My 16 year old has just told me...

[itwasadarkandstormy]

... that all his friends are given £200 a week by their parents as spending money. I'm calling bullshit.

Actually, I feel like I've had the stuffing knocked out of me. I thought I was generous at about £80 a week.

So, AIBU?

Its entirely possible that if he goes to a smart public school, that lots of his peers will be VERY well-supplied with money (though not all of them). By most 16 year olds standards, HE is very well-supplied with money. He probably means that just one very wealthy kid has that sort of money....which, filtered through a teenage brain, turns into "everyone else gets 200 quid".

I would agree with the suggestions that he gets a job and begins to learn the value of money.

£80 a week! DS who's 16 gets the odd £10 or £20 when he needs it.

jesus, my 16 year old gets about £20 a week now hes at college and he buys his lunch and coffees with that.

Jesus I gave mine £20 a month !!!! but to be fair we did usually give money for clothes etc when needed, its just the way our finances worked but they also had jobs and earn their own. Also from the earliest age we taught them rule number 1 when dealing with kids - people lie! £200 a week £800 a month ?? yeah right you could pay most mortgages with that!

My opcket money of £5 a week stopped at 16. My mum helped me get a PT job and that was it. Does the £80 cover clothes etc? My mum carried on clothing me until I was 18.

£80 per week!!!
wow that is loads.

ds is nearly 15.
we don't live in London, he gets a fraction of that. He does earn money referreeing, (£20-40 per month) but he doesn't go out every weekend with friends, not enough money.

i think it does make a difference what they have to buy out of it. I am guessing at 16 that they are buying clothes and toiletries, but even so.

Of course I mention getting a job. Every. Bloody. Day

That's hilarious! I applaud your ds for his opportunism.

Obviously it's not true that everyone else gets £200/week. And I agree with everyone else, £80 is more than enough for any 16 year old.

I buy clothes and toiletries

What is the £320 a month for? I don't understand. Surely 16 year olds should be earning their own money with Satuday/holiday jobs,, why would they need that much?

As for £800 a month are he and his friends international playboys? I earn less than that per month (in fact I don't earn much more than you give him already and if I gave that to one of my kids we wouldn't eat, so clearly/sadly living in a different world, but still don't get it even if you have loads of cash!).

£80 a week! I don't spend that!

My early teens get £20 a month each, though considering an increase as it has been that for a couple of years - but will be related to contributing more to household tasks and so on!

And the new amount would include their sundries money for school which I currently give them separately and I expect them to manage this themselves now with cash withdrawals/debit cards for larger spends.

80 pound a week? thats about $150 nzd ? seriously? this has got to be some sort of wind up

And what incentive does he have to try and get a job when you're giving him £80 a week for nothing?? Insane amount of pocket money and of course £200 is bullshit

I think he means all his friends are getting £20 a week. You are extremely generous at £80. UK average is £9.50 for over 15s.

I think £80 a week is generous. Dd has had 2 jobs since she turned 16!

At 16 most of my pocket money went on fags, booze and illegal substances, such was my motivation to party that I got myself a job after school. If he needs more money he should work for it.

I've a 16yo and she's on less than half that and she's about average of her friends.

DS gets £10 a week - £5 into his current account and £5 into a savings account. And I give him the odd £1 a couple of times a week to go to the shop near school.

We do buy all his clothes/toiletries etc though.

And he is at a private school. Some of the people at school will be on huge allowances. Some will be on similar to our set up.

For context, single parents get about £60 a week.

If you mention getting a job every day, stop giving him money.

Wtf you give £360 a month AND buy clothes and toiletries. You are being done! £80 a month, buying own clothes etc. Is generous in my book. Stop letting him take you for a ride! I wish I had £360!

Of course I mention getting a job. Every. Bloody. Day

Jesus, if you keep giving him £80 a week he has absolutely no reason to get a job. Cut him off and get him off his arse!

I think £80 pocket money a week is crazy for a 16 year old! And he's asking for more and trying to emotionally blackmail you into it?! What have you got out of giving him that much? A spoiled brat by the sounds of it.

How will he have any motivation to get a part time job? And it's also going to stuff him for when he does get his first proper job and doesn't have anything like that to frivolously spend.

Rubbish. There is. no way his friends are getting £200 a week. £80 a week is way over the too