Funding post-GCSE summer

[soonami]

DC usually gets £20 a week spending money which pays for fun stuff. As much as I’d like them to get a job, there’s pretty much nothing around us for u18s. We don’t have any friends who need babysitters etc.
He’s got a teeny bit of money saved but that will be gone soon.
I want him to have a really fun summer after working hard on his GCSE revision. But, I don’t want him to take the mick.

Have others increased their DCs allowance for the summer hols? What is reasonable?

Anyone?

Mine get £25 a month and there was no summer boost!

If you are happy and can afford to give him extra money can he do jobs around the house for you that wouldn’t be usual for him?

Mine had to get a job. But I guess that’s harder these days

I'm paying mine for jobs around the house, things that need doing but I either don't have the time or strength to do. Cleaning, gardening , DIY I work full time and have a physical disability which means I rely on external help so I'd be paying someone else to do those things otherwise. These are on top of his usual chores by the way.

My dd got a job, i dont think it’s that much harder than it used to be. Giving a 16yo £100 a month seems like loads to me, i gave my dd £40 a month.

My 16 yr old has a job and plans to do more hours now exams have finished.

£20/week is way more than I gave as pocket money before she started earning. We got to £30/month (and that's what my 14 yr old now gets) . So you're already giving more than most I think.

What does he need money for? My teens tend to meet up in parks and take picnics etc so only need bus fares and a few pounds for a drink etc.

Jobs for u18s are hard to come by, so I’ve encouraged self-employment. Selling stuff, gardening. One DC makes jewellery and the other repairs/refinishes furniture.

It helps that their friends are in similar positions and so they tend to socialise cheaply. We give £5 a week pocket money to DC at school and that seems plenty, but also encourages them to earn.

mine has a Nationwide account and just got their £100 Fair Share payment. Perfect timing! They get £5 a week pocket money. And a clothing allowance. At this age it’s mostly meeting friends, just being out and about, nothing too costly (we are rural though).

It absolutely is. By 16 I’d worked in a shop, had a paper round and worked on a market stall. None of those jobs are available around here. Supermarkets don’t take on young teens. No cafes / pub kitchens are hiring.
What do you suggest that he does?

I gave mine a load of my old-but-branded clothes and shoes to sell on Vinted, plus other jobs around the house for extra pocket money. We’d negotiate: I offered £20 to throughly clean the bathrooms, she countered with £15 if she didn’t have to do the toilets 😂

I've been thinking this too. DS will be bored soon. Nothing to do as no money. He's applied for over 20 jobs recently and never hears back. He has volunteering experience too.

Push for the job he will meet new people a sense of achievement and confidence and learn about work ethic and gain a reference for his cv.
no I didn’t give mine more money they had from end of may to September between exams and sixth form off they could earn it themselves if they wanted it. All 3 of mine miraculously found summer jobs that they reduced hours from in September

There are no jobs! I’ve explained this twice already. He’s tried. No one wants a 16yo.

I gave both my DDs what they needed to have a fun summer. Why wouldn’t I? I could afford it and, as you say, at 16 jobs are hard to find. They’re nice kids, they pull their weight at home, walk the dog, empty the dishwasher, pick up shopping whatever.

It didn’t ruin them. They’re now 17 and 20 and both work every holiday, one at a kids holiday camp and one coaching their sport.

Subway are looking for Sandwich Artists

Have you asked on your local Facebook if anyone is looking for help with things like gardening or babysitting? On my local mums group a mum asked if anyone had anything for her son to do and she was inundated with requests. I asked if he could do some weeding for me and basic gardening but i didn’t hear back.

My DD has a job working 22 hours as she’s a qualified nail and lash tech at 17. But as it’s in the next city and is sometimes a struggle to get home if she finishes late, she’s been looking for something more local. So I just wanted to back OP up on how hard it is for young ones to get jobs. My DD can clearly evidence on her CV that she’s got good work ethic, still employed and has worked since she was 16 as she glass collected. She’s applied for 36 roles in our local town, all retail, and been rejected from them all. Not even an interview. Even though she knows she ok as she does have a job, she’s found the rejections tough. I mean, what do you really need to get a job at Greggs, McDonalds etc? As clearly showing she has experience in a customer facing role counts for nothing! So those with zero experience must stand no chance.

🤣🤣

How many years ago?

That wouldn’t suit me, I’m no good at drawing and painting! 😂

Mine has cleared out his room and is selling on Vinted.
We have paid for a school trip as his 16th bday present. He is also going on cadet camp for a week for £30. He will be doing some work for us (admin, wheelie bin washing) to get spends as well.

@soonami I’d tell him to get on Indeed, help him put a decent CV together and not be fussy about what he applies for 🤷‍♀️ my dd took a Saturday job in The Range the pay was terrible something like £5 an hour but it meant she had retail experience.

She also worked in a coffee and doughnut kiosk which was all cash in hand.

There will be cleaning jobs, pot washing etc.

He could also go round the local cafes handing in his CV.

My 16yo nephew had a job in macdonalds, he applied 3 times before they interviewed him.

You have to be really persistent and determined but there’s no reason imo he can’t find work if he wants it.

Sounds like my DD 😂

I pay my DD15 to volunteer in summer. So she gains experience and the community benefits, and I pay her £5 an hour capped at £20 a week on top of her regular pocket money.