Spending too much on teens

ihatedealingwithmoney · 2023-09-23T16:46:47+00:00

Hi I need to do a costings of how much it takes to fund 2 50 somethings and 2 late teens per month. I haven't even calculated it yet but DH thinks I’m spending too much. How much is reasonable to spend on a 19 year old who can't work who is in college and a 17 year old (with a job for only a few hours a week) in leaving cert per month? TIA

Strawberryfieldsforeverrr · 23/09/2023 19:15

How long is a pice of string? Are they learning to drive, do they have hobbies, do they take contact lenses that want paying for, do you pay for high end clothes or Penny's?

Lovemusic82 · 23/09/2023 19:33

Including what….food…going out….clothes?

I have a 17 and a 19 year old, 17 year old is at college in a SEN unit so can’t work, eldest is at uni.

Not including the food shop, electricity and water that they use, I probably spend around £30 a week on dd2 (she has a day out with a carer once a week and we go somewhere at the weekend), eldest gets £50 a week to live off at uni and I pay her phone bill.

Original poster

ihatedealingwithmoney · 23/09/2023 21:35

Strawberryfieldsforeverrr · 23/09/2023 19:15

How long is a pice of string? Are they learning to drive, do they have hobbies, do they take contact lenses that want paying for, do you pay for high end clothes or Penny's?

Clothes are from Penneys and Dunnes mostly except for shoes. DD1 can't drive and DD2 hasn't started yet so both have a leap card. No hobbies that cost money. DD1 does buy books. DD2 buys makeup etc.

OP posts:

TakingTheLowRoad · 24/09/2023 19:12

Two in college - they get €120 each per week. So almost €1000 per month. That’s for their food and transport and going out. Phone, clothes, travel home, toiletries and anything else they want to do is extra and they have cheaper (funded by me) or expensive (supplemented by themselves)

pontipinemum · 26/09/2023 10:33

TakingTheLowRoad · 24/09/2023 19:12

Two in college - they get €120 each per week. So almost €1000 per month. That’s for their food and transport and going out. Phone, clothes, travel home, toiletries and anything else they want to do is extra and they have cheaper (funded by me) or expensive (supplemented by themselves)

Like fair enough but wow!! That is a lot. I plan on giving DS nothing when he gets to that age. My parents didn't give me money when I got to 16 and started working in centra. I don't even remember them giving me money for clothes, they did buy my school uniform/ shoes

theleafandnotthetree · 03/10/2023 22:58

TakingTheLowRoad · 24/09/2023 19:12

Two in college - they get €120 each per week. So almost €1000 per month. That’s for their food and transport and going out. Phone, clothes, travel home, toiletries and anything else they want to do is extra and they have cheaper (funded by me) or expensive (supplemented by themselves)

Are you paying fees and accommodation on top of that? So another 12k each per year on top of approx 6k? That seems an awful lot and way beyond what most people can afford. My plan is that my exhusband and I will pay for fees and accommodation and transport - and books if required - but everything else will have to be paid for out of part-time and holiday work. It should be entirely possible to earn 500 euro a month alongside college work or to work intensively during holidays and then just a little during teem time. I expect them to 'invest' in their education too.

TakingTheLowRoad · 04/10/2023 06:26

They’re paying their own fees and we’ve no accommodation costs.