College Expenses

[sajetto]

She won't be getting a $3000 credt card per month, that's for sure!!!! Sajetto, you were a lucky girl!!!

Thanks for all the informative replies...

I sure was and now I'm really wishing I hadn't posted it. I've apparently come off as a snob or a spoiled brat. Peopled have even PM'ed to ask what I spent all that on and truthfully it was on what I wanted. My parents were in a position to provide that for me and over the 3 years that I had that card I bought beautiful pieces of furniture, clothing, and decorative items. Those things are now in my home and I never could afford them now. I think that is why my parents never questioned what I spent because they knew on a teacher's salary I could never buy those things in the future and they wanted me to have them. I was and still am truly blessed and I appreciate them being so generous. I am totally aware that what I was given was not the norm, but it was within their means to give so they gave it.

That credit card was one thing I should have left out, but what is left on that list is what many parents spent on their children that were in the same educational program as me. I'm no snob, and I'm no brat, just a once lucky kid with parents who wanted to give her the world.


Sajetto

 

[LiteBrite]

I sure was and now I'm really wishing I hadn't posted it. I've apparently come off as a snob or a spoiled brat. Peopled have even PM'ed to ask what I spent all that on and truthfully it was on what I wanted. My parents were in a position to provide that for me and over the 3 years that I had that card I bought beautiful pieces of furniture, clothing, and decorative items. Those things are now in my home and I never could afford them now. I think that is why my parents never questioned what I spent because they knew on a teacher's salary I could never buy those things in the future and they wanted me to have them. I was and still am truly blessed and I appreciate them being so generous. I am totally aware that what I was given was not the norm, but it was within their means to give so they gave it.

That credit card was one thing I should have left out, but what is left on that list is what many parents spent on their children that were in the same educational program as me. I'm no snob, and I'm no brat, just a once lucky kid with parents who wanted to give her the world.


Sajetto

Sajetto, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. I truly did think maybe you meant 300 instead of 3000. I guess most of us (definitely me included) just aren't used to thinking in terms of those kinds of numbers. If your parents could afford it and didn't mind, well, then, there you go. You don't sound like a snob or a spoiled brat to me at all, just somebody who knows what great parents she has and appreciates all they did for her.

 

[sajetto]

Sajetto, I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. I truly did think maybe you meant 300 instead of 3000. I guess most of us (definitely me included) just aren't used to thinking in terms of those kinds of numbers. If your parents could afford it and didn't mind, well, then, there you go. You don't sound like a snob or a spoiled brat to me at all, just somebody who knows what great parents she has and appreciates all they did for her.

I'm really sorry. I think I took that too personally. I blame it on PMS

 

[DVCLiz]

WOW!! Allowance ended at graduation. We pay for DD's tuition, room and board, and books. If she wants fun money she had better earn it in her summer job. She made $1700 last summer and it lasted all year.

Why the need to be so ugly, Carol? I asked for some input about other people's experiences, but not for any feedback about whether a college allowance was a good idea or not, so I'm not sure why you felt the need to reply in such a nasty manner. Other posters have given me a more reasonable assessment of what the typical college allowance range is, so I'll think it through and adjust accordingly, as I believe I said in a later post.

DD will probably earn about $1700 in her summer job, too. She has some savings from previous part-time work/gifts that will put her in the $2000-2500 range. I've never sent a student off to college before, so I don't know what to expect in terms of extra expenses. If you want to limit your student to what she can earn during the summer, that's certainly your right. But there are several posters on this thread who have provided some or all of the extra funding their students needed, and those were the responses I was interested in.

 

[DVCLiz]

I sure was and now I'm really wishing I hadn't posted it. I've apparently come off as a snob or a spoiled brat. Peopled have even PM'ed to ask what I spent all that on and truthfully it was on what I wanted. My parents were in a position to provide that for me and over the 3 years that I had that card I bought beautiful pieces of furniture, clothing, and decorative items. Those things are now in my home and I never could afford them now. I think that is why my parents never questioned what I spent because they knew on a teacher's salary I could never buy those things in the future and they wanted me to have them. I was and still am truly blessed and I appreciate them being so generous. I am totally aware that what I was given was not the norm, but it was within their means to give so they gave it.

That credit card was one thing I should have left out, but what is left on that list is what many parents spent on their children that were in the same educational program as me. I'm no snob, and I'm no brat, just a once lucky kid with parents who wanted to give her the world.


Sajetto

I was trying to figure out how you went through three grand a month buying beer and pizza!!!!!! You had a really different experience!!!! If you were able to buy furniture, clothing, etc. it makes much more sense. I don't for a minute want you to feel bad!!! You were lucky, but you don't sound spoiled - instead you sound pretty grateful. I'm sure your parents are proud of you!

I think parents do all sorts of things for their kids - depending on their personal beliefs and their budgets. I'm sure at some point I'll help DD with some furniture purchases, but that's a ways down the road and she won't be needing to acquire that sort of stuff while she's still in college.

For now, I think we'll settle on a few hundred a month, plus what she has earned, and see how long it lasts. Maybe we should revisit this thread next year, parents, and talk about our expectations at the beginning of the year and how they were or weren't realistic!!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

I attended orientation with DS at the University of Oklahoma yesterday. Orientation cost $50. His ID was $15 and the housing contract had a $250 deposit (I believe). I also got him the t-shirt they were peddling for $10. If he decides to attend the weekend camp they offer freshmen, it's another $200 (but that includes room and board).

We live across town, so hotels won't be a problem for us when it's parents weekend and such as that. His laptop is fine - they don't require you buy a special one. In fact, they have several computer labs in case a kid doesn't have a computer of his own.

He's working hard for his spending money. He's got a good job as a lifeguard and swim instructor. He intends to continue to work there part time during the school year. When he needs essential stuff, I'll probably just pick them up when I'm shopping and he can come by for a home-cooked meal to get them. And I know I'll still buy him clothes and things like that. I'm sure we'll pitch in once in a while, but we're shelling out enough for tuition and room/board. I think spending money is pretty much his responsibity at this point. And learning to budget your money is a life-skill that is best learned early.

Having said that, if you can afford to give your kid more spending money he/she is lucky. It'd be nice to be able to do that. I'd just be careful how much. Some kids would be tempted to party and run wild if they had unlimited funds at their disposal. (I'm not pointing the finger at anyone. I'm sure this isn't always the case and I knew plenty of people who were wild on a shoestring, too!)

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Why the need to be so ugly, Carol? I asked for some input about other people's experiences, but not for any feedback about whether a college allowance was a good idea or not, so I'm not sure why you felt the need to reply in such a nasty manner. Other posters have given me a more reasonable assessment of what the typical college allowance range is, so I'll think it through and adjust accordingly, as I believe I said in a later post.

DD will probably earn about $1700 in her summer job, too. She has some savings from previous part-time work/gifts that will put her in the $2000-2500 range. I've never sent a student off to college before, so I don't know what to expect in terms of extra expenses. If you want to limit your student to what she can earn during the summer, that's certainly your right. But there are several posters on this thread who have provided some or all of the extra funding their students needed, and those were the responses I was interested in.

I have never let my DD go without things she needed. She was able to buy herself a digital camera and join a sorority with her funds. I am sorry you took this as a nasty response. I didn't intend it as such. But you sure jumped on me.

For information purposes, she has managed on the school food plan and uses her $$ for extras. Maybe she is just frugal but it works for us.

 

[buddy&wooz]

I guess we're lucky as far as all those extra expenses go, we don't have too many. Most of the fees are wrapped up in one $1500 charge (I think- they haven't actually set the tuition and fees yet and say they won't for at least a week .) A refrigerator and microwave are in every door room, and laundry is free. My son is not the decorator type so I'll be buying cheap sheets, blankets, towels... We do need a laptop but they've gotten much cheaper and the school isn't insisting on a particular setup, just that he have the basic software like Office (or OpenOffice) and an ethernet card (school still going wireless, not there yet.)

We're buying the mega food package so that's taken care of.

I haven't decided how much spending money to give him. He has some savings, and he's supposed to work this summer but he doesn't have a job yet. He doesn't graduate for another week, though, so he hasn't really looked. Hope he finds one, if not maybe the contractor building the addition on our house can use him in exchange for a cut in the cost . He doesn't spend much money, I figure around $300 a month is probably more than enough. Unless, of course, he finds a girlfriend...

 

[DVCLiz]

I have never let my DD go without things she needed. She was able to buy herself a digital camera and join a sorority with her funds. I am sorry you took this as a nasty response. I didn't intend it as such. But you sure jumped on me.

For information purposes, she has managed on the school food plan and uses her $$ for extras. Maybe she is just frugal but it works for us.

Thanks for the response and your PM. Maybe we both read a little too much tone into our replies!!! I think DD will be on a meal plan, too, so she will probably be fine with what she has earned and a little extra from Mom. I do want her to have money for the things that make college fun, but I don't want to make things too comfortable!!