<p>I think working is a “It depends issue”. My oldest had extensive work experience in computer programming before he got to college and was well paid each summer via internships. He didn’t need to prove anything during the school year and he was in a very demanding program. Younger son had less work experience, but he wasn’t struggles with languages and had a demanding enough schedule that we couldn’t ask him to work. He has worked the last two summers and the first summer he studied the language that was giving him problems.</p>
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<p>We don’t either. We pay for tuition, room & board, as well as books. We also pay to transport him between home and school a few times a year. He works during the summer to make whatever money he needs for the school year. That includes meals out, social outings, gas, etc…We send him back to school with toiletries and laundry detergent. If he needs more he usually buys it himself. </p>
<p>If he had an opportunity to work at an unpaid internship over the summer we would be willing to help him out with money during the school year. But so far he has worked during the summer and saved enough to last the school year. We give him some money when he returns to school after winter break but that is a gift, not an allowance.</p>
<p>“The availability of grocery stores is also a big issue.” - That is so true. My D could bike to a reasonably priced grocery store and often did. The snow melts quickly in CO, but there were still times where it just made sense to spend a little more and fill in with $1 bananas from 7-11 or a meal on campus. Her food expenses were still WAY less than DS’s $3000/semester plan.</p>
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<p>Doesn’t understand what? That studies show students who work ~8-10 hours a week do better than those who do not work? </p>
<p>As for budget, I think we spent <$200/month for two of us in a relatively low-cost area. I spend about 1/3 of that and my partner 2/3 because I’m a vegetarian and eat much cheaper.</p>
<p>Odd jobs around campus? Really? DD worked in undergrad admissions at her school for almost all four years. She developed and ran one of the accepted student programs. I hardly call,that an “odd job”. She worked between 10-15 hours a week. Hers was a high paying job because of the responsibility.</p>
<p>DS was an usher for the Boston Symphony, and for one year worked on a crew for a music group that he eventually joined as a musician. Again…well paying…and responsible. He too worked 10-15 hours a week.</p>
<p>Both were able to work during school vacations as well.</p>
<p>Sorry…but what kind of “odd jobs” do you think students are doing? Campus jobs are one way to gain those employment recommendations one needs to get their NEXT job…and they also,show a level of responsibility and organization.</p>
<p>But back to the topic…WE parents paid for food. The jobs the kids had paid for all discretionary spending, and for books.</p>
<p>Carry on.</p>
<p>I mean that D does not understand the commitment involved with the campus job because she has decided to do her club sport. The club sport is very demanding and will take a minimum of 20 hours a week practice plus traveling to competitions. Couple that with the two 4 hour labs, plus a recitation and I can’t see how she expects to hold a campus job.</p>
<p>Bottom line is that my kids hold summer internships/fellowships directly related to their majors. I don’t expect them to work during the school year. No need to take this personally. Peace!</p>
<p>My mum has it linked for her paycheck to deposit $100 a week into my bank account directly, and $50 a week out of my TS is transferred. This money is to be spent on food, and other things that are needed/wanted. She doesn’t tend to micromanage… Food here is expensive, with the only real option to grocery shop being a whole foods, or a longer trek to TJ with limiting what could be carried home. </p>
<p>In reality my mum also dropped off good meats/extras that she picks up on good sales to my roommate and I. We only live around 40 minutes away and my mum works in the city where I go to school. My roommate and I are stoked with these random -goodie- stop bys!</p>
<p>TF* can’t edit on a phone</p>
<p>I think our attitudes about this topic are often based on what our experiences were back in the day. Pizzagirl mentioned that both she and her DH got allowances in college so she is comfortable with the idea. In my house, not only did DH and I not get allowances, we were both commuters, worked from the day we were first legally able to, and in my case I was paying $20/week room and board to my mom from the day I turned 16. Since we’re taking care of tuition, room & board (either meal plan or the $300/month mentioned earlier,) books, medical expenses and toiletries and we’ve encouraged the girls to have p/t jobs I feel they can take care of their “fun” experiences. </p>
<p>But location plays into this as well. Where your kiddo goes to school is a big factor is how much $$$ they may need, not only because of local grocery prices & selection, but because of the off campus “distractions.”</p>
<p>Like many here, our kids earned their “fun” spending money during summers.</p>
<p>I do not give my D in college an allowance beyond the grocery money. On the other hand I can’t imagine charging my 16-year-old son in high school for room and board…</p>
<p>S1 didn’t work his first two years except for babysitting for his cousins and doing odd jobs for my brother’s in-laws. We also gave him a small allowance.<br>
Last summer he worked at Kroger and transferred to a location near his school. He did that for a semester until he became sports editor for his school paper, which pays about the same, and started writing for some sports-related websites. He does alright for himself and his grades have stayed up.</p>
<p>I have found D has become much more frugal since she started earning her own living expense money. Most of last year, and now as a senior this year, she has worked to pay rent, utilities, metro card, and food. Her dad and I still pay tuition, books, and extra expenses. She has maintained her GPA (around a 3.7) and also takes 18 hours a semester in order to graduate a semester early. She has learned to cook, but still likes to call me when she is at the market. Don’t know if she really wants the advice or it’s just a convenient time to talk! Living in NYC, where it is really expensive, she spends about $150 -$200 a month at the market, and another $150-$200 for restaurant meals. I’m pretty sure this is less than when she was dorming.</p>
<p>PS I would never give a child with poor money management skills a whole semester worth of food money at one time. Just my opinion. I might do a month at the time, at most.</p>
<p>MomEllen, I would look into some resources for your D - some suggestions for better money management. That is a skill she needs to be a successful adult. It’s not easy for everyone, and missing that lesson can lead to a lot of very painful other lessons.</p>
<p>Our approach has been to buy a meal plan that makes sense. Look at kids’ schedules, see when they can eat, see what’s available on their meal plan for those times, and stress to our kids that they need to get their rears into the cafeteria or another on-campus eatery and take advantage of the meal plan provided. (We usually wind up with one in the middle, not the most expensive, nor the least). And then we make sure they have enough money to eat out modestly from time to time in their accounts at the beginning of the semester, and let the chips fall where they may. They don’t starve if they have a meal plan, as long as their schedule allows ample time to eat.</p>
<p>This is the first year D2 won’t have a meal plan, but she is VERY good with money, and has worked her tail off this summer, so she’s loaded for the new school year. AND she loves to cook and is really good at it - so I’m not concerned.</p>
<p>My 19 year old stepdaughter works parttime. She isn’t expected to pay for any needs with her income. She has 12 hours at a community college. My 21 year old doesn’t really want to work. For a couple years she has said she is looking for a job. My husband says he can’t make her work. She also has 12 hours at a community college. We cover all expenses which includes $150 cash a month for each. And they live together and shop with their dad spending about $400 a month in food and misc. for both of them.
I think it’s kinda steep!</p>
<p>Replying to the original question of how much for food- my oldest is in grad school and is borrowing the money from us for everything- so he may be a little more thrifty than most. At first we didn’t know how much groceries would be, but this is his third year and he thinks he can do it for $800 for the semester- works out to about $200 a month. He went slightly over that last semester due to eating out too much but he thinks if he eats in the apartment more this year, the $800 should do it.</p>
<p>My son, in his junior year, is in an apartment for the first time. He has never received an allowance of any sort. He has worked full time in the summers to make whatever “discretionary” money he needs for the upcoming year, and that holds true for college as well. I don’t even give him gas money. As for his groceries - this is sort of new for me, since it’s his first time in an apartment, so I am learning as I go (as is he). He moved in on 8/15, and I (along with the other 2 parents) had stocked their kitchen at that time. I just recently gave him $150 for grocery money, and he says he is fine for a while. We’ll see. I think somewhere between $100 and 200 is going to be the average that he will need. We opted to not do a dining plan, so if he eats on campus during the day, that will be over and above grocery money, but he is trying to keep that to a minimum.</p>
<p>5 weeks in, my D is spending about $30 a week on food. She 's been cooking (which is nothing short of miraculous) and not eating out.</p>
<p>$500 per month (food plus essentials) - my estimate. Add gas + car insurance</p>
<p>I used to leave on $300 per month, but it was a stretch. $100 per month is not serous, especially since she doesn’t have much time to cook and search for the cheapest food. </p>
<p>Yes, I can feed myself on the budget of $100 per month. But it requires time and big freezer. For example, I used to drive to wharfs, buy fishermen’s left-overs (mainly heads and tails of fish sold to restaurants) and make healthy, tasty soups from them. Yet it is very time consuming.</p>
<p>She is a student. She needs some money for parties :)</p>
<p>Dear moms,</p>
<p>I used to be a student on a tight budget. Honestly, I was not looking for a job. I instantly got a boyfriend, who was 20 years older and ready to pay. Unfortunately, it is toooo easy for a young, pretty girl to get money (I am not talking about escort or prostitution, just a boyfriend, ready to fulfill all dreams). </p>
<p>Please, send extra money to your daughters (if you can afford it financially). Too many older daddies are preying on financially unstable college girls.</p>