DS18 has known for 2 years that he will need to provide his own spending money once he goes to school in the fall. We drop him off in 10 weeks. He has not bothered to get a summer job.
He has a little money in a savings account and some graduation money. I'm wondering how long that will last. Oh well, its time he grows up so I 'm sticking to the original plan. He'll have a meal plan so he won't starve but not much for extras. Maybe a few hours at a campus job??
I'm curious how everyone else is handling spending money???
Oldest DS worked on campus in college and then he refereed soccer on the weekends, still does. He also took a part time job off campus.
DS #2 refereed soccer from age 12 to end of high school. He had a summer job after junior year, but has not worked these last 3 summers. Just helping his grandfather who pays him--lots of yard work and carpentry projects around his house. We were pushing for him to get a summer job last year, but then DS had an emergency appendectomy-old fashioned kind, not laproscopically and his recovery took the rest of the summer.
This summer, he is still helping his grandfather and now studying for the Pharmacy School entrance exam later this summer. His program is a bit more intense than oldest DS-pharmacy and he has to maintain a 3.5 gpa to keep scholarships and a seat in his program. So we are not harping on him for the job, but he's still living on his savings. He's also working to get a Pharmacy Tech license and once he has that, hopes to work in a retail store Pharmacy on breaks. He's moving into an off campus apartment this year, thinks his scholarships will cover his expenses with some left--hope so, we'll see. We do worry a little about his finances, but when he hits rock bottom, he'll figure it out . But he also does not have the social life that oldest DS did. DS often went out, was in a fraternity, had a girlfriend, made all the sporting events, etc. DS #2 is a gamer and as long as the internet connection is strong, he's good! And all of his friends are on the games with him--at their own homes.
DS #3 has some savings also from refereeing. He is still refereeing soccer and helping his grandfather this summer. Will start the same school and program as DS #2. We'll see how he does. He will want to referee while at college, too. At orientation, I made him go with me to a seminar from the Career Office where they explained campus jobs and that off campus employers also look for students through the career office at the college. Hope some of that sunk in and he'll check out on and off campus jobs when he's at school.
We do pay for their automobile gas when they are home and auto expenses-something dh wanted to do for them as he and I both worked jobs and went to college at the same time. DH wanted that to be one less worry for the kids and didn't want them to stress the car issues like he had to when going to college.
DS #2 and #3's college has a flex account attached to their student id and meal plan that parents can add $ to. The flex account can be used for on campus expenses-snacks, extra food, supplies, laundry as well as off campus places around town like drug stores, gas stations, restaurants in town, etc. DS #2 has never used all that is on his card and the $ rolls over each year. I've added $ to it one or 2 times to be sure that he can swipe the card for washers and dryers. This past year, however, he had a friend in an off campus apartment who allowed him to come do his laundry there for free-so it was not used. If there's $ left over when he graduates, he can ask the college for a refund and they'll send him a check.
I found it satisfying that she had the same number of $20s as $10s and as $5s but I'm odd like that!
this Saturday. Goofing off on the DIS seems much more productive 
.
