<p>not sure what “share their account” means; we’ve given our daughter a credit card in her name on our account. She rarely uses it; just for shampoo etc. Mostly I want her to have it for emergencies, which fortunately there have not been any.</p>
<p>My parents did. They knew I wouldn’t abuse their credit card, and I didn’t; if they’d been putting a set allowance in my bank account each month, I would have come out ahead of the game, given how relatively frugally I lived.</p>
<p>They would not have paid for things like sorority membership or an extravagant trip (neither of which came up during my college years), and I did have a part-time job after my freshman year out of a general sense of responsibility. </p>
<p>For me, the thing that bothers me about this thread is the title. It seems weird that you would ask for a certain amount of allowance. Generally it is the parents who tell the child what that amount is and the kid lives with it, or at least tries to make a good case why they may need more. </p>
<p>I don’t think hourly jobs like working behind the counter making sandwiches teach you a lot. </p>
<p>I think commission jobs like selling shoes, furniture, real estate, etc, and even waiting tables for tips proportional to the quality of service and the quantity of what you sell can teach you a lot because you are effectively running your own business. </p>
<p>Personally, I had to quit my job Freshman year because I was falling too far behind. It wasn’t because I was slacking. It was because it was indeed much harder than I could have imagined and I didn’t know how to study properly. I eventually learned, but despite not having enough money, the time was better spent studying. I got a much higher return on investment on the studying. </p>
<p>I agree with GA2012MOM. H and I thought through it and came up with the number. But we could have also easily said “your spending money comes out of your savings” and that’s what it would have had to have been.</p>
<p>Re: “sharing accounts” - We opened bank accounts for our kids at banks that had branches that were convenient to their college locations. We put in a “starter” amount to keep a minimum balance and then we automatically transfer every month. I don’t monitor their balances and don’t know what they are. They also each have a credit card that is ours (but has their name) - that is for “parent-covered” purchases such as books or other costs associated with school. They also know that if at any time, they were in a situation where they didn’t have cash, they could put anything they wanted on our credit card and we could just settle it up later. I don’t think that’s ever happened, or if it did, maybe once. </p>
<p>Now they have their own credit cards (in their names) that they are using to build up credit and get cash-back – they manage them, so I don’t really know what’s on them, but they can put “parent-covered” purchases on those cards and I just reimburse them. I’m fine with them getting the cash back. </p>
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<p>basics.</p>
<p>You know, if you didn’t so snotty and entitled it would help. It’s not an either or choice. Many kids do both. </p>
<p>both of my kids were given credit cards with their names on it that were our accts. They were to be used for books, etc, and emergencies. younger son managed fine. Older son went too far a few times and I had to rope him in…and insist that he work (so he wouldn’t have as much free time to charge my acct…lol)</p>
<p>both boys ended up working part-time during most of their college years as university-paid tutors. That provided most of their spending money. </p>
<p>as for meaningless jobs…</p>
<p>younger son has held a variety of jobs since he was 16 (because the car he wanted exceeded the budget we would pay for). his first job was with McDonald’s…lol…that taught him to not have to work at McDonald’s…but he did learn from that job. Next job was a host at a Mexican restaurant, then moved up to waiter…learned people skills and increased his Spanish fluency talking to the native speakers. After tutoring ended with his college graduation, he spent the summer before starting med school as a bartender at a very popular restaurant…learned how to make all the fancy drinks (hey, that’s a nice skill to have…lol). Anyway…you can learn from every job.</p>
<p>In my opinion, there is no such thing as a meaningless job. It’s employment. My one kid started off as a dishwasher in the kitchen of a restaurant…the summer after HS graduation. He was thrilled to have A job. He was a hard worker, and the restaurant appreciated his ethic. He worked for them every summer through grad school, and on school vacations. Oh…and he was gone at music festivals for six weeks in the MIDDLE of every summer break. Not many places would work with a seasonal employee like this place did. </p>
<p>Oh…and he didn’t stay as a dishwasher…he worked his way up to waiting tables (this was a fancy establishment). </p>
<p>And he had spending money for college right off the bat in the fall. </p>
<p>What do you learn from “meaningless jobs”?</p>
<p>Compassion for and appreciation of the many people for whom this is their only option.</p>
<p>I have worked in the summer since 8th grade. I didn’t work for the money, I worked for the experience. I don’t think working a job for minimum wage is worth my time if I’m not getting anything out of it other than that measly $8 an hour. I’ve saved up some money from those jobs and I will likely blow it all on a new wardrobe/watches/shoes before I go to college. My parents are going to be giving me $1500 a month while I’m in college. I think this is a good amount to ask for. I do not recommend getting a job in college unless you’d like to waste time where you could otherwise be creating friendships and learning. </p>
<p>Wow, I am really beginning to appreciate my kids. They could definitely be worse. lol.,</p>
<p>Wow $1500 a month? I can’t imagine how you could go through that much!</p>
<p>I’m happy I don’t go to a university that requires that much a month!</p>
<p>Please tell me that “$1500 a month” is a typo - either that, or please send me the name/address of your parents. Are they looking to adopt a 52-year-old daughter?</p>
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Among some of the benefits that other students have mentioned, a bright student working on the “front lines” of food or retail services learns a lot about business management skills. Generally that learning takes place when the student is thinking along the lines of how they could run the business much better or more efficiently – or how they would create a better system for scheduling shifts – or how they would treat their employees better. (My son also learned a thing or three about cooking while working at a pizza joint- a skill that came in handy later in life).</p>
<p>I really would question the intelligence of someone who can NOT learn from doing a low-skill job. Smart employees who are also hard workers generally find themselves being promoted in fairly short order. You might be surprised at the number of kids who have worked their way up to the position of store manager while still in high school. </p>
<p>I’d add this: college students are not limited to low-skill jobs, making sandwiches or sitting at reception desk. Students with more work experience can typically use that experience to get better-paying jobs with more significant responsibilities. And that often results in a better job at graduation as well. </p>
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<p>Nodding my head in disbelief!</p>
<p>Why do I feel you are the type of person who says they are going to get a 4.0 but won’t?</p>
<p>nickxx is a major ■■■■■. He’s only a hs junior. He’s also full of “wisdom” as to what employers in finance look for – you know, because hs juniors are soooo knowledgeable in these matters. The $1500 is for trolling effect. </p>
<p>It’s clear he’s crock full of wisdom from his posts. :^o </p>