<p>i agree with person above who said that much depends on your son’s spending habits currently. What does he spend money on? Will the allowance need to cover clothing including winter coat,boots, shoes, sneakers and other sporting gear? will it need to cover books and school supplies? does it cover cost of transportation (if any) to come home on weekends and/or school breaks? are there any local transportation costs? will it need to cover meals/snacks/coffee taken off campus (and that may factor in to your choice of dining plan)? what about frat dues if he decides to join one? and think about entertainment- admission to frat parties, movies, concerts, etc. </p>
<p>and, if you consider $50/week is just $7/day, that amount can easily be spent on random items.</p>
<p>as a variation on the suggestions for savings on books, I agreed with my student to fund up to the cost of new books but we split the savings between new cost and the actual cost of rental/used books purchased. this gave student an incentive to shop for best value. however, sometimes a used or rental book is not available for whatever reason. also student can resell books I am not looking for that money back.</p>
<p>I would balance desire to teach student value of money vs. making sure student has enough $$ to enjoy the basics of the college experience. :)</p>