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<p>McD’s for me. However, wife takes D’s to Nordstrom’s Cafe - champagne taste - that’s why some people need $1200 a month allowance and others need $50 
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<p>^ McD for me also when I was there. One time experience is enough for me to visit that kind of place, as I have no business there.</p>
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<p>Considering about half of Stanford undergraduates do not receive any financial aid, perhaps at least that half comes from family wealth that may be able to afford an occasional trip there.</p>
<p>Here are the stores: <a href=“http://www.simon.com/mall/stanford-shopping-center/stores”>http://www.simon.com/mall/stanford-shopping-center/stores</a></p>
<p>It’s a high-end mall, but you don’t need to be rich to buy things at Gap or Aldo. We’re not talking about Rodeo Drive.</p>
<p>Rodeo Drive definitely is more show off kind of mall. Jewelry shops every where.</p>
<p>Just because a college decides a family is full pay doesn’t mean that said family can afford all the luxuries that people assume come with that territory. </p>
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<p>You generally have to be pretty wealthy to get no financial aid at Stanford. Plus, not every store in Stanford Shopping Center is a super-expensive one. Although there is no Old Navy, there is at least a Gap to go along with a Banana Republic, for example.</p>
<p>If mom doesn’t blink at giving her child $1200/mo. pocket money, wonder what kind of money the mom goes through per month? If you’ve got it, spend it!</p>
<p>That shopping center doesn’t seem any different from the shopping centers you’ll find in the suburbs of every single major city in this country. I mean, it’s “upscale” in that the stores aren’t WalMart and the dollar store, and there’s a Neiman-Marcus and such, but come on – this is hardly what qualifies for super upscale. </p>
<p>pizza, I agree, it’s not upscale. Which one in the USA is considered upscale anyway? </p>
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<p>Stanford Mall is one of our local area malls. My daughter shops there as do her friends. It’s just a mall. Some stores are more expensive than she can afford to pay, and she doesn’t shop at those particular stores.</p>
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Before the “middle class initiative” at these few schools, I do not think they were that generous. DS’s college (and at every school he was accepted) decided we were full pay for two years (almost a decade ago) even though our income was quite moderate (about 100K then, if I remember it.) I think they treated the 529 account differently back then.</p>
<p>At one time, we stopped by the Stanford Mall when DS was back home during break. DS made a comment that we could not afford to shop here. We rarely shop at a mall. A discount store like WalMart or Kmart (in the past) or Target is where we shop usually. The “high-end” store for us is JCPenny (only purchase DS’s clothes there once in a while. I think he has bought a shirt from American Eagle in a mall only once in his whole life.)</p>
<p>When DS was in college, one if his suitemates said that shopping at a WalMart is depressing. DS replied: “That is the store where our family shops.” Different “life-style”, I think.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m an incoming freshman, and I don’t really wanna go through this entire thread, but can someone give me a breakdown on items/fees/whatever else this allowance would be used for? My parents aren’t exactly giving me a monthly allowance, but I do have money saved up. </p>
<p>jibler - what have your parents agreed to pay, phone, books, travel, clothes…? If you haven’t had a discussion yet, you should. In our case, the allowance is used for entertainment (meals out, movies, presents for friends/families, alcohol).</p>
<p>@oldfort My parents are paying for my phone (part of the family plan). I’ve been buying my books (for cheap thankfully), and I don’t intend to buy more clothes than what I’m bringing to my dorm (staying on-campus with a meal plan) - I have enough. Travel isn’t really an issue - not far enough to have to take a plane. So, does that pretty much only leave entertainment (meals out/rare trips to D.C./whatever pops up)? </p>
<p>Yes. If you are careful with your money, you shouldn’t need that much money. When people invite you out to eat, just find out where they are going before you say yes. Most college students are very frugal, so you should be fine.</p>
<p>@oldfort Thanks! I can’t even imagine what I’d buy with OP’s $1.2k allowance. </p>
<p>@Jibler - besides occasional meals out you will need some money for laundry every week. </p>
<p>nobody really believes the 1.2K allowance. It’s just where the thread started.</p>
<p>Maybe you could figure out how much you have a month and divide it out that way? After your first semester or first year, you’ll probably get an idea of how many hours a week you can work outside school, if you want. Kids can manage a few hours a week, a lot of the time, and it can supplement. </p>
<p>Good luck to you in your new adventure!</p>
<p>@MichiganGeorgia Yup, I realized that after I posted! Thanks for the heads up, though. I think I can definitely live in a frugal and also comfortable lifestyle, then. </p>