How much are people giving their children for graduation?

[BerryTwister]

DS1 is graduating this week. I’m very proud of him, he’s worked hard and done well. It seems to be the done thing to give graduating kids some money, which I’m happy to do. But I’m wondering what the going rate is. Most of my friends in the same position are much richer than me, so I don’t want to ask them, because the money they can afford is crazy! Can people on here tell me how much, if anything, they’re giving their graduating kids?

Why are you basing your choices on theirs?

Anyway, no cash gift, that's weird and transactional IMO.

We paid for a suitable item of clothing and lunch. Shopping for clothes was a really nice afternoon together.

When I told my mum that DS1 had got a 1st she sent him a card with £100 in (she's terrible for posting wodges of cash to my DC lol)
His graduation is Tuesday & we're having a family trip as it's too far to do in a day. Probably cost about £500 for hotel + dinner (at a restaurant I've wanted to visit for 4 years).
That'll do for now I think

I didn't give my children anything for graduating. I had already supported them for 21 years and was still supporting them financially. The degree itself was a reward. It didn't occur to me to give them another financial reward.

Er, I think I got lunch? I mean, my parents weren't big spenders, but to be fair they had coughed up to support me for 3 years.
It's a privilege to graduate - why does the "child" then needed a reward?

I don't think it's a good idea even for GCSEs. It encourages the child to expect a reward for doing something that should be reward itself.

Nothing! We went out for a meal

Took her out for a meal and gave her the rent deposit (that was returned to me because I had paid it when she first moved into her student house), back.

DS got a meal out. It cost me 10k to put him through uni. If he wants any more he needs to get a job. I was a single mum so cant afford to throw money about.

I agree.

I was thinking absolutely nothing. Perhaps a token gift or hand made card.

The amount it’s cost me to put Dd through uni she’s getting nothing! 😆. Actually I found someone on tiktok who does lovely drawings/prints of various uni campus so one of those framed and a bunch of flowers but no money!

Giving cash as a graduation gift completely bypassed me!

My two girls got taken out for a lovely dinner and we went to the theatre at a later date (we all love the theatre, but generally can’t afford it, so this was a real treat which they appreciated!)

Just keeping them in uni for 4 years was enough (both did 4 year degrees). It was a real struggle for me (single mum, teacher…so definitely not flush with cash!)

Agree that taking them out for a decent meal and perhaps extending the invite to their boyfriend/girlfriend/friend is sufficient. You could buy a token gift or a bottle of their favourite tipple if you want to give something on the day. I wouldn't get into gifting a few hundred £ for graduating; keep the money in case they need help with moving costs or other practical expenses in the coming months.

Yes, I made sure my son knew his GF was invited to our lunch and that I was paying.

What a mean, grudging, small-minded attitude. I’m glad I’m not like you.

What a nasty thing to post.

I am glad I am not like you.

Like most, we have told our dc we are proud of them. We are paying for the gown hire and tickets for the graduation, and will take them out for a meal on graduation day.

This! He ought to get a little something for you, no? This is in my box with push presents for giving birth, Christmas Eve boxes and remuneration for exam grades. Surely he won't expect anything, will he?

We paid gown hire and took them out for meals in their uni towns (2 graduating, 2 weeks apart at different unis)
We bought them each a bear with a cap and gown in uni colours - both still have them on their bedroom shelving. Just a little souvenir.

I agree, intrinsic motivation is much more important. But I can see why it's tempting in the teen years!

We’ve paid for the degree and all living expenses so initially I said no gift. But she has gone travelling and asked us to pay for her rucksack so I thought that was reasonable.

Lovely meal with family and paid for interrailing for a few weeks. Well deserved after 5 years of study!

Surely depends on what you can afford, and what you want to do. No need for either side to be sneery really

My parents have paid for my gown, photo, lunch and a graduation DCUK. I didn’t expect anything else!

We’ve been generous to our kids, paid for uni and they didn’t even have a part time job. Bought their first cars but feel strongly that they don’t need a gift for graduation. The fact they’ve gone and achieved something for themselves should be enough in my opinion.

Not a bean. I also didn't reward them for GCSEs or A levels!

My dad gave me a bottle of tequila and a bar of dairy milk. I don’t know anyone who got money.