<p>When I lived in the dorms I got zero. My arrangement with my parents has been that I take out loans for my tuition, use my own money to pay for textbooks, and then my parents pay for my housing. Since my food expenses were tied up into my housing costs when I lived in the dorms, my parents figured (and I think rightfully so) that I should have to pay for any meals I ate out in Westwood or wherever. </p>
<p>This year I’m in an apartment, and my dad put $200 on my Bruincard when he helped me move in… but that’s for the entire year. So I’m basically still on my own to pay for groceries, although I do use the money on my Bruincard to pay for lunch on campus 2-3 times a week. But I’ve never received a monthly allowance just for spending money… and frankly I don’t really think parents should still be giving their kids an allowance like that once they’re in college.</p>