Paying for kids driving lessons

[hansolosmum]

A few people I know with kids in their late teens are giving them driving lessons for Christmas, which is nice. But then what? Are they going to have to keep paying for it if their kids can't afford to pay themselves?

I only ask because it's made me think recently about what I will and won't be willing to pay for when my kids reach 16. I had to pay for my own driving lessons when I was younger (hence not learning till I was 34!). I'm worried how much I'm going to have to save up for all this type of stuff.

If you've got older kids what do you think? And will I be thinking completely differently when the time comes?

It obviously depends on your financial situation, but it's such an important life skill that I would pay for all the lessons needed if possible.

My mum bought me six lessons (all she could afford) and I paid for many more. I was useless though and never passed my test. Its a regret of mine, but driving really frightens me. So I was determined my son wouldn't be the same. We are in Australia and learners have to complete a log book with fifty hours of driving before they sit a test, which I think is a good thing. Our car is too powerful for my son to drive so a lot of that was lessons at $60 an hour! Eventually we bought a beat up old ute for him to practise in and when he passed (second time) he got the ute for Xmas. Thankfully Insurance is cheap here compared to the UK. I was absolutely delighted when he passed, and now we have in an house taxi driver which is wonderful!

Looks like i'd better start saving then. Do I have to buy them the car too? confused

It's up to you but we have bought 4 cars so far!
I can't remember what happened to DS1's first one but ds's first one blew up! It's costing a fortune 🔮 This is in a two and a half period!!

I paid until DS1 passed his test. He did so after 13 lessons. I also paid for his driving licence. He was a student and I felt the sooner he passed the better. I'll also be doing the same for our other two children and help get their first cars too.

It's a life skill and a good thing to help your child out with if you can. My mother did as I intend to do fit my own son. We live in a major city but it gives them choices and freedom. I'm surprised at a lot of women not learning they become reliant on a man which is never a good situation. As for men not learning to drive, I personally wouldn't date a man that hadn't bothered, it's important.

Daughter worked to pay for all her 10 lessons, passed first time, bought her own car with help from Grandad and pays all running costs from her pt job, has been invaluable and saved ME loads of fuel!

I clearly have 'mug' written across my forehead. Am paying for DD's lessons, paid for a basic car for her 17th birthday, and she isn't the least bit interested. She hates driving, the car is sitting gathering dust and trying to get her to drive with me is like banging my head against a brick wall.

I consider driving an absolute life skill. My mother couldn't drive and I hated her relying on me after my father died to drive her places. As such, I'm trying to insist that DD learns now. I love driving, passed my test at 17 and love my car.

At present I'm considering hypnotherapy for DD to get her over her driving phobia. Honestly, it's a cause of extreme stress in this household. Am tempted to relocate to rural Cumbria or something so DD is forced to learn to drive (we live in a city with decent transport links)

TeenTimesTwo I've lived in rural area most of my life. I never had a car but simply cut the cloth according to my circumstances.
Some places I can't go to, somethings I can't do but not having the expense of a car means other things I can do much more of and have much more of. Holidays, nice furniture, nice home, antique collection, theatre and opera, horse riding, many things I couldn't do if I had chosen to drive a car.
I don't think of it is a life skill, I think of it as a choice and a luxury.

We paid both dds lessons and car and insurance and will do the same with ds if we can afford it then!
We are able to do it and it gives them great independence

martini We'll have to agree to disagree. Having a car might be a life choice, but being able to drive is a life skill - not being able to drive cuts down your options and flexibility imo.

ps How do you get to your holidays, theatre and opera? Is public transport good enough, or do you use taxis, or what? What about work?

I totally agree that driving is a life skill and if you can afford it you should support your DC to learn, no different to swimming lessons IMO.

Owning a car is different, their choice. Like having a swimming pool in the back garden, I guess

I paid for everything involved with learning to drive when I was 17. We're already paying for driving lessons for our DS (12) (a real car, dual control, real driving instructor - on private land) he gets them as gift experiences.
We also make sure his bicycle is maintained and pay for a bus pass. We live somewhere with good public transport but we're right on the edge of it so a 10 - 20 minute walk to access it (depending on train or bus)

Hit post too soon! 🤦🏼‍♀️

I think we'll contribute towards lessons but not cover the whole cost. So maybe buy him a package and then let him take over after that.

Also considering letting him use a moped when he's old enough.

Looks like i'd better start saving then.

No, you don't have to.
We paid for my dd's first 10 and she's paying for the rest with her part-time job, which she does alongside her A-levels.
Let them stand on their own two feet, I say 😉

The faster they learn when there is an eagerness within them to ride on.

Both my DC had driving lessons as part of their 18th birthday. My DD didn't end up learning to drive until she was 20 but the offer was still there, although we told her that the offer would finish once she got a job. We also bought her a small car.
My DS has the same offer now, he is 18 and at university and doesn't seem in a rush to get lessons sorted. It is driving me up the wall.
I had to pay for everything myself, lessons and car.

My mum paid for a year for me and my tests

Oh and I probably had about 35

I think it entirely depends on your finances. We didn’t pay for ours at 17 as we felt it was too high risk to have a child in charge of a car and loved them too much tomrisk them killing them self or others.

We did pay for lessons a bit later on though. We bought cars for 21st birthdays when they’d grown a little more responsible. We did a three year lease which covered all costs except fuel.

Our DS is only 15 month so a long long way off but I would ( hopefully ) pay for his lessons, 1st car and 1st yr insurance (God knows what that will be by then ) . My father did that for me so we have a little account for him now to get a head start

My parents paid for mine 15 yrs ago when I was 17. Back then it was £15 per hour if you booked 10. I had 20 in total and passed first time. I was responsible for then buying a car and insuring it, and saved for a few years to do so.

Personally I think it's a huge expense to pay for all lessons and I was very lucky! If I was worried about the cost I might offer to buy say 10 lessons on the proviso that DC had put money aside already to cover the cost of the next 10 and see how you go from there. You can't be expected to pay for lessons indefinitely!

I’ll pay mines lessons and a small car if possible.

People who don’t learn to drive can’t go as far in life (in my experience) as those who can and I don’t want that for my kids.

I am paying for my ds to learn and will be buying him a car and insuring it too. However as a trade off he is currently working for my DH's business and a driving licence will massively help.

My parents never paid for mine as I said I didn't want to learn until I could afford to look after a car, I then paid for all my own lessons and tests. I'm trying to get back into lessons but finding a good instructor and reasonable priced automatic lessons are tough.

My parents paid for some of mine however it took me 4 times to pass.maybe wait until they are in a financial position to pay for the rest.