Clothes Allowance

[woodlandfling]

Thinking it's time I gave my 18 year old DD a clothing allowance, rather than just paying for everything. She is a sensible girl moneywise, so no worries there. Trouble is I have no idea what would be a reasonable amount to give her each month, bearing in mind how expensive things are - any ideas please?

[llareggub]

Is she still in full-time education? Does she have a part-time or contribute to household chores?

[woodlandfling]

She has had a lot of ill health which has meant she has not been able to carry on with full time education or get a part time job. She is now in part time education and that is all she can manage at the moment.

[JaneiteIsTrite]

My two get 30 pounds each a month for buying all non-essentials. They are 14 and 12. In realisty, this means that dd1 buys lots of clothes, necklaces etc and dd2 buys no clothes at all and saves up for DS games etc.

Tbh I'd hope that at 18 they would maybe have a part-time job though.

[JaneiteIsTrite]

Sorry - x posts.

[llareggub]

It is a tough one. You know her and you must do what feels comfortable for you but I would be cautious of making life too comfortable moneywise for an adult who needs to grow wings and learn independence. Having said that, if she has had health problems then I guess there is some mitigation for extending the dependence stage.

When I was a teen my parents gave me £50 which was a lot then (I'm 34) and I loved the independence it gave me. It stopped abruptly at 18 however but luckily I had several part-time jobs by then and was off to university.

Could you give it to her but suggest that she (if possible given her health) builds up to replacing her allowance with a part-time job?

[mumeeee]

My 17 year old gets £30 a month. She pays for all non essential clothes,going out, make up and CD's, She also tops up her phone every month. I pay for touletries,all college expenses and most youth club trips. I also pay for her Drama club. I sometimes top up her phone. She gets exra money from MIL when she sees her but that is not all the time. She is looking for a part time job at the moment and once she starts work her allowence will stop,

[care4families]

When the kids reached their teens I told them that they would be getting an allowance. This would be based on the amount I had spent on their clothes during the previous 12 months plus the rate of inflation. They thought that this was fair and they started to read the papers to check on this rate of inflation. The total sum was then divided between the 12 months and put into an account as a direct debit. I then left them to it. The eldest wasted so much money on nail varnish, but I kept quiet,the son wasted money on warhammer games, but I kept quiet, the youngest watched her older siblings and started to work out ways of making her money make more money. She has been in profit ever since and is currently making money by selling hairbands to her friends at Uni to fund her degree.