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

[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.

[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

[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??

[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.

[Sleepingbunnies]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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!

[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!

[MinonsMovie]

Mileymoocow that's an inspiring story.