What do you do with your Child Benefit?

[emmaalwaysinadilemma]

My mum was horrified when it came up in conversation that I put half our child benefit payments aside to pay for our annual family holiday. The other half goes into a pot mainly for the DCs' clothes, and other odd bits they need. She thinks this money should be put into a savings account for them - which it would, in an ideal world, but there's no way we could afford to take them on holiday then

I'm now curious about what other people spend it on, and if my mum is right that it's a bit unfair of me to spend it on holidays?? As I said, if I didn't do this then the children would have no holidays as we simply couldn't afford it.

Whatever I need to pay for the week I get it. So far this month it paid for a small shop from Iceland, and my dinner out tonight.

It just goes in the account with both our wages so it doesn't go to ds specifically.

It goes in a separate account and I mainly use it for xmas but try and save with it too.

Mine gets moved to a separate account which is then used for birthday presents throughout the Year and Christmas presents.

About 2/3rds in to kids savings, the rest in to ours which we use to do day trips, buy uniforms etc and pay for big items.

Honestly, I treat myself with it, usually goes towards a trip to the hairdressers or some beauty products. I pay the mortgage, food, petrol, clubs, clothes, holidays, birthday,.Christmas etc. Everything my family needs comes out of my wages so I don't feel guilty spending it on myself.

Bit wierd that I think. One pot here. It comes in. It goes out, weather that's a new coat for dd or a gas/vet/food bill. This week I'm waiting for it on Tuesday. Then il have that 34£ to last till Friday.

Spend it. Or, as we try to save every month, save it.

My point is that it just goes into the pot. All my kids know that there is no big cheque reveal going to happen on their wedding day

Yep one pot here, pays the mortgage, the food shop, school uniform, the phone bill, the trip to the trampoline park etc. And yes probably goes towards our holiday too.

It goes into the bank account for usual monthly spending.

No idea.

It’s all one pot so whatever the household needs, and of course that varies from one month to the next.

We need the money now so doesn’t make sense for me to save it.

Saved all mine for DD. Which she is randomly pissing up the wall at Uni.

It just goes into my bank account and I see it as part of my income...I don't put it aside for anything specific. No big deal as far as I'm concerned. I have two DC and get £140 a month..my DC cost me far more than that so I'm not profiting!

Ours is saved in a savings account for our Dd. Just as we wanted to put money away for her monthly, so when I set up the account I set up the child benefit to go into that account and it’s easier on our finances that it’s kept separate from the family pot.
It’s meant to provide for your child, so I don’t see why you can’t spend it if you need to on something the child needs, whether that’s a holiday or something else. Likewise I don’t see an issue with saving it either if you don’t need it currently, until you need it for something else.

Part of my child benefit goes into sons savings account and the rest gets spent on things for my son like nappies, clothes and the odd bit of groceries if we're short on money that month. I think as long as child benefit is being spent on something that will benefit your child/your child needs then that's great. Don't see anything wrong with putting money towards a family holiday as it's an experience for your kid, it would be different if you were spending the money on something purely for yourself like a shopping trip.

Into the pot with everything else 🤷🏻‍♀️

When DS was very young it just went into the bank and went on everyday spends. Now we earn more we have been putting it aside to help towards future university costs. However if finances ever change I will not think twice about using it to pay the bills. I firmly see it as family money.

Sadly I think I’m the post covid world they will restrict it further.

It goes into my household pot. From this pot I buy food, pay bills, clothes, shoes, days out...

Honestly, if you can afford to save it until your child is 18 do you actually need it? Mine goes into the family pot. I can not afford to save.

It's intended to feed and clothe them. I'd argue that if people can save it, they don't need it and the taxpayer shouldn't be funding it.

Did your mother give you yours?

@TenOclock

It's intended to feed and clothe them

Can you link to a credible source stating so?

No idea someone is always just taking money from my account.
Very grateful to have it money I am sure of at this time.

Yeah exactly why it’s likely to be cut post covid. If people can afford to save it then not needed. We are going to have such a significant burden post covid with front line services cut to those who need it. Time to make difficult choices

Put it into savings, but buy DS’s gifts & clothes out of it. My parents lived very frugally and saved all of ours to pay towards our weddings, bless them!