Teenagers

[Joolz2112]

AIBU to expect my 19 year old daughter to contribute to the house fund? She has finished her A-levels and has chosen not to go to uni. She earns money from various part time jobs. She pleads poverty but will often get takeaways, Ubers and shop for clothes. As a single parent, I resent the fact that I have to budget carefully, while she is 'living her best life'.

How much does she earn? If she's earning the equivalent of a FT wage then she should.

I paid in at that age, if she's earning then she needs to contribute

YANBU she should be contributing - I have an 18 year old - she works between 7 and 20 hours a week in her PT job at £10hr - she is also not going to university - she recently offered to pay me 'keep' I refused for now as she's still in college but will accept once she's working and not in education - they have to adult at some point!

Once they’re out of full time education, they need to contribute, even if it is a token sum.

Yes , she obviously has spare cash and should be contributing. No reason why you should pay all the bills and pay for food when she has ubers and pizzas

If she’s not in education then yes she needs to contribute.

I’d say maybe 20% of take home pay?

As above, it depends. If she's earning good money and frittering it away - definitely.
If she's earning a pittance and only having a few treats, then you can't really take what she doesn't have.

it depends how much she’s making really, and how much you intend to charge her

i’ve always told my DC that unless they were earning a (hefty) full time wage i’d never ask or expect them to pay rent, because i always want them to know they have a home with me for free

20 %is the going rate here!!
Change the WiFi password for starters . Say it's available at a tenner a week..

I don't know exactly what she earns as her work fluctuates from week to week. I'm not expecting a huge amount but a token gesture. I suggested 10% of what she takes home. She does occasionally pick up groceries but it's when she feels like it. She says she's saving her money to move out as we both feel she's outgrown the nest.

I love that idea. I hadn't thought of that. She does pay her own mobile phone bill.

It’s perfectly reasonable to expect someone to contribute to the household if they’re no longer in education and working.
It will also help her learn to budget her money and get her into the habit of paying bills/rent etc when she eventually moves out.
As her income seems to fluctuate I probably wouldn’t ask for market rate as such, but definitely a contribution you deem fair and reasonable.

I’d enforce paying ‘keep’ if she’s working and not in education, although if you can afford to do so, I’d put some of that aside in a nest egg for her at a later date.