks of cash by exh divorced parents. Just this last month they have had £300 given to them.

WWYD?

I would stop giving them pocket money completely! Why do they need it when they working?!?!?!

I'd keep the money saved and use it for then as and when needed or gift a lump sum later towards deposit or similar. Otherwise that's a lot of disposable cash for teenagers.

Will maintenance cease for the eldest when she turns 18?

I would suggest that - in consultation with them - you start saving the extra £100pcm each from now on, to go towards driving lessons or car costs or university fees etc.

No. I wouldn't have given them any of the maintenance in the first place, I'd have put it in savings for their future.

@Palavah

I'd keep the money saved and use it for then as and when needed or gift a lump sum later towards deposit or similar. Otherwise that's a lot of disposable cash for teenagers.

Will maintenance cease for the eldest when she turns 18?

Because DD a September baby she will be nearly 19 when it ceases so another year of maintenance. She is going into her second year of A-levels.

They don’t need pocket money when they work.

Both dc already have trust funds which will mature at 18. This will be going towards their Uni costs as I will not be able to contribute towards them. They have very generous grandparents too and both have premium bonds savings.

If you won’t be able to contribute to uni costs then save it all now, so you can give them a bit of money now and then like doing a big shop for them or paying train tickets home.

Definitely don’t up their pocket money if they’re now earning, get plenty from other relatives and aren’t in any need of it. Letting them get used to loads of disposable income would be a very bad idea.

I would put it into savings for them.

Save it for them. Children shouldn’t have so much disposable money as teens but they’ll need it in the future for houses / cars / education.

My youngest 2 get 300 in maintenance a month between them which I put into a go henry for them so if they need anything or want to save up for something it works for us and everyones situation is different x

Pocket money stops here when earnings start.

They have very generous grandparents too and both have premium bonds savings.

Sounds like they will do well to learn how to budget properly and spend within their means. Save the cash in a separate account. Unless the generous grandparents are millionaires, you can never have too much money saved for them.

Definitely not millionaires sadly! I did not know if I was being unreasonable or not in stopping it. It does not help that exh questions them on what money I give them (he hates having to give me so much, feels I earn enough already).

Dd will be off to Uni next year and Ds the year after so I will take your advice and save it for that. They are very fortunate children who are never short of money in one way or another but I need them to realise money is hard earned. This is the first time they will have ever worked so I am keen for them to understand the value of it. I was nurse training at dd age doing extra shifts around studies and work placements so knew the meaning of hard work.

Thank you all for replying.

DS started getting a wage a few months ago (also 17, 18 soon), once he had his first payment I stopped giving him pocket money - money which came from the little maintenance from his Dad.

I've instead been paying it into a savings account and will either give it to him to start Uni with next year, or may just use it towards an 18th party. I am in a position to afford to not need the money now he is working, if I wasn't then the money would just go into my pot

What @MeanMrMustardSeed said

@Doomscrolling

Pocket money stops here when earnings start.

We never had that rule as felt it would discourage working if they would lose their allowance. Slightly different though as we asked for no jobs during education as wanted them to focus on that.