Son ran out of money

[Whattodonowadays]

My son is 18 and lives away from home in accommodation provided by work. He’s terrible with budgeting, I’ve tried and tried with him. He has spent all his money with ages to go until payday. I am actually sick of bailing him out all the time but can’t see him starve obviously. Any ideas for cheap meals so I can drop off some shopping. Like ration type! He needs to lean to manage his money! Thanks.

I could happily live on rice, lentils, onions and canned tomatoes, with a few spices to liven things up.

I suspect that wouldn’t be so appealing for an 18 year old.

Or the student staple of beans on toast. Throw in a bag of pasta if you’re feeling generous.

How long does he have left til payday? I think a crate of baked beans and a loaf of bread would be enough.

He won't learn until your stop bailing him out. buy him the most boring food - big bag of rice and some beans or something. Sustenance but not pleasure. Also a pack of vitamins! He will soon learn.

Has he ran out of money or has he ran out of money he wants to spend on food? My DS is only 16 but will regularly tell me he has run out of money and needs money for the bus only for me to find out he has actually ran out of 'bus money' but still has hair cut money and McDonald's money in the bank.

Stop bailing him out. If you absoloutley need to send him food, I'd go for a kg bag of penne, a bag of frozen peas, a bag of porridge oats and a carton of long life milk. Boring as fuck but he won't starve.

Aw he’s only 18.

Tbh I would still be giving mine a lot of support at that age.

Big bag of cheap rice, tins of beans and tins of tomatoes and if you are feeling generous throw in some herbs or spices. He'll be fine on that !

He can live very cheaply on a veg diet.

Oil, lentils, onions coconut milk cumin coriander and garam masala is a Dahl
onions, tomatoes, peas and cauliflower plus above spices is a curry
Tinned tomatoes and garlic, oil plus pasta is another meal
pepper, aubergine, courgette and oil plus breadcrumbs and cheddar cheese is a roasted veg bake with some chilli and Italian spices

Also the everywhere veg chilli - tinned tomatoes, onions cumin, chilli, chilli beans, one pepper and sweetcorn plus some rice.

Each meal could feed 3/4 people so he needs to bulk cook and freeze.

and so on

download some cheap recipes from on line and as others say cheap tins of toms, some curry and or other spices, chick peas tin of, kidney beans and mince if feeling generous - at 18 he can cope with the 20% fat which is cheaper and one pack should do him two meals, inexpensive bread - wholemeal will be more filling to be honest, rice, onion, some apples or bananas, some oatmeal for brekkie, pasta, pasta bake sauce (maybe one with cheese so its less like tinned toms again, jam. I would maybe drop two shops over the next couple of weeks to spread it out so he doesn't use it all up. ALot depends if he can cook or not

I was thinking if he doesn't really cook some of the packet mixes supermarkets do are quiet cheap at 50p to £1 for chili, bolognaise and spagetti, shep pie etc add onion, mince, beans, some green veg, couple carrots smash or potatoes. loaf of bread, marg and jam for brekkie maybe some eggs or beans

Longer term ask him to give you 80 quid a month (or whatever you decide) and he can collect shopping from you?? Could work although you should wean him off that going forward.

Exactly this.

Is he being frivolous or just not earning enough? What is he spending the money on? Have you actually sat down with him and gone over all his outgoings? He may see where he's messing up. Don't tell him to budget, show him how.
If you have already done this then it's time for some tough love.

I had a friend like this at that age, blew through cash knowing his DPs would help. He's a bit better now as an 40 something adult but still asks mummy for money to buy a big house he can't afford.

Bread, butter, cheese or ham
cheap cereals, milk
cheap biscuits
bananas

and when you get some free time sit down with him and work out a budget

My DS transfers me about £150 each pay day and then I transfer it back in drips and drabs during the month when he needs it.

For now, boxes of cereal, pasta and sauce etc.
Longer term, teach him to have a separate bank account or Monzo or something to put aside his food money.

Value beans, noodles, bread - the most basic there is. But also bore him with kindness! Sit down and budget with him. Get him to make a shopping list with you of basics he needs, and to set aside a fixed amount each week for nights out, or whatever he spends on. Some banks having budgeting apps - I think Starling does, where you parcel your income into different wallets for different areas of spending. That might help too.

Pretty sure my dad was paying my rent and sending me money for food when I was aged 18, but I was in full time education... Is your son working full time?? Can he afford rent?

I'd be very surprised if he'd blown all his drinking and going-out money.
He won't starve.

Giant box of weetabix, multiple cartons of UHT milk and a bag of sugar if you're feeling generous. Boring enough & filling enough.

As he is only 18 I would get the Sainsbury's student meal card. You get a card he gets a card, you top up your card and he gets the money on his to spend on food and homeware in the store. I wouldn't be putting much on there just enough to cover basics. But be clear he needs to budget better. Can you sit down with him and get him a budgeting app and just go through budgeting again with him.

But how old is he? At some point he’ll need to learn how to budget his own money and make his wages last the month without transferring some to you so he isn’t tempted to blow it all….

I'd get him
Weetabix
Bread
Big box of Eggs
Butter
Milk
Cheese
Frozen chips
Fish fingers
Pasta
Tinned tomato
Chicken breast
Mince
Onions
Seasoning
Wraps
Fruit
Any veg he likes