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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

If your 16 year old has a job...

18 replies

Wasrelaxing · 07/10/2019 14:43

...and is at school doing A levels what do you expect them to spend their wages on?

My son has to put a third in savings, a third comes to me as 'housekeeping' (i'm saving it for him - he doesn't know) and a third he can spend as he likes. However I don't know whether he should now pay for his phone contract or his haircuts or anything else.

What do you do?

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shearwater · 07/10/2019 14:44

I'd let her keep the lot and spend or save it as she wants. I never had to give any money to my parents when I worked part time while at sixth form college.

Teensruletheroost · 07/10/2019 14:48

I expect a 16yo who is at school to enjoy the money that their hard work has earned.

I certainly don’t expect them to give me any of it. Different when they are at home and not in education but while it is a Saturday job I think it’s mean to take effectively 2/3rds of it off him in savings. I think they are not getting the reward for working if they earn £10 and then only see £3.33 of it.

While they are young and in education let them be young! I certainly wouldn’t be making him pay for his phone and haircuts now.

They are parents responsibility until they leave education is my view.

Now DS is 18 and working he pays for his own haircuts, gym, phone etc but not before then.

Teensruletheroost · 07/10/2019 14:49

Also you would be asking him to pay for haircuts etc out of the £3.33 left he has for every £10 he earns. Sorry I don’t think that can be fair.

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SomethingSpecialzz · 07/10/2019 14:50

Dd keeps her wages, it’s just a few hours on a Saturday.

MargoLovebutter · 07/10/2019 14:51

My 16 year old's money to do exactly as they please with, in the same way I do with my money.

I would never ask a legal minor for rent or housekeeping, as I'm still getting child benefit for them - but I' would be expecting them to buy non-essential clothes, pay for night's out and their own stuff, rather than expecting me to pay for it.

Bouffalant · 07/10/2019 14:53

Bit harsh to charge 30% housekeeping from a 16 year old still in education. What did he have to say about that? I think i'd want him to know you were saving it for him.

When I was 16 my parents had no say over the money I earned myself.

1Wanda1 · 07/10/2019 14:54

My DS (17) has quite a well paid Saturday job and spends his earnings on whatever he likes. As others have said, it removes the incentive for school aged kids to work at all if you take their money away. DS actually does save half his now, but only after admitting he felt annoyed at having spent so much on his computer game (in game purchases). When he leaves school and is working, we will make him pay a contribution to the costs of his food/clothes etc but unless you are living in poverty I think it's pretty mean to take "housekeeping" from a 16 year old in full time education.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 07/10/2019 14:55

I think you’re a bit mean! Sorry

bloodywhitecat · 07/10/2019 14:58

I didn't charge any board to my 16 year olds either, seems a bit mean as they don't earn a fortune in the first place especially as he is already saving 1/3 of his wage.

Original poster

Wasrelaxing · 07/10/2019 14:59

Thank you for the replies, you know what it is like, you are happy with the way things are and then someone says something so you question your decision.

He has a really well paid job and has £200 to spend as he wishes each month and he doesn't really spend that. So he has to save/pay housekeeping just to get him in the mindset.

OP posts:

LemonPrism · 07/10/2019 15:00

When I was 16 (2011) my mum let me keep all of my money and gave me an allowance too. I was a child, earning less than £5 an hour and used it for the bus, to see friends, clothes, cinema etc

I think it's really tight to make your child, who is in education, pay 'housekeeping'.

MyDcAreMarvel · 07/10/2019 15:01

Nothing! I know you are saving the housekeeping but it’s come still weird to take money from a school child.

MyDcAreMarvel · 07/10/2019 15:02

He has a really well paid job and has £200 to spend as he wishes each month and he doesn't really spend that. So he has to save/pay housekeeping just to get him in the mindset.
Nope that happens at 18.

MyDcAreMarvel · 07/10/2019 15:03

The housekeeping I mean, saving some is a good idea.

CallMeRachel · 07/10/2019 15:03

Mine kept his, he earned about £50 a week and payed for his phone contract £40 per month. Apart from that his money is his to spend.

He's 16 and now working full time earning btwn £900-£1k a month. He buys his own clothes shoes and pays his phone. He is saving for his first car.

We don't take housekeeping off him yet. When he's 18 and wages are up he knows he will have to contribute to the house.

chocolatesaltyballs22 · 07/10/2019 15:03

She can spend it on what she likes, I wouldn't dream of taking a penny from her. But on the other hand I don't give her pocked money any more. So if she wants her nails/brows/hair doing or whatever, she pays for it herself.

Mrsjayy · 07/10/2019 15:07

I would let them keep it he can pay for his phone/xbox live or whatever let him save more himself but taking it to give it back is ridiculous imo .

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 07/10/2019 15:07

So he has to save/pay housekeeping just to get him in the mindset

I think you’re confusing your role in your son’s finances. Either he’s young enough to be told he has to save, then he shouldn’t pay housekeeping or he’s old enough to pay housekeeping in which case what he saves is none of your business.

What he earns is also irrelevant. It’s his income.

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