Board

[Hollism]

I've just finished college to go into the big wide world of full-time work and am paying board as of this week. How much do you guys pay/charge for board?

My mum (single and works 24 hours a week on min. wage) wants £70 a week from me. I've spoken to friends and they all think it is a lot, but I know their parents are most likely in better financial positions than my mum. She told me a while ago that she'd be charging whatever benefits she lost when I left full-time education, but does anyone think I'm making up for her having a crap job?

I'm looking at moving out very soon, but while I'm paying this much board it's difficult to save up for a deposit and furniture and stuff like that.

[Rincewind]

You would pay that in rent and rates but this is something best discussed with your mum.

Showing my age here but when I started work I gave £3 out of 4£ board. Mind I was 16 and not one for going out on the piss at that age. The board adjusted as I grew older and my wage increased.

If your mum is on any benefits your income will be taken into account. The benefit may have given her a figure and taken it off.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

My mate pays £25 a week i think, that was when he was on JSA as well

[Captain...]

I assume you will not be paying anything for food, bills, or cooking, cleaning and laundry services.

I doubt you will find any equivalent cheaper, you may end up paying less rent if you rent a room in a shared house, but all the other perks of living at home certainly make a saving.

Last time I lived at home it was £50 a week, but I'm now paying more than double that for a decent sized room in a shared house with all bills included.

[ozleicester]

Our rule of thumb was 25% of income was what we charged, which was slightly under a "market rate" but at the time we could afford that, sound like your mum is doing it tough at the moment, and with young men known for the amount they eat and consume i think she is probably doing the best she can

[Smudge]

Why don't you stop thinking about yourself and think about helping her now that you can?

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Our rule of thumb was 25% of income was what we charged, which was slightly under a "market rate" but at the time we could afford that, sound like your mum is doing it tough at the moment, and with young men known for the amount they eat and consume i think she is probably doing the best she can

Glad your not my parent!

[ozleicester]

Glad your not my parent!

bahaha .....That makes 2 of us ......

[The Year Of The Fox]

The going rates for rent around here are typically about 500 pcm or 125 a week. Suddenly 70 doesnt seem too bad, especially as you probably wont be paying bills on top!

[Finnegan]

I pay £250 a month in rent as part of a 50/50 split of £500 in a three bed terrace house off Narborough Road.

Throw on council tax, bills, food, etc and the deal from your mom looks pretty good.

I'd say it's pretty selfish to suggest you're "making up" for your mother having a shit job, you've probably cost her - as a single mother - a fortune to raise on a low income. I'm sure a lot of parents charge their children less to stay at home but if she can't afford to she can't afford to.

Personally, I was eager to spread my wings and get the **** out from under my parents' feet anyway, even if it meant living a little cheaply for a bit. You shouldn't need to worry about furniture, a lot of places - even cheap ones - come furnished, you'll just need things like a kettle, TV and microwave.

[DJMadness29]

When I was at home I was paying 10% of me wages. Same deal with me siblings as well.

[jonthefox]

I'd paid £30 a week and thought i was being diddled then . Mind you, it was 25 years ago.

[Zingari]

It's just a mother's way of telling you how much she wants you

to fook off .

edit;

Seriously it does sound quite a lot, but she's obviously not got much cash to chuck around and it would be unfair on her to be worse off with you working . So I think you'd be best just to stump up and try and get extra work .

[LcFc_Smiv]

Me and my mates had this talk last night, my parents are talking about charging my younger brother £50 a week now he's left college and once he's found full time work.At the moment I'm at uni and live in a house with four other people, it's around £75 a week for what is a fairly basic place + bills included. My mates who are both in full time work and live at home pay their parents £20-£25, which I was surprised how cheap it was with all the perks of living at home. I pay around £20-£30 a week for a general shop, food, drinks and toiletries etc, so for them to pay such a small amount surprised me! Obviously I get support from student finance but I also work most evenings and don't really go out. I think in your case it sounds like it's a little too high, but with your mums situation it sounds like she's just trying to get by, obviously your just looking for advice off people on here but the best thing you can do is talk to your mum (if you already haven't) and just get a better idea of the situation for the both of you. I mean do you help around the house, cook dinner, do the washing and all that, if you don't it might be time to start helping out and that may help you pay a little less.

[darko2k7]

I think it's wrong her given the reason for charging so much is because of the benefits she lost because you left school.

[Guest]

Is your mum young enough to go out on the game?

[Rincewind]

If she is on a low wage she will still be able to claim something. Maybe even tax credits. I think the minimum now is 24 hours so she wont get JSA. Used to be 16 hours. 16 hours for me cuz of my age Then I can claim TC and HB maybe.

They will ask how much income she has coming in so the more she puts down the mless HB she'll get Or they may work it out for her. If you are on a low wage find out if you are entitled to anything. Worth a try.

[Babylon]

It's quite a bit compared to what I got charged when at home, but each situation is different. If she's charging you a lot and going out living the life of Riley then I'd be a bit annoyed. If money is very tight, then it's only fair you contribute to what it's costing her.

[davieG]

We charged our lad £25 a week but put it all into an account and when he finally moved out gave it him back as a leaving present to demonstrate how important it was to try to save. Mind you we've always lived a fairly frugal lifestyle so didn't need to take from him.

Obviously not everyone can afford to do that.

[Babylon]

We charged our lad £25 a week but put it all into an account and when he finally moved out gave it him back as a leaving present to demonstrate how important it was to try to save. Mind you we've always lived a fairly frugal lifestyle so didn't need to take from him.

Obviously not everyone can afford to do that.

You should have put it into a bank account and gone on a great big holiday!!!

[davieG]

You should have put it into a bank account and gone on a great big holiday!!!

When you've got used to a certain lifestyle be it frugal or extravagant it's very difficult to change and we'd have been racked with guilt doing that and wouldn't have enjoyed.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't me though

[Bayfox]

I lived at home for free until the age of 23, this sounds bad i know but my old man worked on the theory every time he took money off me it was likely to be even longer before he got rid of me.

for the record my parents didn't need the money, but if you are eating your mum out of house and home and using shit loads of electric etc then you should contribute, my parents were fortunate, they could let me keep my money. that and I spent most my time at my girlfriends at the time anyway.

[Trav Le Bleu]

When you've got used to a certain lifestyle be it frugal or extravagant it's very difficult to change and we'd have been racked with guilt doing that and wouldn't have enjoyed.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't me though

We all like you as you are!

[Hollism]

First, thanks for your opinions and feedback everyone.

Second, I'm not suggesting that I shouldn't be paying board. I was just trying to find out if this sounds like too much to a lot of you. I'm not naive enough to look at the cost of rent for a place and decide if i can afford it from that. I am/ will be thinking of electricity, gas, tv license, council tax, water, food, etc. So I'm not judging my board compared to the cost of living somewhere else.

Aren't most people agreed that young people pay board to cover their cost of parents keeping them? So hypothetically, If I were to move out tomorrow, and my mum weren't able to get by without my board- even though she wasn't paying to keep me- would that then mean I was paying over the odds? Or have I got this all wrong?

[Daggers]

I've just finished college to go into the big wide world of full-time work and am paying board as of this week. How much do you guys pay/charge for board?

My mum (single and works 24 hours a week on min. wage) wants £70 a week from me. I've spoken to friends and they all think it is a lot, but I know their parents are most likely in better financial positions than my mum. She told me a while ago that she'd be charging whatever benefits she lost when I left full-time education, but does anyone think I'm making up for her having a crap job?

I'm looking at moving out very soon, but while I'm paying this much board it's difficult to save up for a deposit and furniture and stuff like that.

So, let me get this right, the woman who bought you into this world, raised you, fed you, nursed you and loves you is now asking for a pittance in board and lodgings and you think it's unfair?

Pay the poor woman the cash, tell her how much you love her and are grateful for everything she's done for you throughout you life to date.