How Much Rent Would You Expect Your Adult Child to Pay While Living at Home?

NormalGoat on 16/01/2022 - 18:45
Last edited 17/01/2022 - 10:29

Curious to hear what people would define an acceptable rent price is for their adult child (who works full time) living at home in 2022.

Rent would include utilities and all meals… although, in that sense, is this technically boarding?

It’s hard to find an answer online as other forums have threads that are not from Australia or they are just out of date (especially given inflation is tracking the way it is).

Thanks to all who have shared their ideas and opinions - this has been invaluable!

Edit: Child (me) is 25 years old, graduated university with a full time job with strong budgeting plan and has no plans to move out. Parents are reaching retirement age.

Financial

Comments

  • serpserpserp on 17/01/2022 - 07:42
    +2

    If it was my kid, and they were earning at or over 65k + super a year, I'd make them pay me $500 a fortnight. This would motivate them to either earn more money or investigate how they might be able to live cheaper in a sharehouse. When they finally move out (maybe 6 months later when they have settled in) I'd give them half the overall paid money back with some advice on how I best think they:d use it.

  • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2022 - 07:47
    +7

    24, my parents don't want to charge but I have a full time job now and don't want to leech off my parents. I don't want to take any money from them for a house deposit either.

    • EightImmortals on 17/01/2022 - 08:20
      +6

      Good man. Your parents should be proud. :)

  • bemybubble on 17/01/2022 - 07:57

    Wog kids don't pay rent. And they prob should out of everyone considering most don't move out until their late 40's :P

    • Dreamcast on 17/01/2022 - 08:23
      +6

      That's the thing. They don't pay because the parents don't ask. But the kids themselves should be the ones that want to.

      Same situation for me. Only reason I don't move out is that my mother is on her own and I take care of her. There's no actual rent on the place, so I pay all the bills, buy the essentials and do the cleaning. Have been doing so since I was a teenager.

      It's bad enough kids from various cultures are still at home well into adulthood, but when the parents are still cleaning up after them, washing their clothes, cooking for them and even buying things /giving them cash, that's when it becomes pathetic.

      To answer the OP's question. Same rule as above, that the parent shouldn't ask, but the kids should be the ones offering. I think $100 a week is still a good amount.

      • bemybubble on 17/01/2022 - 08:30
        +1

        I think what it boils down to is the fact of contribution.

        When I was living at home I didn't pay rent. Cardinal sin if it was even mentioned. That being said I didn't exactly freeload either. Did my share of buying groceries and home duties. Don't get me wrong the net benefit was still in my favour - however I also had to obey by the law of the parentals. Which I was totally fine with.

    • Grunntt on 17/01/2022 - 08:39
      +3

      Wog kids don't pay rent

      That should be 'Some'.
      In my wife's family all 4 girls had to hand over their pay to their father and he would give them an allowance.
      To me that was more about control but to them, and their extended family, it was seen as normal (and called rent).

      • bemybubble on 17/01/2022 - 09:32
        +2

        That's totally old school authoritarian style

        • Grunntt on 17/01/2022 - 10:18

          And you think many 'wogs' as you call them aren't old-school authoritarian style?

          • bemybubble on 17/01/2022 - 10:19

            @Grunntt: I'd say the majority aren't. But that's based on my observations and environment/social circles.

            Edit: doesn't mean I haven't heard of what you speak of. Just the exception not the norm.

            • Grunntt on 17/01/2022 - 10:22
              +1

              @bemybubble: I'm glad to hear it's not too common because I saw it as an abusive situation that most in their family thought was normal.

  • Homr on 17/01/2022 - 08:24
    +17

    I contribute $150 per week to my parents and I don't even live with them.

    • bemybubble on 17/01/2022 - 08:31
      +3

      Are you open for adoption to an OzBargainer?? :D

  • Grunntt on 17/01/2022 - 08:35
    +6

    Once my kids became working adults they automatically pro-rata(ed) the utility bills (water,electricity and internet) and continued to do their own laundry and cleaned their own rooms.
    They also spent time doing general household cleaning, laundry and mowing as they had before they were adults (well, to be honest, more helping 'with' it rather than solely 'doing' it).
    ie they had always seen it as the norm to do some of the housework as we were a family with shared responsibilities. They calculated their food costs and pretty much covered most of that.
    They had a pretty good idea of the costs involved and came up with a reasonable solution.

    They always pleased when the next younger sibling became a working adult as his portion of the utilities became less ( even with saying that, they had no issue with this system at any time).
    They felt that it was the responsible and right thing to do.

    They didn't pay 'rent' as such as there was no cost to us to have more people in the house and it also helped them save for the future.

    • NormalGoat on 17/01/2022 - 09:07

      Sounds like a very responsible and caring household

      • Grunntt on 17/01/2022 - 10:19
        +4

        I'm pretty proud of how my kids have turned out - pretty sure my wife has most of the credit for it but I'm happy to bask in the reflected glory. :o)

  • penting on 17/01/2022 - 08:41

    Whatever amount you are paying, pay them in cash.

    This will help you when obtaining mortgage for your investment property (by your comment above). It will show you have no accommodations expense.

    Also to avoid future headache for your parents if they want to claim PPR exemption in the future.

    • El-Rhi on 17/01/2022 - 13:20

      When living at home, banks will always add in an expense as if you were renting, usually around $200 per week

  • Cheaplikethebird on 17/01/2022 - 08:45

    Depends if the parents are home owners or renting. My parents were renting when I lived with them briefly in my twenties, they charged me just enough to make moving out to a sharehouse an attractive option.

  • cashless on 17/01/2022 - 08:45
    +1

    Mow the lawn, clean the bathroom and kitchen, vacuum/mop the floor, take out the rubbish and buy your parents the odd meal out or pay for a reasonable take away.
    They'll love you, you'll feel like you are contributing and there'll be no need to pay any rent

  • FittyFitty on 17/01/2022 - 08:46
    +2

    Come on man; you've grown up in the household (supposedly), you'd know what's reasonable in the circumstances.

    Don't get too rigid-mathematical about it; help out organically - housework, bills, groceries.

    • NormalGoat on 17/01/2022 - 08:51
      +3

      You’re right - I’ve been caught out because of my budgeting mindset and basing it off my past experiences living away from home. Thanks for the suggestion!

  • espghia on 17/01/2022 - 08:47
    +3

    It should be just enough to encourage the child to leave.

    • Hangryuman on 17/01/2022 - 11:11
      +2

      OP mentioned filial piety (I guess probably Chinese) in which case looking after parents in old age may be a felt obligation

      western-raised individuals raised to be selfish may not only bludge off the parents for free rent, board and lodging while doing nothing to help around the house, but then ask them to guarantee their loan which on default can see their parents kicked out of their lifetime home and become homeless in old age

      so it largely depends on how the child was raised ('give me the child until they are seven, and I will give you the adult')

      • espghia on 17/01/2022 - 13:13

        I know what you mean, albeit rather broad brush. Obviously, can always point to exceptions.

  • Mark1159 on 17/01/2022 - 09:00

    1974 - mum charged $7 week board
    20% of teaching studentship

    18 years old

    • Mark1159 on 17/01/2022 - 14:54

      Actually I think that disciplined budgeting early was a great lesson.
      I’ve ended up with couple of properties - worth several mill - not difficult for hardworking committed boomers who learnt from war rationing/depression era parents.

      Now both my twentysomethings - Doctor and Nurse - still live family bayside home.
      Rent free.
      Probably not teaching them very good life lesson.

  • kl2999 on 17/01/2022 - 09:08
    +2

    For Asian like me, $0. Parent would happily let their adult child live with them for free. This is how most asian save up and get their hand on their first property.

  • Trina9876 on 17/01/2022 - 09:12
    +1

    Also very much depends on parents financial situation. I am a single parent who struggles to pay a big mortgage in Sydney but am only staying in our house (in great area) because it’s good for my older teens and they love it here. When they eventually leave home after uni I’ll move somewhere more affordable out of Sydney. Their other very well off parent stopped paying child support the day they turned 18, even though both are living with me while going to uni. Any help with bills, even a small amount, makes a difference. They both have good part time jobs and plenty of spare cash each week.

    Adult kids should do the right thing by their parents who have often sacrificed for decades for their kids, and how much to contribute does depend very much on the situation.

  • KaTst3R on 17/01/2022 - 09:26

    Most parents probably wouldnt expect any payment. But given that you make some decent moolah, maybe just contribute towards variable costs like food, cleaners expense, utilities, etc to cover "your share" of expenses.

  • jrvb42 on 17/01/2022 - 09:39

    What are they getting?
    They should pay the same as any boarder would, including food, electricity, etc.
    For crying out loud, you've already paid to raise them, and no doubt will give them an inheritance.
    Give them the greatest gift. Independence and self reliance. No matter how big and bad the world is!
    In fact, force them out. Just be there if they NEED some support and guidance. Otherwise you're simply raising a dependent adult. How embarrassing for you and them. And imagine if they carry that dependency into a marriage.

  • Hangryuman on 17/01/2022 - 09:39
    +1

    'Child (me) is 25 years old, graduated university with a full time job with strong budgeting plan and has no plans to move out. Parents are reaching retirement age'

    interesting - unless you're pretending responsibility while actually planning to do the opposite, it sounds like you could be planning to be responsible and look after your parents financially - whether you expect to be the sole heir to the family home after they drop off the twig I didn't see

    dunno location - but inner Sydney I'm seeing sharehouse room rents including bills anywhere from $200-350pw

    gas/electricity tends to average $20-30pw per person, internet maybe $60pm you could divide by users

    the big ones - cooking/cleaning/washing/maintenance - who cooks your meals, who washes up afterwards, who washes your clothes, who pays to repair washing machines - tend to vary largely

    older parents may enjoy youthful company, unless the additional work and/or other conflicts stresses them out too much.

    so if you want to get used to paying rent away from home, I'd guess around $300pw would be reasonable

    if you do less around the house, that would be a minimum - if you do a lot around the house, then maybe less

    • NormalGoat on 17/01/2022 - 10:15
      +1

      I think filial piety is the word here and it’s a big part of me moving back home, they’re pretty expressive of how they like having me back given they were empty nesters for a period of time. Happy to be home and they respect my independence too but, of course, I don’t want to leech off them. Thanks for the suggestions on figures.
      Inheritance is another topic on its own but it’s been discussed amongst both of us siblings

  • TrustNoBody on 17/01/2022 - 09:43

    i have a 22 yr old at home and doesn’t work but has severe mental health issues so i don’t charge him anything and i buy his meals ..but even when my other kids were at home i didn’t charge them anything but this is just me as i hated paying my mum rent of half my pay when i was rarely there and hardly ate

  • Krankite on 17/01/2022 - 09:44

    I would go 25% of income, roughly the national average. Makes sure it is always affordable as it reduces itself if work is light and if it is more money than the room is worth encourages them to move out. It shouldn't be about the actual dollar amount (unless your parents are struggling in which case the answer is as much as they need) but more about making sure you don't have a massive disincentive to move out.

  • Batsoup on 17/01/2022 - 10:04
    +2

    I used to give my parents $220 a fortnight & pick up the bills for the internet which is another $70 a month.

    I've moved out but still give $220 a fortnight & so do my other 3 siblings, what this means is that it gives my parents the money for expenses when their grandkids come over or
    With the 4 of us sending my parents money equates to around $17,000 per annum, this has actually helped my parents do renovations to the house & add a pool, they've also used this money on investing in the share market - its made our holidays a bit better too, as we use the pooled money to take a local holiday around the state or country.

    I think its whatever your kids are comfortable with but generally $100 a week is a good start.

  • Topdog on 17/01/2022 - 10:12
    +6

    I was not charged rent, but i chucked in for bills! no matter what it was even the rates, they did not want it, but i had to pay my way somehow, they would not accept rent, not even $50 a week! I also kept the pantry/freezer stocked! I did little things around the house as well, made sure the lawn was always kept, did the rubbish weekly etc.! If they wont accept rent. find other ways to chip in.

    • NormalGoat on 17/01/2022 - 10:17
      +2

      This is a good idea - when it involves physical money (whether cash or electronic transfer) it can make things awkward. Contributions like the ones you mentioned are easier to accept

  • Naigrabzo on 17/01/2022 - 10:22

    Just buy your parents a Tesla as repayment of raising you and bringing you to where you are now and in future.

    • NormalGoat on 17/01/2022 - 10:25

      They don’t like having to avert their focus on the road to the speedometer nor the lack of buttons lol

      • Naigrabzo on 17/01/2022 - 10:26
        +1

        LOL Just kidding man. Repaying parents is difficult. Do it the way that makes you feel good. They probably are already feeling good for raising a good child!

  • Seraphin7 on 17/01/2022 - 10:30
    +2

    If my children end up in that situation, my intent is not to charge them "rent", but to effectively sequester an appropriate proportion of their income that will be invested and returned to them in the future.

    While every situation is different, I would much rather demonstrate to my kids early on that nothing is free and that appropriate income needs to be set aside to pay for necessities before being spent on other "luxuries".

    I may not be thanked for it at the time, but when that "$200 a week" (or whatever the amount is) gets returned as maybe $50k a few years later, it will hopefully cement the value of investing and the need to spend less than you earn, and that there are no free kicks in this world.

  • figjamone on 17/01/2022 - 10:34

    Ask them to pay half the elect, gas,water and council rates that way they have to budget for everything in there life just as you have budgeted for all the above as well as their education and the house they call home.

  • freefall101 on 17/01/2022 - 10:36
    +1

    Tended to be communism in my family, each to their ability. I moved back in as an adult child for 12 months and had a full time job, started off at $100 a week (about 15 years ago, probably should be higher by now) but generally I was doing a lot of the grocery shopping and generally spending more than my rent so we gave up keeping track of it. Little brother lived at home a lot longer and mum was still buying all his clothes for him until he left.

    IMO, if your parents don't care the savings idea is a good one, especially if you're not sure if you can do it yourself. Took me until 35 to be able to start putting aside a piece of each pay cheque, I wish I got there a lot earlier.

  • Donaldhump on 17/01/2022 - 10:41

    the use of the room free assuming parents weren't needing to rent to some one else.
    but incurred expenses should be paid for. All depends how loaded your parents are though.

    my simple rules
    rent free if they are courteous. This must instead be placed into a savings account / shares.
    must do their share of housework
    food must pay for their portion and must cook some of the meals, or compensate if not with additional house work.
    elec contribute to etc.

  • saltypete on 17/01/2022 - 10:46
    +1

    I think that it is a fair rule that no matter where you choose to live, you make a fair contribution to the place. I don’t just mean financially. Given you parents are moving toward retirement, do they need help around the house. Not just chores (but I unclude this), what home maintenance things are on you parents agenda?
    Painting the house, particularly doing the ladder bits, re-organising the landscaping to easier care?
    Are you putting effort into your relationship with your parents, or do you just appear at mealtimes?

    It’s never just giving money for a service - ever, anywhere
    Perhaps ask what sort of asset you are to your parents before you talk about board money.

  • dj69 on 17/01/2022 - 10:47
    +1

    10% of their gross salary

  • acersaurus on 17/01/2022 - 10:53

    Maybe $150/week.

    But I would give it all back to them when they go to buy a house and are approaching their deposit.

  • JimB on 17/01/2022 - 11:19

    Still haven't thought about what I would expect my kids to pay but when I lived with my folks after I started working, I just paid the utility bills and council rates so probably $100 a week.

    Food cost was paid by whoever was going shopping that day.

    Edit- had time to think about it. For my kids, it will be on a case by case basis- one of my kids is a spendthrift and the other is a saver.

    I'd take money from the spendthrift and will return it to them when they buy their house, sort of forced saving.

    The saver, no board, he'll save his money for his deposit.

  • Carmen Sandiego on 17/01/2022 - 11:58
    +1

    I'm paying $600/month but, that's inclusive of all bills household sharing bills, board, meals, occasionally clothes etc. Also, I'm an Asian female with medical issues, hence why I'm here. It's a mutually (mostly) beneficial relationship.

    I have moved in and out of the family home and everyone is happy with how much I contribute. Heck, I offered more but, both parents declined, saying what I am paying currently is more than enough.

    • oswade on 17/01/2022 - 18:41

      A bit of a traveler eh

  • Brick Tamland on 17/01/2022 - 12:09
    +2

    about 15-20 years ago (I cant believe its been that long) I was paying $50 per week for rent plus doing all the normal chores. I think at least $100 a week now would be the minimum.

  • Drakesy on 17/01/2022 - 12:11
    +1

    When i was at home i had the ultimatum of paying rent ~$120 a week or all the household bills and rates.

    Either way it would've come to around $5-6k.

    Still came out ahead didn't i have to prepare dinner each night, helped the parental who was retired in looking after the house and managed to save a deposit at the same time. Even bought a solar system to minimise costs to me.

    Girlfriends weren't the biggest fan of it at the time, but when you have a 5 bedroom house and copious amounts of space within 10 mins of the CBD you don't really have a reason to move out.

    Win win.

  • geekcohen on 17/01/2022 - 12:17

    I was paying $100 for rent 9 years ago. My brother and sister pay $150. Both work full time with good paying jobs. Covers them and their partners who stay a few nights a week. I started paying when I got my full time job and had finishes uni.

  • preferredusername on 17/01/2022 - 12:59
    +1

    Without knowing your exact situation, if you feel that your parents wouldn't be comfortable with taking money directly, you could try offering acts of service instead. Cook them nice meals, take them out somewhere nice (without Covid), help out around the garden or with odd jobs in the house, etc??

  • MrThing on 17/01/2022 - 13:31

    If they are mooching at home while working full time.

    I think 50% of the cheapest share house in the area would be fair per week. Bills waived, food shared.

  • AustriaBargain on 17/01/2022 - 13:46

    You could pay them $100 a week to move out. 25 must be old enough to want to have Tindr dates over.

  • lainey13 on 17/01/2022 - 13:53

    My parents didn't charge me rent… because as soon as I got a full time job I moved out of home. They were extremely strict and controlling so I took the opportunity as soon as it arose. Yes they were willing to let me live there rent free but did I want to? Nope…

  • provision on 17/01/2022 - 14:02

    I was requested to pay ~$150 p/w after getting my first full time professional job.

    Motivated me to leave home shortly after and rented a place closer to city.

  • RiseAndRuin on 17/01/2022 - 14:18

    Assuming the parents can afford it, I'd say $0 if the child is saving as much as they can, until the child has saved enough to buy their own home. If the parents can't afford it, or if the child doesn't want to grow up and live their own life, then it's a very different story.

  • tyvod on 17/01/2022 - 14:54

    I've been paying 1k a month ever since i got my first job after graduation. I do chores at home as well.

  • kalithreaver on 17/01/2022 - 14:54

    Maybe $150 a week covering the bills. This would be to teach them about rent and budgeting.

    I would put the money away for them to put towards something like a house deposit when they are looking to buy.

  • Puglife on 17/01/2022 - 15:46
    +5

    $150 a week is the average cost of sharing a house in my area. Honestly, even if you take the money and put it aside if you don't need it. Keep it quiet and down the track you give this money to your child as a deposit for a house etc. The point of this is teaching your child "how to be an adult".
    I find it hilarious the amount of people in the comments who don't charge their grown ass adults a cent even though they are working. The point is too teach them that life isn't free, and how not to be a freeloader. I work with people with kids aged 25+ who live at home and can't cook, never cleaned and can't even unload a dishwasher. Seriously, how do you expect your child to ever survive in the real world…and why would you ever leave if you have such a good thing going! You are effectively raising well educated people with no life skills.

    To summarise quickly …charge your child an amount to teach them the cost of life and how to be an adult and put the money aside to gift them in the future to help fund a home deposit.

  • wallet72 on 17/01/2022 - 15:58

    my son pays 1/3 of the utilities and internet, and a token amount of rent. He is saving all he can to get his own place so this is our way of helping him.

  • daft009 on 17/01/2022 - 16:04

    $0 till 30yo.. then lets see.

  • bmxr on 17/01/2022 - 16:37

    $150

  • aerona on 17/01/2022 - 16:43

    My motto. Don't have kids unless you can cover their entire rent until 25 with some your wealth transfer once you pass away. Every generation is only going to get more difficult in most financial sectors. Think AI, housing, lack of jobs. If you think you had it hard, wait until the next generation.

    Once 25. Its time for them to leave the nest

  • 80kinvestment on 17/01/2022 - 16:58

    The real question is how much you should pay your parents and the answer is anywhere from enough to cover extra food, power, etc all the way to market rent.

    And while it’s definitely an advantage to be able to save for a deposit there is a cost in emotional growth by not being responsible for yourself during your 20s.

  • ozbargainsam on 17/01/2022 - 17:08
    +1

    As the 'kid', I don't pay board, but I pay all the bills, and home improvements, as I live alone in a property of my parents'.

    Totally atypical. Hope this doesn't help.

    • tharlow on 17/01/2022 - 21:43

      I think this post has a lesson for everyone… and by everyone I mean noone

  • Homr on 17/01/2022 - 17:21

    In Asian culture, we don't pay parents while we're still living with them but we start paying when we move out. Interesting eh?

    And it becomes a common topic when my parents goes out to lunch/dinner with their friends and they talk about how much they get from their kids and they always try to one up each other to see who receives the most. Funny my parents actually told me how nice they were to me for not making me pay more because apparently I wasn't paying enough, my parents friends were claiming they get $200-$250 per week from their kids. Clearly that's an ego lie because I'm friends with one of those "kids" and they were getting paid $60-65k salary and their rent was already $350 in Sydney.

  • Apothecary on 17/01/2022 - 17:26

    My kid is 18 days old. How much rent should I charge him?

    • rippa69 on 17/01/2022 - 18:03
      +9

      18 cuddles a day, at least

    • saltypete on 19/01/2022 - 08:02

      Keep a nappy tally. But wait until they’re a teenager to inform them that in a few years they have to change yours……

  • OzHunterNSW on 17/01/2022 - 17:40

    Look around your area for comparisons… it is essentially a boarding house. I presume you would feed him, wash his cloths, pay elec, gas, and other maintenance around the home. Who mows the lawn…. who takes out the garbo… are all considerations to take into account.

  • Choc83 on 17/01/2022 - 17:49

    Take the post tax dollars from the kid, chuck it in an ETF that tracks the sharemarket, give it back to them in a number of years. Make sure you consult with tax experts to make sure the government doesn't get a slice for doing nothing.

  • releasethekr4cken on 17/01/2022 - 18:46
    +1

    I'd charge $200 per week and keep it aside, then give it to them when they get on their own two feet.

  • Tzeeman on 17/01/2022 - 19:51

    I suggest starting with $100/week as board and then see how you go from there

  • tharlow on 17/01/2022 - 20:02
    +1

    My kids don’t pay a cent — and I'd never want them to. So 100% of their take-home pay is disposable. Money is one more thing to worry about, and my legacy to my kids is that they shouldn’t ever have to worry about money. Follow your dreams, kids…

    • p1 ama on 17/01/2022 - 20:49
      +4

      and my legacy to my kids is that they shouldn’t ever have to worry about money

      That's a nice sentiment until they actually need to worry about money…

      Worrying about money does not mean counting the coins in your pocket every day and checking your bank account before every purchase, it means knowing how to think ahead.

      When you first start working, it might be "will I have enough to pay the rent and pay the bills", once that becomes a given, it might be "will I have enough to afford this car by the end of the year", once that's an easy goal, it might be "will I have enough for a deposit on a house in 2 years", then maybe "will I have enough to have kids and provide for them", then maybe " will I have enough to take a few years off work to travel and do some personal projects", maybe even "will I have enough to retire early"…etc.

      "Worrying" about money doesn't mean it consumes every hour of your waking life, it means having a plan and knowing how you're tracking against that plan.

      • tharlow on 17/01/2022 - 21:34
        +1

        I understand what you’re saying, but one can have a great command of temporal and spatial logic without ever having to worry about money. There are no guarantees in life, but if one doesn’t have to worry about money, it frees the intellectual bandwidth for other pursuits — and there are a limitless number of worthwhile things to do that aren’t constrained by monetary issues (if they don’t have to be by necessity).

        Now, nobody really has limitless resources, but so much of everyday life can be preoccupied with budgetary concerns. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to distract yourself with such (largely trivial) annoyances

    • trapper on 18/01/2022 - 18:35
      +2

      So 100% of their take-home pay is disposable.

      What a terrible life lesson though.

      • tharlow on 18/01/2022 - 22:39

        I don’t think so. Enjoy the fruits of your labour, I say!… rather than giving most of it to the man

  • Sweet3st on 17/01/2022 - 20:13

    Big question is what’s the location? I’d suggest $150 in Sydney, $100 elsewhere. I agree it’s about acting like an adult.

  • nephilim on 17/01/2022 - 20:30

    I paid for the internet when I lived at home, wasn't much now but spending $70 a month was a lot as a poor student.

    Helped my budget a lot, when I was also mainly buying my own food.

  • mousie on 17/01/2022 - 20:58

    My parents are wealthy af.
    They charged $100 a week board under the guide of health insurance which was more than their health insurance as a couple and I was the last at home.

    I was thrown out at 20 due to a disagreement with my choice of fiance. Lived pay to pay and in debt from a super young age.

    The only thing it taught me was resentment.

    My friends stayed at home until their mid to late 20s and went straight into their own homes. I had to take second jobs and bit work to keep up with costs of living in Sydney.

    I want my kids to be set up but respect money. If they can't manage it they will contribute somehow to their own savings.

  • k15866 on 17/01/2022 - 21:01

    i think i paid ~$300/fortnight after graduating ~8 years ago on a 60k salary. Enough to cover my general expenses within the household and some as rent. I viewed it more as helping build up a bit of retirement funds for my parents. I don't imagine they will have enough to retire without the pension.

    The first comment had me triggered… it was still possible to save for a 20% deposit.

  • Palamedes on 17/01/2022 - 21:27
    +1

    I have read much of the thread but not all. As a successful child leaving home and getting my own low end house over some years hosted all my brothers (one older and two younger) over some periods and most likely I came out poorer due to charging them less than the market and often some not paying anything at times. Boarders would have payed more and been more fun I suspect. One brother also blew a few things up while staying for free. A kitchen coated in Baked Beans - thanks Bro! Many other later tales I could tell but won't do it now. At 65 I am much less altruistic than I was then :)

    • tharlow on 17/01/2022 - 21:38
      +2

      I have read much of the thread but not all

      Sorry, that’s as far as I got. Promising start, though. I’ll give you the benefit of any doubt and assume you said something profound…

  • jerimiahhalls on 17/01/2022 - 21:37
    +1

    There are so many variables involved, definitely not a one size fits all approach. Most people seem to have an opinion on this subject, but don't have their own story to back it up.

    I started my apprenticeship straight out of school. Rather then my parents putting a constant amount for board, which would have ripped through the absolute pittance I got for my first year. We decided that 10% of my take home(after tax) was a manageable amount. Mum still did my dinners and I started to take over my own washing, slowly becoming more independent. It did help that my mum was a shift worker and the old man worked afternoons, giving me space, so we didn't clash.

    Fast forward five years, I was extremely lucky to get a job in the mines. I approached my parents and we agreed to change the 10% of my wage(which would have been a classy unit on Burleigh Beach at the time) to a set amount, to help with my savings but still contribute. Lessons learnt throughout this experience were definitely one of the main reasons I have a house of my own now.

    Although they never stipulated that any board savings were for these, they have helped me out with both a family lawyer and towards my wedding.

  • drprox on 17/01/2022 - 22:06

    When I was young it was called "board" and I had no issue with it. You know best what your parents household finances are like, otherwise try have a discussion. As for the amount I used to pay about what I would sharing a house with 4 people and it covered everything. Not much for me but helped offset the cost of me hanging around.

  • drprox on 17/01/2022 - 22:09

    Sorry one more point. I started paying board when I was in your situation, I had graduated uni and had a full time job. I was 21 at the time.

  • Logical on 17/01/2022 - 22:09

    When I was 21 I got a full time job while studying full time too and I was paying my parents $100 weekly.

  • Morphio25 on 17/01/2022 - 22:41

    I paid $50 per week to help go towards the cost of some of the bills. I think helping to contribute was a good thing. It wasn't an overly high burden for me at the time and helped with learning how to budget in that I knew I had to pay that amount out of my weekly pay before I spent money on anything else.

  • Dack Smith on 17/01/2022 - 22:42

    At least 75% rent

    Spoiling them is setting them up to fail later on.

  • brad1-8tsi on 17/01/2022 - 23:17

    I paid 20% of my gross earnings.

  • Nzbluestone on 17/01/2022 - 23:42

    Check gumtree and find out advertised price of cheapest 'single room' in your area. That's what you should pay for your room at folk's rate + bills.

  • ddn2004 on 18/01/2022 - 00:22

    Depends on income. Money will be put aside to help them with their deposit for their home.

  • JesseN9 on 18/01/2022 - 01:21
    +1

    If my son once 18 wishes to reside with me all I ask is he share some of his girl friends :)

  • Noire on 18/01/2022 - 03:17

    I for my parent's bills and acts as an emergency fund, because I don't expect to buy a house in Australia or even live here in the future.

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