Do ppl single and living at home pay rent nowadays?

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buzybee

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Just curious as to do late teens/20 somethings pay rent when working and living at home? Or is this gone out with the Ark?:)

Do your children pay a small sum to cover their 'keep'? Did you pay your parents to live at home?

When I was in my 20s in the 90s, I used to pay a third of my income to cover my 'keep' at home. I didn't mind it but I would have preferred if the amount was similar to what I would pay in a houseshare. A third of my income worked out a little high after a while, as I earned good money at work. Needless to say I didnt tell my parents about the bonuses I got, just gave a third of my take home pay. This was roughly the amount I would pay if I was in a houseshare, maybe a little more.

I didn't mind paying up at home, but it was a fixed amount to cover food and bills. Even if I was on hols for 2 wks or was sick and ate nothing I still had to pay the same amount. The argument being that if I was renting I would have to pay the rent (but not the food) while on hols.

Family background: Dad is a farmer, Mam works full time in an office, I am an only child. My parents and I felt that it was fair to pay up a similar amount to what I would pay if living away from home. Then when I eventually moved away from home, I would be able to budget and would not be shocked to see a lot of my income disappear on food and bills.

When I told friends and my DH about this, they thought that my parents were very harsh. They said that they don't give up anything but they would buy things for the house from time to time. My DH used to buy an odd few bags of shopping:D much cheaper than paying up a fixed sum. He was one of five children. My friend bought a washing machine for the house, again it amounted to only paying up a tenner a week.

What are your thoughts on this?
 
I always paid a fixed sum when I lived at home. I can't remember how much but I know it was good value given that I got meals, electricity, use of phone and so on.

I don't think buying things for the house from time to time is really paying your way. If you're old enough to be earning a salary then you're old enough to pay something towards your keep. As far as I recall I still paid when I was on holidays. I just set up a standing order from my account to my mother's.
 
IME it is usual to pay your way. Not sure of the rate but from what I recall people seemed to pay roughly half of what the going rent would have been?
 
It was called 'housekeeping' in my house and it was roughly a third of my earnings. At first I didnt mind but as my wages went up that third went beyond what it would have cost me to live in a house share - as I grew older I also paid for all my own toiletries, a lot of my own groceries, clothes, did all my own washing, other chores in the house, and never had the run of the place anyway so I would have been better off in a house share!! In retrospect I should have moved out sooner.

Then again my parents had a curfew of midnight on me up to the age of 18 which resulted in many occasions when i had to walk home on my own from somewhere because my friends could stay on but Id be in trouble if I was late - in my house sticking to the rules was clearly more important than my personal safety - I did point this out when I was long past 18 and was still met with stony expressions and comments of 'rules are rules'.
 
Brother in law lives at home with his parents and he contribute a third or so weekly.
 
I offered money to my dad but he wouldn't take it. Told me to be "sensible" with it or he'd change his mind!! So I made a point to save what I would have paid & was in a position to buy a house by mid 20's.
 
My first job was in a pickle factory in Manchester in mid 80s .My take home was £114 and my mam asked for a tenner-As a pint in my local was 50p and a kebab and chips under a quid I simply couldn't spend my weeks wages before payday
 
You should pay towards your keep, Otherwise you are just a free loader.
If you were living out with mates you would be paying approx: 300 euro per month on rent and you would also have to pay for
heating,electricity, food, cleaning products for the house,you would also have to clean the house. .T.V. License, cable/ satellite.
In my opinion you should be independant and moved out of the house no later than 22 or 23.

If you are paying 500 euro per month you are probably giving a fair amount otherwise you are definetly in for a surprise when you move out and be independant yourself.
 
I felt I couldnt move out of home to go renting. My parents used to say that renting is money down the drain and that ppl who rent can't afford to feed themselves. I was still able to buy my own house at 28 but it involved enormous effort in terms of saving. I would take overtime, do translation work from home. I barely drank, only went out once every few weeks and stayed in youth hostels on hols.

The funny thing was, that even though I was paying full price, I still never had the run of the house. Because my mother worked we didnt have dinners Mon to Fri, except bacon & cabbage sometimes. This meant I would have to buy dinner out a few times a week, as well as handing up a third of my wages. Often I would buy in nice yoghurts/ham for lunches as well. I would have preferred to give up less money to cover rent/bills and buy my own food.

The hardest thing was when I got work 25 miles away from home. I had to pay for driving lessons, save for a car and pay buses at the same time. I was not allowed use the family car for practising on. I was not put on my parents insurance as a named driver, so I had to pay loads for insurance. Because I am an only child, everyone thinks I am spoilt. My friends got the use of their parents car for practising when they were learning to drive.

Everyone is talking about the recession but I still find life a lot easier than when I was in my 20s, living at home and trying to save towards a house.
 
Niallers said:
In my opinion you should be independant and moved out of the house no later than 22 or 23.
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Not always possible if you're studying or in a poorly paid job. I also know one or two people who were quite happy to remain living at home and their elderly parent was thrilled to have someone around as company and to do things they could no longer do themselves. If it works for people, each to their own. Obviously though, no one should free load but should pay their way.
 
It also depends on the relationship that you have with your parents, sometimes the relationship can blossom when you get older and for others moving apart is a necessity.
 
I always paid a quarter of my wages - this was always paid to my mam and my dad considered it her money not his. Very good lesson imo. I have a friend at the moment who still lives at home, never paid a penny and is in for the shock of her life when she finally does move out! :)
 
Buzybee are you angry with your parents for the way they treated you? They may have overdone it as you were an only child so they didn't want to spoil you. Life is not easy so they were preparing you for that. You've suceeded so they've done something right :)

I think it's quite normal for a child who is earning to pay for their keep. My other half did, I moved out young to make my own way so I never had to. But my children will have to pay if they stay at home (please no) as young adults.
 
We all contributed to the housekeeping as we entered the workforce. And I know we got back more than we ever handed up, with dinners, laundry (even ironing!), etc, heat, light, etc etc.

My brother (who'll be 40 next year) still lives at home, not sure what he contributes to the household (but I know he does contribute) and he pays the phone bill as well.

Even when he was unemployed, he was expected to hand up something towards his keep.
 
Buzybee, maybe because you were an only child your parents were very determined not to spoilt you ?

I haven't lived at home since I've been working but it does seem sensible pay rent to parents.

I know parents who took rent off their children and saved it for them. (they were well off and didn't need the money themselves).
 
Buzybee, You might not think it but your parents are actually or did do you a favour. They're making you realize that life isn't always a cushy number and that you actually have to pay your way.

I know people who are living at home into their late 20's and you can see that they are actually emotionally stunted and they don't have the confidence to make their own way in life. Their parents molly coddled them all through their teens and twenties and they're still depenent on them.
 
I find all these statements that if you live at home you MUST pay up or you're a freeloader a bit harsh. I think each to their own.

I lived at home in my early 20s. My parents wouldnt think about taking money off me. They werent wealthy - but comfortable. They looked at it that i was earning to try and make a better life for myself and to take money off me wasnt needed nor wanted.

I was always a sensible child - earned my own spending money from the time I was 12. Always had money in the bank. I went to college and with no grant (parents paid the fees) I still payed my own way day-to-day. They wanted me to be able to earn and start off life in the black. I did however buy things for the house - or groceries etc.

One of my brothers on the other hand was a wild child, and would spend every penny he had, party like crazy and never had twopence to his name. My parents charged him rent. It transpired they were saving it for him and planned to give it to him if and when he got married.

Each family is different. May parents aim was to let us grow into adults - give us a good start and encourage us to be able to stand on our own two feet. And guess what - it worked for us all!
 
Sol28 said:
I find all these statements that if you live at home you MUST pay up or you're a freeloader a bit harsh. I think each to their own.

I lived at home in my early 20s. My parents wouldnt think about taking money off me. They werent wealthy - but comfortable. They looked at it that i was earning to try and make a better life for myself and to take money off me wasnt needed nor wanted.

I was always a sensible child - earned my own spending money from the time I was 12. Always had money in the bank. I went to college and with no grant (parents paid the fees) I still payed my own way day-to-day. They wanted me to be able to earn and start off life in the black. I did however buy things for the house - or groceries etc.

One of my brothers on the other hand was a wild child, and would spend every penny he had, party like crazy and never had twopence to his name. My parents charged him rent. It transpired they were saving it for him and planned to give it to him if and when he got married.

Each family is different. May parents aim was to let us grow into adults - give us a good start and encourage us to be able to stand on our own two feet. And guess what - it worked for us all!
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Obviously though, you were an exceptionally sensible youngster. I know if I hadn't been charged rent I would have just spent it on clothes etc. I think, for most people, whether your parents need the money or not it's a necessary lesson in having to pay your way. Otherwise a lot of people would just continue behaving like teenagers for years and years and would probably end up being trapped at home because they wouldn't be able to handle paying rent or a mortage as they'd developed bad spending habits.
 
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