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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

At what age do you expect your teens to start to contribute towards the home financially

68 replies

cricketmum84 · 11/09/2021 11:45

I have a 17yo DD who has just started college. She is at college 2.5 days per week. She is looking for a part time job to fit around this.

My question is - once she is earning a wage when do you expect a teen to start paying board or contributions towards bills, food etc?

I left school at 16 for an apprenticeship and started paying 30% of everything I earned to my mum but I understand my circumstances aren't typical (single parent family and she was struggling to make ends meet).

Obviously I won't be paying pocket money out any more but does it seem a bit mean to expect a financial contribution so young?

OP posts:

Cheeseplantboots · 28/09/2021 14:24

No particular age but once they are working full time probably. I dint know we’re not there yet but I definitely wouldn’t be taking anything off of a student working part time.

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 28/09/2021 14:25

When they're earning.

Wtf86 · 28/09/2021 14:28

I wouldn’t take a penny if I didn’t need it - encourage her to save for uni etc

CornishGem1975 · 28/09/2021 14:29

Nothing unless they were in a full-time job. I might expect help in other ways though (cleaning, cooking etc) and I'd certainly expect them to pay their own costs like phone bills etc.

Fluffypastelslippers · 28/09/2021 14:33

DD started buying her own food when she got full time work and DS is a live at home uni student so has decided to do the same. It works well for us all. I have never asked them to pay for anything but I did encourage saving which they both do.

Floralnomad · 28/09/2021 14:33

I wouldn’t take anything , I’d encourage saving and expect them to start buying their own clothes , paying for their own phone etc .

FindingMeno · 28/09/2021 14:39

Unless you're absolutely desperate for the extra income, I would say that while in education, any money a teenager earns is their own spends.

Fifipop185 · 04/10/2021 00:39

DD is in a good apprenticeship and earning £800 a month. She's paying me £10 a week housekeeping and saving £600 a month for the future. I don't need the money but it's more to teach her to pay her way. As her earnings go up in time, so will her contribution to the house. She also pays towards takeaways if she wants it, and pays for her phone, gym membership and bits for her pets. It was a huge shock for me when I first moved out of home where I paid very little to my DM, and wasn't financially aware of the world and quickly got in to a lot of debt by just being stupid. I don't want that for my kids. I'm actually saving the money to give back to her when and if she needs it.

Redwinestillfine · 04/10/2021 00:42

I wouldn't. They're still kids.

CiaoForNiao · 04/10/2021 00:54

How does he work full time? I thought they had to be in education until 18?

CiaoForNiao · 04/10/2021 00:55

@ChilliChaos

Once I stopped receiving child benefit I started charging board. So ds at 16 has to pay £20 a week (he works full time earning almost as much as me!) but dd at 17 doesn’t pay any yet as I see the child benefit as her contribution.

Sorry my post above was meant to be a reply to this.

DriftingBlue · 04/10/2021 01:02

I believe it’s my responsibility to support my child through university. As long as she is actively pursuing her education, she is doing her part.

If she leaves education for non-medical reasons, I would expect her to start supporting herself immediately . So at that point I would start charging rent.

qualitygirl · 04/10/2021 01:10

No I wouldn't! 400 a month is hardly much to be honest!!

EccentricaGalumbits · 04/10/2021 01:23

My kids are still in high school but work part time. I stopped paying them pocket money once they started working. I buy them the basics and if they use their own money to 'upgrade' if they want.

They can have free board as long as they're studying full time but I'll stop buying their clothes etc once they're adults and finished high school.

Once they leave study to either work FT or loll around being unemployed they will be expected to pay their own way or move out. Buying their own food, paying a % of the bills, replacing anything they damage. I wouldn't seek to profit from them being at home, just have them cover their costs.

worriedatthemoment · 04/10/2021 01:53

My 16 year old ds has part time job earns about £180 every 2 weeks
We don't charge him rent as he is still in college and we get cb for him, he does by a lot of his own clothes and pays for some days out with mates
Ds1 18 , just decided to quite college and work for a year before uni and we have told him when working full time he will have to pay rent ( although we intend to save it gor him for when he is older if possible ) but will use some if needs must

Cascascascas · 04/10/2021 04:59

@cricketmum84

Unless you are desperate for the cash, when she finishes full time education like her degree.

user1487194234 · 04/10/2021 19:15

Once they have finished education and are in full time employment

Echobelly · 04/10/2021 19:18

I wouldn't expect anything from a child, even young adult, I'd want them to be saving for themselves, but then we're doing OK and have no problems with bills. I can see that if daily costs are harder to meet you might reasonably want any earner in the household to contribute something

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