talk to me about teens and driving..how the hell do teens afford it???

[brimfull]

dd just turned 17
had first lesson on her b'day
lessons are £££ enough but that's her presents from us and g'parents.

called insurance firm about getting her put on our insurance naively thinking she could practise in our car as well as lessons to speed things up a bit.

was totally shocked that our focus estate would mean £1200 insurance to get her covered as additional driver

so what does everyone do?
teen buy their own car
fork out a fortune??

£22/hr but we are getting discount to £19 as it's a friend's business.
So thinking she could practice on our car to cut down the amount of lessons was naive to say the least.Cheaper to pay for more lessons.

Up here it's around £25 but we know someone so we get it for £15 which has saved us a fortune.

I was given 10 lessons for my birthday and didn't have a cat in hell's chance of passing with only 5 hours driving experience!!! Spent the next 4 years begging people to let me have a go in their cars (legally - lots of policies allow learners for nothing) until I finally passed my 4th test at 21. Not once in this time did I think my parents should have given me a car / insurance / more lessons - I knew I could get a job and pay myself. However, a lot of my friends were given brand new cars, infinite lessons etc. and a lot were given nothing. Don't get into comparing what you can afford to give your DC's with what others can. It's a slippery slope!

Ironically, at 27 with a toddler and a baby my mum has just insured me in her car as a christmas pressie so I can get to the shops (we live out in the sticks). Best present I've ever had! Being able to drive has never meant that I can afford to drive.

I have 3 DD's aged 21,19 and just 17. We can't afford to buy them a car or pay for driving lessons. So if they want to learn they will have to save up. My nephew aged 16 wants to learn drive when he is 17, He has got a Saturday job and is saving up for lessons.

I have a friend who forked out about £2000 each in lessons and test fees for her dcs to learn to drive. I have three dcs and absolutely no way I can afford that. We have a people carrier so can't insure that and teach them myself as not really an option to learn in such a big vehicle. Don't think I could afford the extra insurance either. Ds1 is quite realistic but ds2 is very disappointed and constantly tells me of friends of his who have cars/driving lessons paid for by their parents.

My two have no chance of getting out of the village without a licence (no public transport here at all) so helping them to learn to drive seems like the only option to DH and I as it means they are a) able to get to and from college/work and b) able to go out with mates without depending on us for lifts. DD took 8x2 hour lessons to pass and now she's working she's bought her own car and is more thna happy to pop to the shops for me when I need her to, she also collects her brother from the nearest bus stop when he gets in from college (7 miles away).

I have added DS2 to my car (Clio) insurance as an additional (learner) driver and my insurance has doubled - and my excess has trebled. I am fortunate to get this insurance through my regular insurer as it is not available to new customers. When he passes the test I will have to change the insurance - and that might cost more. Lessons here cost £24 per hour and lessons are often 1.5 hours as we live 12 miles from the nearest test route.