Common allowance for boarders

goaliedad
Mon, 26 Mar 2007 11:36:46 +0000

AliJ

I don’t publically post my D’s school. It isn’t too relavant to the discussion though.

“Real” (i.e. unavoidable) expenses don’t vary too much from school to school ($3 to wash and dry a load - from the cash account). Now some schools do provide more “weekend entertainment” at different costs. The school will give you an idea what type of school sponsored events (museum trips, etc.) there are and what (if any) costs are associated with them. Other entertainment and food probably should be similar to whatever they would normally spend at home. And even with my D, when her hockey team is on a longer road trip and miss a meal, the school provides a per diem for take out on the way home.

In my D’s case, she gets $20 per week in the cash account (which can be accumulated week to week), $10 in the eat at the food counter (which is use it or lose it every week), and $50 per term at the school store (sweats and convenience items). To some here it sounds draconian. She hasn’t even come close to the weekly allowance at the food counter, nor has come close to the $20 average in the cash account, nor has had to ask for any more than the $50 at the school store. However, my D is definitely not high-maintenance.

I understand and appreciate drnancie’s position on spending money. My D bought her last goalie pads (slightly used at about 1/2 retail) on Ebay with her babysitting money. She knows what percentage of the family budget her education (and hockey) is. She understands the value of a dollar, so I’m not going to nickle and dime her at school. She knows that we are providing a 9-month environment where she has what she needs without worrying about where her laundry soap is coming from. Every kid is different.