<p>And look back at posts 18 and 19 ;)</p>
<p>And mine. No allowance, just whatever amount was needed and as needed.</p>
<p>cbreeze - so your kid has the best deal.:)</p>
<p>The other variable is - close to home kids can come home for the weekend and talk Mom into a run to Target. Then they go home with a 6 week supply of detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, and snack food. Those that go far away have to buy these things themselves and frequently at more expensive stores walking distance from the dorm.<br>
One parent I know called his daughter's visits home "another $250 weekend" because that's invariably what they ended up spending extra when she was there. Car needed repair, she needed new clothes, whatever. Always something different, always something like $250.</p>
<p>We pay tuition & fees, room & board, books, and medical (prescriptions, etc.), travel expenses. Oh, and laundry expenses after our first visit and his mother determined that he had not washed his sheets in the eight weeks since we dropped him off. We bought his computer as his HS graduation gift. He is responsible for his spending money -- movies, concerts, eating out other than on the meal plan, any trinkets and gew-gaws he wants for his computer (webcam, music downloads). </p>
<p>His spending money comes from some pre-college savings (all his life, 1/2 of all cash gifts had to go into the account, which he always complained about but was thrilled when we handed him the account statement the day he graduated HS. He also uses money earned during the summers. He is being very frugal, trying to get by on $75/month, as he is trying to make his stash last all four years. He works on his school paper mega hours per week, good experience as he wants to be a journalist, but leaves no time for working during the school year. He also may not be able to earn much the next couple of summers as he is looking for journalism internships, which are usually unpaid (again, really good for career preparation). He will take a car to school next year, which will actually lower the travel costs (which have been via Amtrak or we had to go down and get him). We already have the car, so no costs to buy anything, although maintenance and operating costs will go up a bit, but he will be able to recoup gas costs by ferrying friends and other students. </p>
<p>He does score trips to Target on our tab when we visit. His aunt (my sister) lives in the town he goes to school in so he scores some home-cooked meals and dinners out every now and then off of her. Oh, and grandpa slips every grandchild $30-40 when he sees them every few weeks or couple of months and Grandpa is good for toiletries and computer paper and printer ink (getting bargains at Staples and CVS is Grandpa's retirement hobby).</p>
<p>On a similar thread on the page for William & Mary (where my wife and I went and where my son is now) I posted this story from when I was a student at W&M (Class of '83): I knew one guy whose parents were from a South American country but the family had been in the U.S. his whole life as his father was some sort of a diplomat at the U.N. Anyway, when he was a freshman, his mother asked the RA what he recommended for spending money, and the RA said that he would be very comfortable with $1500. So Mom thanked him and put $1500 in her son's checking account. The next month on the first of the month, she put another $1500 in, and the next and the next. He finally did tell his parents at Christmas break that the RA had meant $1500 for the whole year. And, of course, $1500/year was extremely generous in 1979, and is still doable today.</p>
<p>--K9Leader</p>
<p>Wow K9 - i wish someone would give *me *$1500 a month spending money!!</p>
<p>My parents are giving me a $20 for my wants....and are paying for room, board, books, fees, etc as well as toiletries, gas, etc. Tuition is covered by a scholarship....</p>
<p>I am very grateful for that...</p>
<p>"I am very grateful for that . . . "</p>
<p>AHeartLikeHis . . . for some reason, that touched me and made my day. How sweet.</p>
<p>Well.... I know how much they are saving and working overtime to put us through college with us having no debt...</p>
<p>And they are very supportive of our majors (Biology and Nursing).</p>
<p>I have $1300 saved up that I will use when neccessary... but the fact that they (and he is my step parent, and has been for 4 years...) are even giving us spending money and making sure finances will be in order, just means a lot. </p>
<p>Because I know (and I would gladly take on loans) I could have to get loans and pay $200 a month after graduation for years... but the fact that they are fixing it to where neither of us will need loans, is just a blessing.</p>
<p>Mom and him are working overtime... and mom goes to school until late at night, keeps the house clean, clothes washed and ironed, etc. I'm just really thankful to have been given them as my parents...</p>
<p>My mom is going to send me care packages on request. Things like toothpaste, shampoo, cond't, etc. But only necessities. I might get the occasional batch of cookies, i am sure, but all my wants are on me.</p>
<p>AHertLikeHis - it is so nice of you to be appreciative of your mom and stepdad. I hope you are telling them, not just on CC. My daughter wrote me a very nice mother's day card last year after the whole college process. She thanked me for standing by her, and believing in her when she didn't. It made everything worth while. </p>
<p>For all you seniors reading this, mother/father's day is coming up, it's a great opportunity to thank them for all they have done. Most likely you won't be home for the next mother's day. Ok, my daughter is coming home for mother's day because my husband has asked her.:)</p>