How much does your teen cost?

[candlelightees]

I am a teacher and yesterday I overheard some cheeky chappies saying the government pays for them in the form of child benefit. This opened a discussion. Other students chipped in. It seemed some were self aware, others not so much.

I added up my own teen cost minus the grocery/household share. Didn't realise how expensive they actually are.

Transport- £20
Lunch money-£60
Counselling- £180
Clothes-£50 (always something wearing out)
Horesriding-£100
Pocket money-£100
Phone bill-£50
Total £560

Plus the commom texts. ' please can I have £20 to go out with so and so?' Can I get my nails, eyelashes, highlights done?

I realise a lot of this could be cut. But I think lots of people spend a lot on teens. They are bloody expensive.

I don't think mine costs me too much. Is your list per month?
Mine walk to school
Lunch is 50 a month for school dinners
Phone is 5 quid sim only
Swimming club 30 quid
Mine don't have pocket money.

Edit to add: DD is almost 16 and leaving school this summer. She will be getting a part time job.

I will not pay for lashes, nails etc. she's at school. This is unnecessary

I think £100 pocket money a month might be where it's all become too much! How old is your teen?

That list tells a story within a story.

Wait till they start driving OP!

£40 pocket money
£60 rowing club membership / training
£30 phone bill

She'll pay for herself with outings with friends etc. things she "needs" I'll of course buy.

Nails done in holidays only.

She's year 10.

It's this per month? My kids work so don't get pocket money. I'd never pay for nails or going out etc that's what you get a job to pay for. I do still buy basic clothes for DS (DD at uni so she is responsible for all of that now).

£50 monthly on phone?
We are a household of £5 payg.
Phones, pre owned, not latest model, are bought by teen or given at birthday.

Mine costs more than yours due to large bus fair to college, and weekly maths tuition.

Well, dd costs a lot now she's at university, but that's a bit different - plus she'll stop being a teenager in August. She didn't cost much when she was at home though (compared with other teens, I think).

Ds even less - he always says he doesn't need anything and has trouble even thinking of stuff he wants for birthdays and Christmas. Also, he has a job and doesn't go out much, and when he does it's generally skateboarding with his friends, which is free!

To be fair, you don't have to pay for horse riding, have such an expensive phone contract or give her pocket money and clothes money (50 combined is plenty). The counselling possibly isn't a typical cost either.

She is 17. £25 a week.

She has applied for a part time job so hopefully this will help.

I have heard that is £70 for two hours. 🥶

@sometimesmovingforwards

Well lets just say its been a tricky three years. Hopefully coming through it now.

I pay 100 a month for one teen ( school dinner), works out to about a fiver a day. And no she isn't eating junk , its her actual dinner and maybe a drink at break or someting at break time. How do you get away with 50 for the month ? That's roughly 2.50 a day ?

I saved a fortune in tution being married to a maths teacher. Also teacher myself. It can certainly add up.

I don’t think £100 is a huge amount these days sadly. My teen gets that and it’s quickly swallowed up with general costs.

I agree they are expensive beasts OP, my DD costs a fortune. She’s 17. My DS (13) is far cheaper to run save for the endless shoes I’m buying because his feet won’t stop growing.

DD is currently having driving lessons so that’s £40 a time, plus insurances etc. we live in an area where there’s poor public transport so driving is needed.

Then there’s general costs of attending college, having a social life. She does have a PT job so it’s not as expensive to me as it used to be but it can still be eye watering - especially when she needs her hair cut and coloured or we go away on holiday, where she needs a whole new wardrobe because she’s changed her look since the last time we went 😂🙈

My 14 year old has
Pocket money £15
Music lessons £139
Clothes £35 (eg this month we had new school shoes, but next month probably nothing)
Food - probably £100
Phone £5

The nails, eyelashes are not monthly just now and then.

Transport? LOL, she has a personal bloody chauffeur but I've no idea how much the petrol costs for me to ship her and her friends around.

We've started giving DD pocket money based on school attendance, homework and the like. £15 per week if she does everything. She also gets £40 from grandparents so close to £100 plus I pay for school meals.

We did this as I was fed up her being a money pit.

Dts, this is the single breakdown

School lunch £80
Phone £15
Bloody horse £130
Pocket money £50
Stable lunch £20

Clothes - on as needs basis but if they want something really branded they can save up for it

Hair / will pay for the cut but not colour they can save up for that.

Nails - completely pointless as they literally shovel shit all weekend. For them for the summer and they pinged off. Won't be paying for that again.

Random £20 here and there if they have a birthday to go to

In London so no transport costs

I pay for their normal toiletries if they want fancy its birthday, Christmas or save.

I can imagine it getting really expensive when both mine are teens

This is for DD per month, who will be 14 this year:

Pocket money £60 (my dad gives her £40 of this)
Phone £55
Art club £56
School food £100
Outings/entertainment £120
Clothes - £50 varies, I buy essentials like underwear/leggings she grown out of/period pants/essential shoes, she's growing fast so it feels a lot some months

@MellowCritic

She is at college so not in every day. It is £5 a day at college for lunch though.

Transport - 30
Food - 100
Hobby - 75
Phone and contract - 60
Pocket Money - 120
Books/Stationery - 50

Tied into the phone contract and that pays for the handset, which was a Christmas present. He has to do a fair whack of chores to get that pocket money. He's a young carer, so deserves every penny.

Why are you paying for them? Can't she prioritise what she spends her pocket money on? Teach her to save.

Per month?

Dd1 - 16 -
Bus £100
Food £400 (will only eat whole foods, lots of protein)
Clothes £50
Swim club £50
Roller disco £50
Phone £10
Other (always something) £50
School trips £100
Total = £810

Dd2 -14
Bus £100
Food £100
Clothes £50
Dance £200
Phone £10
Other (always something) £50
School trips £100
Total = £610

Crikey.

I have a preteen and she's expensive enough.

£100 horse riding
£20 pocket money
£50 for clothes or shoes always needs something
£20 if she's out with friends etc usually goes once a month to shopping centre
£5 gym membership

Currently still takes lunches to school but I know that will change come high school. Does get gel nails on the odd occasion if it's something special.