<p>I’m hoping to draw on parents’ collective knowledge on move-in costs, for a college dorm room (a double).</p>
<p>As part of our family’s attempts to teach our dd about financial matters and to limit our own spending, we have been giving said daughter specific pots of money for particular periods of time and purposes. She is then empowered to spend the money as she sees fit and to, of course, add to it from her own earnings. Then she is not supposed to ask for additional funds. It has worked pretty well.</p>
<p>With move-in costs for college now coming, we would like to use the same strategy. What do you think is a reasonable limit? </p>
<p>As we are flying to her college, costs will include new bedding. She will need some new clothes and probably a new winter coat, although not all of that has to be purchased right now. Please note that this does not include costs for books; she is already responsible for paying that.</p>
<p>We did it a little differently. We bought our kids all the bedding but that was their BIRTHDAY present. For D1, her 18th birthday was the week college began. For D2, her 17th birthday was about six weeks after college began and so we made this her birthday present in advance. I can’t afford to just go out and buy this stuff and also get them more stuff for their birthday. It was a big purchase…the mattress covers, the egg crate mattress, two sets of sheets, all the towels, a blanket, pillows, a down comforter and a duvet cover. So, that was their present. For other dorm paraphenalia…they each had their own money from earnings the summer before college, plus graduation gift money, plus grandparents bought them certain stuff like fridge, microwave, computer, printer, etc. </p>
<p>Clothing is separate. Clothing is not really related to moving to college, in my view. It is ongoing. For many years, our D’s have been on a clothing budget. We pay for their clothes (well at least up to this generous amount…anything over that, if they truly want more, they can buy). We don’t hand them the clothing money. When they buy clothing, they charge it on our card and we deduct that amount off their clothing allowance, or if they lay it out, we reimburse them. So, clothing is separate from spending money, food, etc. The clothing budget arrangement started before college.</p>
<p>As far as spending money, my kids have a combination of their own earnings, plus a monthly allowance. We also pay for food, books, and travel (the travel home, not other places). Again, they had their own spending money to decorate their rooms or buy what was needed, beyond the linens which was our birthday present to them. The clothing is separate.</p>
<p>If you give your child a clothing allowance, and if that will continue during college, you might want to consider offering your child the option of receiving two years worth of clothing allowance during the spring or summer before college, with the understanding that the child will receive zero clothing allowance the next year.</p>
<p>The reason: some college students want to own a larger quantity of everyday clothing in college than they would own at home because they want to do laundry less often. It is much more disruptive to have to do laundry using the college facilities than it is at home. But because the garments are worn less often, they will last longer than they would have at home. So the overall cost of the clothing, over a relatively long period of time (say, two years), doesn’t increase.</p>
<p>To avoid having to do laundry too often, my daughter, who is about to leave for college, is now the proud owner of ten pairs of jeans and other causal pants. She has never before in her life owned more than five pair at a time. Buying that many pair of jeans was expensive, but we expect that these jeans will last a lot longer than her previous ones did because they won’t be worn as often. Each pair is likely to be worn every tenth day, where in the past each pair was worn every fifth day. Thus, they will probably last about twice as long before falling apart.</p>
<p>The same sort of logic applies to underwear, socks, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other everyday clothing. </p>
<p>Before my son went to college, we spent a great deal of money increasing his supply of everyday clothing. But the following year, he bought nothing except new shoes and a suit in which to interview for internships. He didn’t need to; the everyday clothing from the previous year was still in wearable condition.</p>
<p>Marian - I have never known a girl tha doesn’t buy new clothes(new shoes, new bags) every season. Dark blue is the new black this fall, and brown is perfect to pair off with blue… I would be crazy to give my D 2 years of clothing budget in one year. My Ds are in the habit of doing their laundry every week, when they are home and away at ballet camps. The reason is clothes tend to get old fast if sit in sweat for too long, especially socks and t-shirts (in my D’s case, leotards and tights). </p>
<p>We bought our D all of her back to school stuff. We didn’t go crazy, i.e. we bought her bedding on sale. I don’t remember exactly, but I think it was around $500-$1000, but that excludes clothes (winter jackets, boots, sweaters for upstate NY).</p>
<p>oldfort, your daughter is several orders of magnitude more fashion conscious than either of my kids.</p>
<p>For those who live in polo shirts, hoodies, and jeans – and own very little else – what my kids have done will work. For those who actually care about (or even know about) whether blue is the new black, it’s a bad idea.</p>
<p>Marian, your kids sound like my kids. Oldfort, in answer to “I have never known a girl tha doesn’t buy new clothes(new shoes, new bags) every season” let me introduce you to my D. She buys maybe one pair of shoes a year, if what she’s wearing is totally worn out, and, um, what’s a “bag.” usually, she carries some money and her license in a money clip in one pocket, and her phone in the other. Materialistically, it doesn’t get any more low maintenance than her.</p>
<p>OP, sorry that was off topic. I probably spent about 2-300 on move in stuff, but things always come up you dn’t know about any time, so its’ a tough area to be too rigid in.</p>
<p>it is a hard number to pin down especially for the freshman year.Storage needs, besides bedding needs will be different in each type of dorm room,as will lighting needs, and floor coverings… Some have adequate closet space, and drawer space, many do not and plastic cubes,etc will be needed.First year needs,like hangars, maybe a TV,laptop and printer, wont be needed again the second year,etc.
S is entering 2nd year and most things have survived,except room carpet.We’ll add a more comfortable desk chair this year as he has a single in an apt and has room.He has a kitchen so we’ll add cooking supplies but no food plan.Most bedding has survived, but I added new sheets.</p>
<p>The storage and lighting and decorating stuff (not counting linens) are kinda a one time thing that should last four years. Our kids bought that sort of stuff themselves. </p>
<p>One thing I am dealing with right now is that D2 is moving into a fully furnished apartment off campus this fall, her junior year. The bedding I bought her for her birthday when she entered college two years ago was for a single bed (extra long too) and now she will be in a double bed. So, she needs some new things. For her birthday, she is getting the down comforter from her grandmother and we are getting a duvet cover made and some sheets. The original linens are perfectly fine and she loves them but none are the right size. So, she will own bedding for two types of beds when she graduates! </p>
<p>For clothes, at least for girls, I can’t see giving them two years worth of clothing allowance at once (not that I could even afford to do it anyway). Even if not totally fashion conscious, new things arise each year…be it shoes, clothes for their sport or dance, or situations that arise (example, D1 has a summer internship where she has to dress a little nicer than her usual). My kids have a yearly clothing allowance. If they don’t use it up, they don’t. I don’t hand the money over. They can spend for clothing against the clothing allotted budget using our card for that purpose. We do advise them (and they generally follow this) to cut the yearly clothing budget up in half and to spend half for fall/winter and half for spring/summer. Sometimes things come up that are even beyond our control…like my D is on the ski team for her college and unfortunately, they MAKE the student pay for certain required team clothing like jackets and racing suits even though my kid owns her own. This has come up several times in the past four years at college including in the past day (not to mention the fees we must pay for the two ski passes for the team training, and her licensing fees to race…I wonder if football students pay for field time?? and uniforms??). So, she has to use some of her clothing budget up for things her coach makes her buy even though she wouldn’t have needed or bought them otherwise.</p>
<p>To give yourself some guidance, why not take one of the lists that have been generated here at CC or the BB&B list, edit it for your D’s circumstances, and do some price checking? </p>
<p>You’ll know the difference between “necessary” (sheets that fit, e.g.) and “extra” (that mosquito netting thing on a ring that hangs over the bed?).</p>
<p>Be prepared to be flexible during/after move-in, as dorm rooms can be quirky, storage space varies, and things as simple as a pad for the desk chair or a better lamp can make a lot of difference.</p>
<p>Spend what you can afford or choose to spend and wish to buy for your child for college and make that known and let the rest be from their own earnings, particularly the less essential sort of items. </p>
<p>Orjr…boys are different, LOL, when it comes to clothes…trust me! I have two daughters. My husband would not go shopping. He won’t even spend a half hour looking at the clothes I picked out for him in a catalogue to OK them (though his style has not changed for years and years and so it isn’t a matter of what he truly likes, as it is the same old stuff but simply replenishments). He never gets around to getting new clothing. But given he has a professional job which puts him in contact daily with the public on a one to one basis, he has to replace some clothing that is ripped and beyond the pale. I’m not even talking of being fashionable or even dressed up but very basic here! So, I finally just ordered stuff for him for Father’s Day since he never will put any time into either shopping or reviewing the selected catalogue items, and I knew it was all returnable. He kept it all and knew he needed it. Shopping for a guy like that is easy…same old, same old. Styles for women keep changing and also there is much more variety in types of clothing they need…dresses, skirts, pants, etc. Outfitting teenage girls ain’t cheap, even if not getting high end stuff. It seems many boys this age live in tee shirts and jeans for any situation. Girls seem to need more variety of types of clothing on top of jeans/tees/sneakers. Besides, I enjoy shopping with my girls. :D</p>
<p>Keep in mind that we want to give the daughter a chunk of $ and then let her allocate it.</p>
<p>Since she was 13, my daughter would buy all the clothes she could for whatever $ was available. That’s part of why we went to the system of giving her a set amount of $ and then letting her figure out how to use it. </p>
<p>So far I’m getting estimates of $250 to $1000 for move-in costs. Other folks, what do you think is a reasonable amount?</p>
<p>I too flew w/D to her school (3000 miles from home). The final tally $72 at BBB (using their 20% off coupon; a bed buddy for sitting & reading in bed, a splurge on a robe, an electric toothbrush), $21 at Big Lots (storage bins, “kitchen” stuff (hot cocoa, coffee, mugs, cereal bowl) and office supplies), and $28 at WalMart (sheers for the huge window, and some toiletries and laundry supplies). Total under $125.</p>
<p>Bedding was gifts from grandparents for graduation, $ for a mini fridge from uncle, and Target gift cards from everyone else).</p>
<p>Moving in does not have to cost an arm and a leg. D bought her winter coat and boots at Burlington Coat Factory when the winter was nearing. She had a better idea then of what it would take to keep her warm! She did not buy new clothes, but did take a trip to Savers (thrift store) when she learned there was one.</p>
<p>I agree in giving kids a set amount and letting them figure out how to use it and make it work, and they can add to it if they want more, from their own earnings. Basically, that is what we do with clothing, monthly allowance, and food allowance. </p>
<p>For the one time move in stuff (not counting clothing), as I said we bought the linens and didn’t give a dollar amount but estimated it at $500 which is about right. Since big items like fridge, microwave, printer, and computer were bought as gifts for them by others, they, nor we, had to buy. My kids bought the other dorm room things themselves. </p>
<p>It is hard to tell you an amount as I don’t know what you are trying to include or allocate it for. If it includes clothing, that’s different. If you are talking of just linens, storage and decorating items for the room itelf, not including computer type things, I think $800 might cover it and then they can get more on their own dime. If you include clothing, I have no idea. I know what I spend on my kids clothes and these are not all bought before the first day of school, but that would raise the total by a lot. So, for me, I keep clothing money in its own budget item for the kids. The clothing is a yearly item, not just when moving to college. The dorm room decorating is usually a one time expense.</p>
<p>Let’s see…
I would guess my parents have put up about $80 for my school stuff on odds and ends. If we end up buying a refrigerator, that’ll be another $80 or so. Now if you want to include my laptop, that was $900 my parents put up, but that was my graduation present from them.
My grandma gave my mom $200 for me to do school shopping as well as she gave me a Rubbermaid container with laundry detergent, some snack food, silverware, towels, and a few other things.
I put up $300 from graduation money on a 19" LCD TV that doubles as a computer monitor. Also, I put $250 towards upgrading my warranty on my laptop good thru 2012. Finally, another $160 I had to spend for Microsoft Office 2007.
Clothing I have bought very little so far specifically for college. Sure, I started last December getting a school hoodie, long sleeve t-shirts, windsuits in school colors, and buying shoes. Also, I’ve started buying polo shirts that I’ll be able to wear for school and khaki shorts. I have like 7 pairs of tennis shoes that are all less than a year old. They are all Nike or adidas and I paid probably $250 total. The only name brands I buy are Nike and adidas along with Under Armour every now and then. A lot of my polos are either from WalMart or from Champs Sports (3 for $20). </p>
<p>So I’d guess we have probably spent close to 2k but it’s been spread over several months and many buying it rather than my parents doing the majority of it.</p>
<p>My parents really have never put us on a “clothing allowance.” For the most part, my mom will only buy clothes from WalMart or from Champs Sports (sister works there) and many of the extras are ours to pay for. She’ll buy dress clothes and she’ll buy school shirts, but Nike and adidas stuff I pay for. My shoes I normally pay for as well.</p>
But what about the freshman 15??? Ten pairs of pants that are now too small would be seriously depressing. DS paid for all his own college dorm things. Sheets are $10 at Target, alarm clock $10, comforter $30, towels $8, second set of sheets $10… I’m getting less than $100 here! Clothes he buys out of his own money. He did reluctantly splurge on a pair of leather dress shoes - acknowledging that at some point he might interview for an internship or something… Laptop not included in total, YMMV. ;)</p>
<p>This is a good question, and the answer will vary depending on the living conditions. My older son is moving into a house, and he will need food and supplies to equip his kitchen. IMO, it is worth the investment that I make to save later on in food costs. Otherwise, he’ll be doing takeout or restaurants every night. We have one week :eek: to get this together! He just got home from summer school yesterday!</p>
<p>Mafool–you will appreciate this quote from my dear son:</p>
<p>“Mom, why do you want to get me new clothes, I haven’t grown since last year?”</p>
<p>That being said, he still will need some serious cold weather clothes (he is going to school in Maine). We spend alittle $ on some camping supplies as his orientation is an outdoor trip (much to his dismay, I might add).
Other than that the big expenditure has been his computer, bedding</p>
<p>He didn’t care about towels/sheets–“get me something blue”</p>
Dark blue is the new black this fall, and brown is perfect to pair off with blue… I would be crazy to give my D 2 years of clothing budget in one year. My Ds are in the habit of doing their laundry every week, when they are home and away at ballet camps. The reason is clothes tend to get old fast if sit in sweat for too long, especially socks and t-shirts (in my D’s case, leotards and tights). </p>
DS paid for all his own college dorm things. Sheets are $10 at Target, alarm clock $10, comforter $30, towels $8, second set of sheets $10… I’m getting less than $100 here! Clothes he buys out of his own money. He did reluctantly splurge on a pair of leather dress shoes - acknowledging that at some point he might interview for an internship or something… Laptop not included in total, YMMV. ;)</p>