Those with students in college--how do you handle allowances/spending?

[distancia]

How did you arrive at an appropriate amount to give your child for spending money at college? Do you pay all the bills, or do you give them funds (i.e. a checkbook and credit cards) and have them pay their own bills?

 

How do you know what is a reasonable amount? I know there are some students with seemingly endless funds, while others are living off ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches.

 

Can you give some concrete numbers for those of us who will be facing this situation shortly?

 

Much appreciated!

[choirfarm]

Well, I worked in the summer and on holidays and that was my spending money. My parents paid ( well or my scholarships paid for 3/4) for tuition and room and board, books, etc Any fun money I had to come up with. There ended up being a family at my college church that had two little boys and I ended up babysitting for them a lot. I stayed there over spring break a couple of times and was handsomely rewarded. They were both lawyers and one of their children was special needs. I thought they were so neat and so generous and it was an answer to prayer for me for spending money. ( My parents divorced, dad lost his job, etc.)

 

Christine

Edited March 15, 2011 by choirfarm

[TravelingChris]

I didn't give spending money. I pay for food plan, books, and send some quarters for laundry plus pay for transportation back home. I expect the kids to earn any extra themselves.

[JFSinIL]

DS has work study. It is to pay for his books/supplies and ...Taco Bell;) if he wants /needs MORE spending money he needs to earn it himself. We are stretched meeting tuition payments (even after his loans/merit scholarships) so to think of giving him spending money - no way.

 

I might add, aside from some Taco Bell when he can't stand another dining hall meal, ds has bought ONE t-shirt and ONE album this year. He is saving up what he can from work study to put towards study abroad in a couple years.

[Brenda in MA]

We don't give spending money either. Dh & I cover the part of his housing, meal plan, and tuition not covered by his scholarship. He is responsible for earning his own money for misc expenses and also for books. So far, his summer job has been enough to cover that. He also has a campus job where he earns a little money.

 

Brenda

[Gwen in VA]

My kids are expected to pay for expenses beyond room and board with their own money, which they have saved from summer jobs and campus jobs during the school year.

[Jane in NC]

This was a discussion that I was having about this time last year. You must be the parent of an almost first year college student!

 

We decided that my son would be responsible for his books and his spending money, although I admit that a year ago I was not sure how much that would be. (We figured about $1000 for books annually.) He attends a liberal arts college in a small town. Plays, lectures and concerts on campus are free to students. His meal plan comes with college dollars (use or lose) that cover snacks or basic grocery items as well as things from the coffee shop or campus diner (which are not part of the basic cafeteria). He told me that people who like fancy coffee drinks run out of these dollars quickly. My son had extra dollars on his card at the end of his first semester so he was buying friends their coffees.

 

The cost of my son's wardrobe will not compare to the cost of attiring a clothes horse. Minimalist kid, you know? There is no charge to use the washers and dryers at his college but most schools charge for this, I think.

 

My son does not have a car so he does not have to worry about insurance or gas. He does pay a bus fee for airport transportation when he leaves for and returns from breaks, but the shuttle to the shopping center is free. (I have paid for his airfare home.) Not that he goes to the shopping center that often. A few trips were made in the fall because inevitably some item was forgotten. The nearby drug store (walking distance) is where the students pick up snacks and deodorant.

 

I am not sure what "bills" a student would have beyond a cell phone and the need for a few dollars for an occasional meal or activity off campus. Funds from summer employment should cover these wants.

[Brenda in MA]

(We figured about $1000 for books annually.)

 

My son has never spent more than $450/semester for books. He's on his 4th semester now, and the bill was that high only once. Usually it's been closer to $200. He's been able to reduce the cost by buying used at the bookstore and also buying used on-line. He's also borrowed quite a few books from friends (and lent his to them as well).

 

What are others with college students actually spending on books?

 

Brenda

[choirfarm]

What are others with college students actually spending on books?

 

Brenda

 

Well, for their CC class next year 2 of the boys will be taking Spanish. I hear that the book costs nearly 200 dollars. I will have to have one for each of my children. It has some kind of computer code with it that they use for online things so they cannot share. Everyone must have their own. We cannot resell. I also hear that this is a sheet of three ring paper that you must put in a notebook. So you are paying for a computer code. GRR. Just found out that the class will be cheaper than I thought. It is only 25 dollars an hour for dual credit. So I'll pay 75 dollars for the class and 200 for the book ( so I've heard.) That said, I hear you can use the book for Spanish I, II and III. This person only used it for Spanish I and was mad. Mine will at least take Spanish II, so that makes me feel a little bit better.

 

Christine

Edited March 15, 2011 by choirfarm

[Jane in NC]

 

What are others with college students actually spending on books?

 

Brenda

 

My son's text book bill for his first year came to around $800. Science texts are expensive but often can be amortized over two semesters. The same is true for math and foreign language.

 

My son's most expensive course this semester is a 300-level archaeology course. Used copies of several esoteric books were not available.

[Dana]

It has some kind of computer code with it that they use for online things so they cannot share. Everyone must have their own. We cannot resell. I also hear that this is a sheet of three ring paper that you must put in a notebook. So you are paying for a computer code.

 

We have that for our developmental math class.

The unbound text saves students about $40-$50 over the bound book (which since it's a paperback, the bookstore doesn't buy back anyway).

 

The code can be bought separately, but it runs about $70-$80 on its own. Some students get by just using the online component. It's as expensive as it is because the full text is available online.

 

I teach using the online materials (through Pearson) and I think it's the best resource I've seen for student learning. I still don't see the point of coming out with new text editions as quickly as they are though. (Wheelock's Latin is coming out with a 7th edition this summer. I guess Latin has changed a lot since 2005. :glare:)

[Jenny in Florida]

My daughter is in an early entrance college program, and until this year has not been old enough to do any paid work except for babysitting. Her campus is in a small town and is a women's college. So, you can imagine that there is kind of a glut of babysitters available.

 

She has a scholarship that pays for about 40% of her tuition. She makes up a good chunk of the difference with loans, and we pay the rest, including books and supplies.

 

We don't have any set allowance for her, but she's pretty frugal. Her biggest "extra" expense is food. We're vegans, and the dining facilities at her school are pretty useless for her. She can grab an order of french fries or something like that occasionally, but she prepares and eats most of her meals in her room.

 

Usually, when I deliver her back to school at the beginning of each semester, I take her for a big grocery shopping trip to stock up on non-perishables. We usually spend about $100 on each of those trips.

 

I send her a box of other stuff maybe two or three times a semester (home-made baked goods, items I can get here that are hard to find there, etc.). Other than that, she relies quite a lot on the health food store that is within walking distance but has higher prices. In her first three years, she could also participate in group shopping trips arranged by the staff of the early entrance program. This year, since she's not in the special dorm anymore, that's tougher. Now and then her roomate will drive her to the store, though.

 

We buy most of her clothes when she's home on breaks. And I order or send to her the kinds of miscellaneous things (books for pleasure reading, gift cards for iTunes, etc.) that we would buy for her even if she were home.

 

In addition, she has a prepaid debit card that I can reload from home. We put money on that for her books and the things she needs to buy at school. And we usually put on a little extra for fun money like going to a movie or dinner with friends.

 

I just looked it up: She spent $160 last semester on all of those extra shopping trips and meals with friends and such. Others semesters have been a little more, but never over about $250.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Jenny in Florida

[Jenny in Florida]

What are others with college students actually spending on books?

 

Sorry, I missed this question when I posted my long reply.

 

In her first year, my daughter spent between $200 and $300 on books both semesters. She was taking a lot of introductory, general education requirements and had more science and math classes, which seem to have more expensive texts.

 

This year, her books have cost about $350 for the whole year.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

Until this current semester, we have always required that our dd pay for all of her books, clothes, and extra spending money. We paid tuition, room, and board.

 

This semester we made an adjustment. Dd #2, a nursing major & music minor, is paying twice as much for her books/fees as her older sister. She's broke. So, we are giving her $50/month for incidentals. She already paid for her books and drained her account dry. She bought used books, but still had to pay $1500 this year for books, lab supplies, violin strings, choir dress, and choir tour expenses.

 

We are now giving dd#1 some extra $ for groceries. She has developed what is probably IBS and can't always tolerate the cafeteria. We dropped her down to the cheapest food plan and are supplementing so she can have more food in her room.

[Karen in CO]

I worked out a budget with my ds. One for when he was in the dorm, and then a new one when he moved to an apartment. He had to learn to shop for food and pay utilities and all those grown-up things.

 

If your dc aren't going to be on a meal-plan, start now teaching grocery shopping, meal planning, and budgeting. It will help for planning.

 

My ds now works for most of his spending money including transportation, books, food, rent, and utilities. He didn't his first year, but we gradually worked up to it.

[jld]

We hope to pay for everything. The plan right now is for her to enter in either fall 2012 or fall 2013. If it's fall 2012, she'll live in the dorm, and if it's 2013, she'll live in our house. We'll probably just put money in an account for her, and she can let us know if she needs more. Dd is very reasonable, and I can't imagine her abusing this help.

 

I want her to have whatever she needs and some things she just wants, too.

 

She's talked about just staying in America over breaks, and maybe getting a job, but I really want her to return to India and see us for Christmas and the summer. I would like to send her to France to see her grandparents for spring break, and I plan to stay in our state through Thanksgiving so she wouldn't be alone. If that doesn't work out, then she would indeed be on her own for that four day break.

 

The program she wants to do requires research after the 3rd and 4th years (5 year program), so we won't have her with us after the first two summers. That will be sad, but we have to let them live their own lives and pursue their own dreams, I guess. And maybe I will just go home early those years and spend the summers with her.

[QueenCat]

The one in college does not get allowance or $ for spending. His scholarships cover tuition and books, plus leftover to use towards gas and lunches. This is at a state school. He commutes, with our home as room and board (this is on us, he does not pay us to live at home). He has use of our car (we pay maintenance, he pays gas and insurance, however, mowing takes $ off the insurance). We pay his medical bills (he's still on our insurance). If we're doing something as a family, we pay, not him (for example, eating out, vacation).

Edited March 16, 2011 by CathieC

[QueenCat]

On books.... ds has rarely spent the $500 the university suggests planning for... Most semesters are around $250-300. Only one has been around $500. He buys most new on Amazon, for about the same price as used at the school bookstore.

[Cindy in MO]

.

Edited March 17, 2011 by Cindy in MO

[FloridaLisa]

We worked out a monthly budget with ds based on his projected expenses. He is not on the meal plan (he prefers to cook) so he's buying food. We've banked some it because he had sufficient summer earnings to cover expenses, but we have an amount that we've offered or actually do deposit to his account each month. Ds is also a minimalist and is good with his finances. :001_smile:

 

Lisa

[J-rap]

We pay for whatever scholarship money does not cover, including a partial meal plan. My daughter lived in the dorms during the first semester, but now lives with us. She earns money in the summer and has a small part-time job during the school year, which covers any extras -- fun money, clothing, even unexpected fees. Her cell phone plan is still under our family plan so that's covered for her. She is not a big spender so $1,000 seems to get her through the year for fun and clothes. (And again, that's her own money that she has earned.)

[mcconnellboys]

My son has a debit card. We keep between $500-$200 in there all the time. My husband (an accountant) monitors it weekly. The statement comes to our home, also. My husband is a pretty frugal person and I think (hope) that some of his life lessons have rubbed off on my son. He seems to be doing very well in terms of spending.

 

After thinking about spring break, he decided that it would cost too much. There were also some other issues that made him change his mind about going, but I think that was the main thing....

 

He is on a meal plan, by the way, but does also eat off campus at times.

[Reesegirl]

Our dd has about 2/3 scholarship, works over the summer to pay about $3000-$4000 and we pick up the rest of her tuition /room and board costs at her private lac. We are also stretched to make those payments but are determined to keep her from having to take out loans since she plans to go to grad school for physical therapy which is expensive....that will be on her dime. She has a job as a TA in the biology dept. that gives her about 10 hours a week. She buys extras. Though she is about 9 hours away, I manage to visit her about twice a school year and then will go and purchase food and supplies that she might want but the rest is on her. She has to purchase her own gas for her car so she does not to drive a lot. She has a older grandfather type of person that loves her and has commited to purchase her books while she is in college. She has a meal plan at the college but likes to have breakfast foods in her dorm. Next year she will live in an apartment and plans to cook some of her meals. She is on our cell phone plan. I think having her buy what she wants with her own money helps her to make grown up decisions. But believe me, when she comes home suddenly she needs me to pay for all those little expenses!

[Reesegirl]

oh, on books, my dd spends about $1000-$1300 on books per year...biology books are very expensive, but they usually are used for a full year rather than just one semester.

[distancia]

You must be the parent of an almost first year college student!

 

Yes, I am. That is why I have all these questions!

 

Our daughter will be living on campus and have a small meal plan. Her housing will be an apartment suite so she will be cooking a lot (her choice).

 

Her predicted expenses will be: groceries, laundry, toiletries, sundries (paper towels, tissues), prescription meds, gas (not much), printer cartridges for her computer printer, etc etc.

 

She does not have a regular job, although she does perform at private functions (she's a samba/belly dance/polynesian dancer in a professional dance troupe) so she does pick up money here and there...an average of about $50- a month. She just got her Zumba instructor certification and will be getting her Group Exercise certification this summer, so she expects to instruct at least one class a week in the college fitness center. She may end up doing a lot more instruction because her school is a very academic LAC where fitness is on the lowest rung of the ladder...this is NOT a school known for it's athletics (there are none!). So she is counting on making about $25+ a week which will, we hope, be her spending money. She is NOT into clothes so that is a big savings for us. She has me (mom) trim her hair and she has learned to tint it herself every 8 weeks.

 

She has a full tuition scholarship and will be receiving an additional $3500 in merit aid every year that will go towards housing. That leaves us parents to cover the remainder of her housing, meal plan, and books.

 

I guess I don't have a great grasp on this concept because all the other students I know seem to have pretty high spending habits, regardless of who is paying (them or their parents). My niece busts her butt every summer and earns between $3 and $4K- which she uses for going to concerts during the school year, travel to festivals like Coacharella and Bonnaroo, and weekend out of town trips to go shopping. Other students I know participate in Greek life and that is costly, while others spend lots of money on going out to eat (off-campus dining) and fall and spring break trips. And those kids that spend all that money on partying, tattoos, traveling to away football games and such--where the heck do they get that money?

 

This is not my dd's lifestyle; if she has her iPod and a pair of decent athletic shoes and is surrounded by good people, she's happy.

Edited March 17, 2011 by distancia

[Jane in NC]

Her predicted expenses will be: groceries, laundry, toiletries, sundries (paper towels, tissues), prescription meds, gas (not much), printer cartridges for her computer printer, etc etc.

 

My son's college gives a printing allowance which more than covered his printing needs last semester. Students do not need to bring printers to campus or buy ink. Is this commonplace?

[Osmosis Mom]

Our kids are expected to do work-study and extra work if need be to cover their wants. I'll give or lend as needed or buy some new clothes here and there. Plus pay for books if needed.

 

It has worked for us. When dd began college we paid her tuition that wasn't covered by scholarships and fafsa, but then dh lost his job and eventually she has had to take that as a loan in her name. We expect to pay it off for her, but it was still a reality-check for her. She earns a couple hundreds pr. month and has to make do with that which can be hard since most on her college have monies and nice clothes.....What can I say?! But she never complains.

[Rebecca VA]

My son lives at home and commutes to college. He eats most of his meals with us, and he has a meal ticket (paid for by us) for the meals he eats at school. He has an old car (paid for by us). We pay for gas. We pay for his clothing.

 

He works several free-lance jobs and earns good money doing that. He saves most of his money, though he buys computer and camera equipment from time to time.

[AngieW in Texas]

Our dd has almost the same scholarship. It covers all tuition and fees and has a $3000 stipend towards on-campus housing.

 

We're paying what's left after the scholarship. Freshman housing is in the dorm and includes an all-you-can-eat meal plan 7 days/week, so that's covered.

 

We've been giving her $25 in allowance/month in her checking account and twice her age in dollars in a savings account. I figured we could just continue giving her about that amount. $50/month isn't a bad amount to have. It should take care of all her incidentals.

 

She will have a car. It belongs to the great-grandparents, but neither of them can drive anymore, so she's going to get the car when she goes to college. She won't need to use it except to drive home (and that's a 4-hour drive, so it won't be often). All students at her campus get a free bus pass and the bus runs right through the center of campus, so her car will just be parked except when she wants to drive home. Her car insurance will be covered.

 

She'll have about $2500 that we've saved up for her to use for whatever expenses she runs into.

 

I'd rather she spend her time studying so she doesn't lose her scholarship. Her scholarship is high enough that there's no way she could earn enough at a job to make up for it. She doesn't manage her time well, so I don't want her to struggle with trying to balance work and school and a social life. Just school and a social life will be enough of a challenge.

 

ETA:

She'll also have a clothing allowance. Altogether we'll probably be transferring $75-100/month to her account. With all housing, food, and free public transportation (and they have great public transportation), I'd think that would be plenty. Washers and dryers are free in the dorm and the machines even text you when your load is finished. The food in the cafeteria is fantastic and they have a lot of variety available all the time (and even have a bakery with fabulous desserts).

Edited March 17, 2011 by AngieW in Texas

[Kareni]

My son's college gives a printing allowance which more than covered his printing needs last semester. Students do not need to bring printers to campus or buy ink. Is this commonplace?

 

My daughter's college provides free printing.

 

 

What are others with college students actually spending on books?

 

This has varied for my daughter. Her Geology books (for her minor) have been her most expensive textbooks as they are often close to $150.00; however, expenses for her other textbooks (she's a Classics/Latin major) have generally been far less. At no time has she come close to $1000 per year.

 

 

As to allowances, we don't provide one. My daughter has generous need based aid; her college does not provide merit based aid. She works about ten hours a week for her work study job and also has loans. We pay for her books and her flights home. She lives in the dorm and has a full meal plan. My sister generously gave her a cell phone, and she is on their family plan. She was also gifted with a laptop as a high school graduation present by that same generous aunt. Any other expenses she pays for herself out of summer wages or gift monies.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Susan C.]

We don't have a set amount. Ds is going to a local four-year university. We have no bus service (smaller town) so I either have to take him and pick him up, or let him take my car. He doesn't have a job, not enough time during the school year with studying, and during the summer, I would have to take him to work, or be without a car year round (no!). We pay for gas, a small meal plan, pack a sandwich for him if he needs more, buy his clothes (he has worn the same ones for three years now, so not much), and pay for entertainment (he doesn't ask for much, an occasional dinner and movie). We also buy his books, which have ranged from a few hundred dollars a semester to almost $1000 (that past semester was very high, 1 science and 2 psych. texts that were very expensive). I also pay $15 a month for a pay as you go cell phone, since I pay, he has to pick up when I call (he has my car) unless he is in class. I am hoping to provide our two kids a college education without debt when they graduate, one has chosen a state university (with state scholarship), our next (a junior) is thinking that or technical (trade).

 

We can't afford the third car and the double insurance amount. We are going to have to get creative to get out of this rut. I think I have a summer coming up where I will be taxi driver to ds and dd's jobs so they can get a pocket of money to either split a car or get their own w/extra money saved for insurance, gas, and repairs.

[QueenCat]

My son's college gives a printing allowance which more than covered his printing needs last semester. Students do not need to bring printers to campus or buy ink. Is this commonplace?

 

My son's school has a printing office too. You just bring in what you want to print on a usb stick. Or you can email it in to be printed. Included in the cost of tuition. Unlimited amount of printing.

[distancia]

Our dd has almost the same scholarship. It covers all tuition and fees and has a $3000 stipend towards on-campus housing.

 

I'd rather she spend her time studying so she doesn't lose her scholarship. Her scholarship is high enough that there's no way she could earn enough at a job to make up for it. She doesn't manage her time well, so I don't want her to struggle with trying to balance work and school and a social life. Just school and a social life will be enough of a challenge.

 

That's how we feel--the scholarships are worth far more than dd can earn on her own. She will be going to the hardest school in the state and will be carrying a rigorous courseload--required minimum 15 hours in the fall, 4 hours in January, another 15 hours from Feb through mid-April: a total minimum of 34 credit hours per year , compared to the 24 credit hours her peers will be taking at other state schools. We absolutely cannot have dd overwhelmed with work. So, one or two hours a week of Zumbra/aerobic instruction is the absolute max. She will not continue dancing in her troupe, which requires many hours of commuting all over the place several nights a week, along with weekend shows. If dd were carrying a lighter load, then maybe. But not with the LAC she will be attending.

 

So far on this post I have not seen ANY parent mention generous allowances; we all seem to be frugal Frannies. I wonder if this has any particular significance among homeschoolers?

[flyingiguana]

We just handed our daughter a credit card on our account. It was easier than having to keep track of a debit card.

 

She is so frugal and (so far) responsible that this seemed the easiest thing to do.

 

So she doesn't have an allowance. It's just assumed that she won't spend wildly on things she doesn't need.

 

This summer she will finally have a job. It will be interesting to see if she spends more when she has her own money.

[Julie in CA]

My son's college gives a printing allowance which more than covered his printing needs last semester. Students do not need to bring printers to campus or buy ink. Is this commonplace?

I don't think that is common--at least, I haven't heard of it.

There is a print station at ds's college, but it's not free, and not as convenient as having a small printer of his own. He bought his printer (an Epson) for $29.99 before school started, and it's been a good thing for him, as he tends to do homework at all hours and then sleep till right before class. :001_huh:

[Deb in NZ]

Dd has taken out a gov't student loan for her tuition costs & has qualified for the maximum gov't student allowance (a grant) to help cover her living costs. Last year she was in student housing, which was really a few houses ajacent to the campus that the polytech rented out to students. Her student allowance was enough to cover her rent, leaving $75/week for all other costs. Living frugally (meaning that foods such as meat, cheese, & even bread was a luxury that she usually could not afford) she found that it cost her ~$150/week, so mid-year she got a part-time job at a local bakery working saturdays. Her only transport is her bicycle or the city bus. As student housing is only available for 1st year students, this year she is renting a room in a 3 bedroom house in town. Her rent is $15 higher than last year, but it includes phone & internet, as well as the house being more centrally located. She has found a better job, so is working a couple days a week, as well as getting a few days a month on a dolphin tour boat. We were not in the position to pay dd a regular allowance, but we did pay her bond on her housing, as well as her 1st two weeks rent. And we took her grocery shopping to leave her with a couple weeks food before we returned home. When she has come home during the holidays, I have bought her a bus ticket. If she travels elsewhere, she is expected to pay for it. Her email is on our plan, but she pays for her own prepay cell phone.

 

Ds#1 still lives at home. He had to take out a gov't student loan to pay for his engineering course, but all living costs are paid for by us at this point. He uses either his motorbike, one of our cars, or we give him a ride to class. We pay for gas, insurance, etc. as if he didn't drive we would be driving him anyway. He has a paper run that gives him a bit of pocket money. He pays for his prepay cellphone & misc. other wants.

 

We make sure our dc's needs are covered, but they need to work to cover their wants. This has helped them to keep those wants realistic. :tongue_smilie:

 

JMHO,

[choirfarm]

I don't think that is common--at least, I haven't heard of it.

There is a print station at ds's college, but it's not free, and not as convenient as having a small printer of his own. He bought his printer (an Epson) for $29.99 before school started, and it's been a good thing for him, as he tends to do homework at all hours and then sleep till right before class. :001_huh:

 

Both schools we have visited have a printing allowance that seems rather generous. The students showing us around said they didn't use near that much.

 

Christine

[FaithManor]

We don't have a set amount. Dd is ultra responsible with her money and not prone to waste it. She also doesn't really like that she needs to ask for money, but the combo of paramedic school and pre-med (21 credit hours per semester) has made it impossible with those 12 ambulance and E.R. shifts or 8 hour O.R. shifts, to work any kind of job and still maintain the high grades and stellar clinical performances that she has earned. So, we are more than happy to hand her money when she needs it. Mostly this is gas money since she commutes, and eat-out money because packing for the ambulance shifts can be hard. Since Tim Horton's gives first responders free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bagels...a Horton's run is common. They give them a 50% discount on sandwiches and soups...dd loves their soup on a cold night in the ambulance. So, I am very generous with soup money.

 

I'd say that it's pretty easily $50.00 a week or more with gas prices at $3.50 a gallon and a 45 mile one way commute. Thankfully, she drives my car that gets 30 miles to the gallon. She also doesn't have any money for clothes and so last week when I offered to help her get caught up on her laundry and noticed that it's been a long time since she's had any new panties or bras (bras were getting pretty stretched out), I ran out and purchased six new pair of panties and three bras for her. She hugged me and hugged me. She's a very grateful kid...I don't feel like I'm spoiling her or contributing to her becoming an irresponsible adult. Frankly, I don't know how any student would survive pre-med and med school without the full emotional support of and as much financial help as possible from mom and dad.

 

That said, we don't offer money for frivolous things...except this past January when she and her best friend (criminal justice major trying to cram four years of college into three) had an evening off at the exact same time and miracle of miracles, no homework due or exams to study for. They were completely giddy and I gave them money to go to Barnes and Nobles for coffee and dessert and an evening out at the movies together. Dd's best friend is our "other daughter". My girls were over the moon for such a treat!

 

Faith

[distancia]

Frankly, I don't know how any student would survive pre-med and med school without the full emotional support of and as much financial help as possible from mom and dad. Faith

 

Absolutely.

[74Heaven]

A friend gave me a great sugg. that I should have my daughter make a list of all her laundry and school supplies, some snacks (i.e. popcorn, mocha mix, cup o soup, dried fruit) and toiletries for the semester, help her figure out what she needs and then either give her the money for that, OR send a preset amt. to her monthly or buy it all before she goes to college. My daughter surprised me and chose the latter so we spent about $60 for everything from laundry detergent to deodorant and told her anything else she would need to buy herself from her allowance.

 

The allowance is $40 a month which is for *everything* that is extra, i.e. if she needs to buy a CD for class powerpoint presentation or a portfolio cover or maybe her prof says they can attend a play, etc. for extra credit or required. The allowance has to cover Taco Bell, running out of laundry detergent and dorm t-shirts, etc. The only thing it doesn't cover is any prescription refills and when she got mono, we sent $40 or so for over-the-counter meds, etc.

 

I initially felt "bad" that it was so little. I didn't feel right dropping her off with zero money even tho she has room & board incl "coffee shop bucks and gift cards" - but it has been fine, coupled with an August & a Christmas break trip of about $50-60 just for snacks and *all* toiletries. But it has worked out fine. She surprises me by seeming to always have a dollar or two on her. (And she is the type to spend every dime within the first oppty.)

 

Lisaj

[jld]

We don't have a set amount. Dd is ultra responsible with her money and not prone to waste it. She also doesn't really like that she needs to ask for money, but the combo of paramedic school and pre-med (21 credit hours per semester) has made it impossible with those 12 ambulance and E.R. shifts or 8 hour O.R. shifts, to work any kind of job and still maintain the high grades and stellar clinical performances that she has earned.

 

 

Faith

 

I didn't realize your dd was going to school at the same time she was working, Faith. Was the plan at one time to have her work as a paramedic for a while and then go to school for pre-med? I'm sorry I haven't kept up!

 

So she works difficult shifts and does 21 hours a semester? She sounds like Superwoman!:)

[74Heaven]

My daughter's book costs vary a lot. The first sem it was nearly $400; all new, all last minute. One book is being use this semester too. This spring semester book were closer to $150, much more doable.

 

My daughter is going to a very small, Christian LAC.

 

Lisaj

[jld]

Lisaj, don't feel guilty at all. How many of us had parents sending us any kind of allowance? It sounds like your dd is thrilled you can help at all.:)

 

I don't think parents should feel guilty about not being able to help kids, when they truly cannot. I think most of us love our kids, and would really help them in any way we could, that we felt was truly help, and not some kind of enablement. I want to be able to do whatever I can for my kids, but I really can't make any promises, and I won't make any promises I can't keep. We want to pay for school for our kids, at least through undergrad, and provide for any reasonable needs they have, but if dh were to lose his job, all bets are off. You never know when life is going to throw you a curveball.

 

Your dd sounds like a great kid! Good job!:)

[Jane in NC]

Those of you who like real life examples with numbers might be interested in this.

 

My son returned to his college in January with a fat wallet (for him). It already contained $20. I added $60. The neighbors paid him $40 for some work he did for them. He had $50 in Christmas cash and another $50 on a prepaid Visa (gift). Total: $170 in cash and $50 on the card.

 

I asked him at the end of spring break if he needed any cash. No, because he had $125 left from Christmas.

 

He spent the $50 prepaid card on entertainments (games, music). He spent $45 on bus tickets to and from the airport (shuttle run by his school), a meal at the airport on the way out, and some used books at the used book shop in his town for his girlfriend (she asked to choose some novels from this place for her birthday--:001_wub:--my kind of girl!).

 

The dollars that come with his school meal plan cover most snack items, even basic toiletries. He points out that these things are cheaper at the drug store off campus, but because he has to use or lose the college dollars, those are spent first.

 

Again, he does not have to pay for laundry or printing at his college--they are part of the plan.

 

No meals out (other than the airport)? There are some nice restaurants in town but he has only gone as the guest of family friends or relatives passing through town. He did offer to take his girlfriend out on her birthday, but she suggested that they use their prepaid meal plans. Sounds like everyone keeps an eye on their finances!

[FaithManor]

Hi Jid,

 

DD has 21 credits total and that includes the paramedic classes. She's in a university accredited program so her pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, medical ethics, patho-physiology, etc. are college classes she gets credit for. But, the program is run diferently than for the nurses and pre-med students though they count as pre-med classes. Her "classes" are now over, she just took the final exam, and she is only doing clinicals. Previously, she was in clinicals while also still in class. So a typical week looks something like this.

 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - classes from 9:00 - 4:00 p.m. 15 minutes for lunch, 15 minute break at 2:00 p.m. 5:00 - 6:00 practice on the medical dummies with instructors.

 

Two or three shifts per week (12 hour ambulance or 8 hour ER/OR). Studying on the rig between calls, studying in the evenings after class, studying when she isn't on shift. But, she is very, very good about knowing how essential it is that medical personnel get enough sleep and many are too sleep deprived. So, she always, always, always, schedules eight hours of sleep per night or if she has worked a night shift, when she gets home.

 

We do not see much of this kid at all.

 

However, she is breathing a little right now and talking about having a tiny bit of a social life because she has already built up such a huge bank of clinical hours and has nearly all of her patient counts. She didn't have to have this completed until July 1st. So, she says that she is only going to work, now that classes are over, two shifts per week for a month or two. HAH! This kid is a junky for medicine. I figure, she's tired and she needs a break, so she'll stick with this for two weeks and then boom, she'll start scheduling shifts like mad because well, she's just not normal without a patient, or an assessment to do, or someone to intubate, or a scared child to hold, or pregnant woman to reassure, or an I.V. to start, or.......you get the picture. I'll be throwing her out of the house just so she doesn't start looking at my veins like Count Dracula!

 

She is going to take two years off from school as soon as she passes her state board exams (August) and work for two years. She'll be able to save about $75,000.00 (paramedics in Michigan, for all of their amazing training, only make $14.50 an hour to start plus overtime - which they get a lot of.) We'll pay all of her expenses so she can bank that. Then she'll use that money to finish pre-med and then go on to whatever she decides...med school, certified nurse midwife, or physician's assistant and I think she's leaning towards physician's assistant though she isn't going to return to school until she gets her flight-certification for transporting patients by helicopter and plane.

 

Faith

[jld]

That is a great plan, Faith. It sounds like your daughter has her head on her shoulders and is definitely in the right field for her!:)