To ask what others do please

[pleasemothermay1]

Our lad 16 has just got his first job 😁Very happy and proud


He will be earning just £400 month we has said £50 into his savings and £35 for his keep to us

Is that tight to generous or just right

[MinonsMovie]

Mileymoocow that's an inspiring story.

[Mileymoocow]

I paid my mum £100/month board at 16 so I think you're being very reasonable. I worked between 15 and 20 hours p/w and managed to get good A Levels. When I started my apprenticeship I contributed even more per month which I didn't think was unreasonable at all - it allowed me to appreciate the value of things a hell of a lot more. I'm now 24 with a lovely house of my own with a very good amount of equity, zero debt and an ability to budget and save because that's all I've known since I was 16!

[cuckooplusone]

When I was a teenager my parents gave me an allowance and I had to budget to buy all my own clothes and bits and bobs. This taught me a lot about looking after my money. When I got a Saturday job, I saved most of the money and used it to buy my first car and suits for work when I left Uni.

I think you know your child and what will work for you, but if you leave him to it, you may be pleasantly surprised.

I actually think I should have been less sensible as a teenager and lived a bit!

[LellyMcKelly]

That sounds fair. If my kids weren't earning until they were 18, or only earning £25 a week from a Saturday job, then I wouldn't charge, but £400 a month is a significant sum, and it's great that you are teaching him to budget and understand that having a salary means you should start paying your way. He still has £315 a month to spend, which is loads, and many of us would be delighted with that much disposable income.

[swisschocolate]

I dont think that you should dictate how he spends his money (or in this case how he saves his money)

I also don't think that you should charge him board and then give him money back for travel or use that money to pay for driving lessons. It would be better for him to learn to manage money, so if he wants driving lessons he would pay for them etc.

That said I didn't charge mine anything and still paid for their clothes, travel, holidays, phones, driving etc and gave them an allowance when they were still at school/college even when they had jobs. However I understand that some people couldn't afford that.

What would happen if he lost his job? Or if he doesn't have enough time to work and study?

[MinonsMovie]

I think it's too generous.

If you want to instill values, who has disposable income equal to 9 times his rent payment.

I'd increase his keep and let him know you will be contributing a percentage of it into a help to buy ISA in his name.

[April241]

I started paying keep at 16 while still in school but had a weekend job, it wasn't much then, maybe £25 a month or something. At 18 when I started college and worked two jobs, I'm sure it was about £50 then went up to £100, I paid keep through uni/working aswell and moved out when I finished uni at 22. Didn't bother me in the slightest having to pay.

[WaitrosePigeon]

I would never charge my children to live in their own house but yes, I think you're being tight. He's only 16 and he's still in education.

[Sleepingbunnies]

I was working full time.at 16 and paying get my parents £250 a month in rent.. 15 years ago now!

[Purplebluebird]

Encouraging to save is great, but I think a 16 year old still in education mainly, should not have to pay their "keep". If he was only working it would be different.

[nellypledge16]

Nice reply zombies X

I think what you're doing is a brilliant idea. We have a 6 year old and started his ctf and pay in £100 a month, which he will obviously get when he is 18 to buy a car etc. I had a job from 16 so bought my own cars and stuff but he may not necessarily so I am pleased to be able to help him in the furture. He's our only child so we can afford to do it for him.

I really don't see what the big deal about him paying lodge is??

[pleasemothermay1]

poster Zombieswillreign

Thanks for the apology I can assure you were not controlling him

We are not wealthy and we know we will not have the funds Barr a lotto win to help him help him buy a home we barely manged to get one our selfs we only owned a house for 2 years and he's 16

The seconed best thing we feel we can do for him it's make sure he has the money to do it himself
That means displined saving the avarge deposit for a home in London is 50k plus I don't want his children to be 16 before he has a secure home for them

[whattheseithakasmean]

Don't you get Child Benefit for children up to the age of 18 if they are still in education? I don't see how you can charge keep when you are still getting money from the government as keep.

[gillybeanz]

I started work at 16 and got £20
It was a small corner shop and the same as they got on YTS if anyone can remember this
I saved £5, kept a tenner and gave mum £5
Bloody hell, I'm old.

Did the same with our lads at 16 when they started work.
They know the value of money and manage what they have extremely well.

[Zombieswillreign]

Actually ...sorry,I got carried away.your only asking what people think...I was tightly controlled by my parents,lead to all kinds of problems,police ect ect...I do get quite indignant about giving teens space and respect..I suppose it's because I know how it feels with no space ,no respect , no control of yr own life...sorry again.and I'm sure whatever you do will be right for your family X

[Irelephant]

I payed board at 16 my siblings did too.

I don't think my parents were controlling. I still talk too them 10 years on.

[PGPsabitch]

Sounds like a good idea especially if it's going into a driving lesson fund for him. It gets him used to budgeting and saving.

One of my friends was awful with money because the value and budgeting was never instilled in her. As a result, she opts to teach her dc like this and the money goes into savings for a house deposit for them.

[Fairenuff]

My ds is at college and has had a part time job since he was 14.

I've never asked for any money off him. Some he spends and some he saves. This has been his own choice, I don't tell him what to do with his money.

[SvalbardianPenguin]

My DS has a part time job; I don't take board from him but I have said he should aim to save half of all his earnings. He's been doing that and showing me (voluntarily) his statement - I haven't asked to see it.

He's going to pay for his own driving lessons and he pays for clothes that he wants rather than clothes that he needs.

[StillRabbit]

Why such outrage about someone earning money contributing to his living costs?

On another thread I've been told by some that I shouldn't be giving my daughter £200 a month to feed herself while she us at uni but on this thread you should support him until he leaves education!

I had a Saturday job when I was 15 and I had to give my mum a third of my earnings! (And, before anyone asks, they didn't need the money my parents were more than comfortable).

[yeOldeTrout]

Long time ago was an MN thread that talked about this. One plan I really liked was people who took 1/3 of the earnings for keep/lodging, but then returned it as a lump sum to their child (as a surprise) when said kid wanted to buy first car/pay first insurance/deposit for first home. I liked that plan a lot.

[sharkinthedark]

Are you still getting child benefit for him op?

[Zombieswillreign]

Yeah,I do feel that.....he's nearly a man for Christ sake..cut those apron strings....I'm going to go now.ive said what I think,for what it's worth..( I think I've said more than enough really ).I've had 3 teenagers..I treated them all with respect and allowed them to grow up and become responsible for themselves and their money...how can yr son do that with you controlling everything....