Allowance?

[Liesje]

I have a friend who's 21 and still gets a weekly "allowance" from her parents. Is this weird?

(re I'm procrastinating so instead of finishing my paper I'm thinking of random poll discussions)

 

[Liesje]

shit, I messed up, that WAS supposed to be a poll, oh well.....

 

[arw]

I got my license, and a used car from my grandparents, on my 16th birthday with the understanding that I would get a part time job (as long that it didn't interfere with school). I had to pay for insurance, gas, and any repairs on my own if I wanted the car. My parents cut me off from an allowance when I got my very first paycheck, so yeah, I think it's weird that a 21 year old still gets an allowance since I've been paying my own way since I was 16.

At 21 she should be making her own money.

 

[nbcrusader]

I know some trust fund babies who got allowances until they were 30

 

[Mullen-Girl]

My mom bought me stuff even tho I worked and made my own money (She still does and she ships it to me up here LOL)

 

[BVS]

I have a cousin who married into a family where all the siblings still get a monthly allowance. His wife is 32 and she's the youngest of three. They all have children and the allowance I speak of is not small by any means. Let's just say I could almost live off their allowance alone.

 

[HelloAngel]

Yeah, that's quite old, and the dependent behaviours they might develop from the elongated allowance privilege is something they will have to grow out of later in life when they have to monetarily support themselves.

 

[BVS]

Yeah, that's quite old, and the dependent behaviours they might develop from the elongated allowance privilege is something they will have to grow out of later in life when they have to monetarily support themselves.

Oh I don't think any of them have to worry about that. They are all very successful on top of having this extra allowance. My cousin is the only one that isn't a doctor or in real estate or what not.

 

[BAW]

Not only is it weird but its probably going to produce an immature adult with a sense of entitlement and no concept of how to be fully self supporting...in other words, exactly what HelloAngel just said

I haven't taken a penny from my parents since I was 16 and can't imagine going to them for money for any reason

 

[Mr. BAW]

I give you money and you call me Daddy...

 

[IWasBored]

you're not doing your kids any kind of favor giving them an allowance once they're over the age of 16. stop living off mommy and daddy and get a fucking job. it drives me nuts that i'm in college and there are still so many people that i go to class with everyday who have no concept of working to afford your car or to be able to go out with your friends. my roommate last semester was like that, she made the comment that i'm crazy for having a job, there's too much partying to do...oh and can i borrow your old calculus book? my parents only gave me $300 for books and i'd like to go shopping with so-and-so this weekend.

everytime i get off on this type of rant, i either come off resentful or with some romantacized view of working for what you've got. so here's the disclaimer part: i know i'm still technically living at home, and when i'm not at school my mom still pays for the house i live in and 99% of the food i eat. at the same time though, i've had jobs for the last 3, almost 4 years, since i was 16, and even though i get a good portion of my school tuition and fees paid with grants, if i hadn't had jobs and taken out loans, i wouldn't be in college right now. and with that, i'm off to do the homework that i should have done earlier.

 

[smooshcat]

As a 21 year old, I say it is weird. My parents still will help me out(within reason) every now and again, but I've been made to pay my way. I think you're not doing your kids any favours still giving them money at that age- what if something happens to you? Even a good life insurance policy can't support someone forever.(unless you have an obscene amount of money anyway)

 

[Liesje]

Not only is it weird but its probably going to produce an immature adult with a sense of entitlement and no concept of how to be fully self supporting...in other words, exactly what HelloAngel just said

I haven't taken a penny from my parents since I was 16 and can't imagine going to them for money for any reason

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. But I thought "Self, maybe people are SUPPOSED to get allowances and YOU'RE weird...". I dunno, I've been working since I was 14. I never ever got an allowance unless you count when I turned 11 I watched my sibs after school until a parent got home and got $5 a week. My parents never had to con us into doing chores and such. You cleaned your room or you sat inside all weekend, period.

This same friend of mine who's 21 and gets a weekly allowance was also complaining about buying books. Well, her PARENTS only spent $75 on her books this summer while I paid $400 for mine out of my own pockets. I guess it came to mind b/c we're living together next year and she has this job right now, but you can only have it while you live on campus, so next year she'll have no job. How will she pay rent and bills?

Oh, and her boyfriend is a cheuvanist (sp?) bastard who's parents idea of a solid investment is a BMW that they drive for fun. And he has no job and his parents pay for everything too....I don't understand how they will ever survive if, God forbid, they end up together...