How much "keep" from children??

[GeorgeandAde]

Hi.We have two boys aged 22 and 24 both living at home with us.

Both have jobs and although the pay isnt fantastic,they both bring home more than £200 per week.

Can i ask how much "keep" we should be charging them at home?

Dont get me wrong,im not a scrooge,love them both dearly and would let them live here for free if i could afford it.

Maybe if they helped the wife around the home a little it wouldnt be so bad but she only takes £20 per week from them and weve made ourselves hoarse asking them to help out a little bit now and again.

Maybe someone could give me their views on this please?

 

[Chrisbee]

We charged our daughter a third of her take home pay but put half of that into a savings account without her knowing. When she FINALLY left home we gave it back. It was quite a nice little nest egg to help her set up her first home.

 

[ShadySadie]

Cost of food they eat plus electic and heating and laundry bill.

 

[jaffasdad]

We had the same situation a few years ago. We sat down with our son and showed him a month's bills: utilties, coucil tax, shopping, Sky etc. etc. We also showed him what percentage of our salaries the total of the bills came to and asked him wahat he thought a reasonable figure would be. He ended up offering half of his wages! We took less, put it in a savings account and gave it him when he left home to buy his own house just like Chrisbee.

We know several people that have let their offspring drift along without ever realising how much it costs to live and I don't think it does them any favours.

 

[Pat_374304630]

If I remember rightly 1/4 was what we expected.

 

[RogerP]

I think my mom 'charged' me

 

[mcghee]

my mum always said one third saved, one third to spend, one third for your keep.

sounded fair enough to me.

 

[TD42]

when I first started work my pay was

 

[Stephen_374341239]

say

 

[jo_374385568]

Cost of food they eat plus electic and heating and laundry bill.

 

[MagsAlan]

Hmm. My problem is i have twins, 1 working bringing home

 

[Guest]

My answer to the 'twins' question is to explain to everyone that you all live in the same house and it is a community. Therefore each contributes what they can. It is rare for a husband and wife to have the same salary but each puts in to the household. Whoever earns the most, contributes the most. Expalin that as circumstances change over time, then the ratio will probably change.