My baby got her first job!

[andi9899]

I think this is where this thread should go...

Anyway. My 16 yo just got her first job. The agreement is that 1/2 her check will go into a savings account. I will pay cash for her first car. I will pay for the tags and insurance. She will pay for gas and any unexpected expenses for said car. If she does not maintain her grades to keep the good student discount on the car insurance, she will pay me the difference. Any more ideas on what I should be expecting from her? Work can in no way interfere with school.

When college comes around, I will help where I can, the rest is on her. Since single mom=broke, my kids are expected to get as much in scholarships as they can and make up the rest themselves. Even if I could pay for everything, I wouldn't. Working for something will make them appreciate what they have.

I welcome any pointers or ideas that anyone would have. If you have any other ideas on rules I should impose, I want to hear about that too.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Yay!

Actually, I'd like to know how she got the job. My 16yo does school sports, so she's convinced she doesn't have time for a job. 

[andi9899]

Aug 6, 2014 20:49:03 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

Yay!

Actually, I'd like to know how she got the job. My 16yo does school sports, so she's convinced she doesn't have time for a job. 

She applied for a few at a local strip mall. She does sports too. She was expecting minimum wage since she's so young and this one offered $2/hour over that. I guess she got lucky. But she is very likeable. I happen to think she is amazing, but I am biased. We have also talked about it interfering in sports too. But she really does seem to get everything done. She has excelled in her studies as well as sports with not a whole lot of effort. Things seem to come too easy for her some times in my opinion.

[busymom]

Congratulations! I think you're doing a good job on forcing her to save some of her money. 

Actually, we had the same plan set up for my DD. She got a job weekends working fast food, & we told her she had to keep her grades up to keep that job.  (Most of her activities at the high school were on weeknights.)  Half of her income after taxes had to go into savings (hopefully for college), & the other half she could make the usual teen choices on spending. She actually did really well. She's in college now, & is lucky that the town her college is in has several thrift shops. She's gotten frugal at an even younger age than me!

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2014 20:45:44 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

I think this is where this thread should go...

Anyway. My 16 yo just got her first job. The agreement is that 1/2 her check will go into a savings account. I will pay cash for her first car. I will pay for the tags and insurance. She will pay for gas and any unexpected expenses for said car. If she does not maintain her grades to keep the good student discount on the car insurance, she will pay me the difference. Any more ideas on what I should be expecting from her? Work can in no way interfere with school.

When college comes around, I will help where I can, the rest is on her. Since single mom=broke, my kids are expected to get as much in scholarships as they can and make up the rest themselves. Even if I could pay for everything, I wouldn't. Working for something will make them appreciate what they have.

I welcome any pointers or ideas that anyone would have. If you have any other ideas on rules I should impose, I want to hear about that too.

with my car insurance company, once you get the good student discount it stays with you, you don't need to continue to send in paperwork.

also, single mom does not always equal broke.  I'm a single mom and my DD hasn't gotten anything except unsub staffords (sub freshman year and not sub this year since I have 2 in school).  also, you need to do your research.  scholarships without financial need are hard to come by.

and that whole working for something makes you appreciate it more is crap.  I had to work in college and having to go to a job while my friends got to hang out and do fun things didn't make me appreciate anything more.

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2014 22:54:14 GMT -5 busymom said:

Congratulations! I think you're doing a good job on forcing her to save some of her money. 

Actually, we had the same plan set up for my DD. She got a job weekends working fast food, & we told her she had to keep her grades up to keep that job.  (Most of her activities at the high school were on weeknights.)  Half of her income after taxes had to go into savings (hopefully for college), & the other half she could make the usual teen choices on spending. She actually did really well. She's in college now, & is lucky that the town her college is in has several thrift shops. She's gotten frugal at an even younger age than me!

if she isn't going to make over $6100 a year, she should be exempt from federal and state taxes.

[Nazgul Girl]

    This is great news !    She sounds like she's off to a great start. 

[busymom]

Regarding college in your DD's future, I wanted to comment on a couple of things we've learned...

Even though you're a single parent, go ahead & have your DD apply at some of the smaller private colleges. My DD actually got BETTER offers at some of the private colleges, compared to the public ones. Also, the colleges LOVE kids who are in activities, especially if your DD has some leadership roles. And, don't be afraid of having your DD do work study in college. Mine does have an on-campus job, but it's not so many hours each week that it interferes with her learning. She actually has to push to get close to the number of hours needed to get the amount of money that her work study allows (in her financial aid package).

We haven't bought DD her own car. She's attending school at a college that is in a "walkable" town. This allows her to put more of her own money towards tuition, & reduces the amount of student loans she needs.

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2014 9:14:27 GMT -5 busymom said:

Regarding college in your DD's future, I wanted to comment on a couple of things we've learned...

Even though you're a single parent, go ahead & have your DD apply at some of the smaller private colleges. My DD actually got BETTER offers at some of the private colleges, compared to the public ones. Also, the colleges LOVE kids who are in activities, especially if your DD has some leadership roles. And, don't be afraid of having your DD do work study in college. Mine does have an on-campus job, but it's not so many hours each week that it interferes with her learning. She actually has to push to get close to the number of hours needed to get the amount of money that her work study allows (in her financial aid package).

We haven't bought DD her own car. She's attending school at a college that is in a "walkable" town. This allows her to put more of her own money towards tuition, & reduces the amount of student loans she needs.

just a note - work study is only something you can get if there is financial need.

and yes, private schools, even though more expensive, usually have a lot more money to give away.

[mmhmm]

Super news! Good for her! She should be very proud of herself.

[NoNamePerson]

Aug 7, 2014 8:40:10 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Aug 6, 2014 22:54:14 GMT -5 busymom said:

Congratulations! I think you're doing a good job on forcing her to save some of her money. 

Actually, we had the same plan set up for my DD. She got a job weekends working fast food, & we told her she had to keep her grades up to keep that job.  (Most of her activities at the high school were on weeknights.)  Half of her income after taxes had to go into savings (hopefully for college), & the other half she could make the usual teen choices on spending. She actually did really well. She's in college now, & is lucky that the town her college is in has several thrift shops. She's gotten frugal at an even younger age than me!

if she isn't going to make over $6100 a year, she should be exempt from federal and state taxes.

I could be wrong but that figure might depend on the state. Tried to "bold" state taxes but highlighting isn't work right now for me!!!!

[Tiny]

You might want to discuss the costs of minor fender benders with your kid.   Because at some point HER car will get a dent or a scrape or cracked tail light.... will you have the small fault fixed or will she live with it? 

I have heard second hand from parents of teens who have their own car that  after the 2nd or 3rd insurance claim over a year or two ALL their insurance costs go up.      
 

Also, will you have any say on where she drives HER car?  You know, say she and her friends decide to go to a WingDing Hoopla 3 day concert event  - because they have the $$ and she's got a car!!    Do you have any say on if she can use the car to go to this event?  What if it's a 5 hour drive away? 

[Deleted]

Aug 7, 2014 10:51:15 GMT -5 Tiny said:

You might want to discuss the costs of minor fender benders with your kid.   Because at some point HER car will get a dent or a scrape or cracked tail light.... will you have the small fault fixed or will she live with it? 

I have heard second hand from parents of teens who have their own car that  after the 2nd or 3rd insurance claim over a year or two ALL their insurance costs go up.      
 

Also, will you have any say on where she drives HER car?  You know, say she and her friends decide to go to a WingDing Hoopla 3 day concert event  - because they have the $$ and she's got a car!!    Do you have any say on if she can use the car to go to this event?  What if it's a 5 hour drive away? 

well if she doesn't have full coverage and the accident is her fault, someone has to pay out of pocket to fix it.  if someone else is at fault of course it's getting fixed.

[Tiny]

Aug 7, 2014 10:56:31 GMT -5 @singlemominmd said:

Aug 7, 2014 10:51:15 GMT -5 Tiny said:

You might want to discuss the costs of minor fender benders with your kid.   Because at some point HER car will get a dent or a scrape or cracked tail light.... will you have the small fault fixed or will she live with it? 

I have heard second hand from parents of teens who have their own car that  after the 2nd or 3rd insurance claim over a year or two ALL their insurance costs go up.      
 

Also, will you have any say on where she drives HER car?  You know, say she and her friends decide to go to a WingDing Hoopla 3 day concert event  - because they have the $$ and she's got a car!!    Do you have any say on if she can use the car to go to this event?  What if it's a 5 hour drive away? 

well if she doesn't have full coverage and the accident is her fault, someone has to pay out of pocket to fix it.  if someone else is at fault of course it's getting fixed.

I'm not necessarily talking a full on accident involving another driver - what happens if she hits a large pot hole too fast and dents a rim? Or what if she's pulling into a parking spot next to some sort of barrier (like the 'cart corral' or a light post) and scraps her bumper or side of the car...  What happens when she and her friends are messing around and someone throws something (it's all in fun!!) and it misses the intended 'victim' and hits the car (maybe putting a a nice dent or large paint chip) into the car?     Or mis- judges backing up/or is at an odd angle backing in  and hits a barrier or a wall (like in a parking garage) and cracks a taillight?         Not really 'accidents' but there is a cost to fix the problem(s).   The rim needs to be replaced - but the other issuses could be lived with OR not.  


(Maybe I just was a crappy teen age driver with really loser friends..... and other kids don't have this kind of stuff happen. 

[wvugurl26]

Yay on her getting a job.

I came away with multiple scholarships on top of a full ride. My guidance counselor was my neighbor and he knew my family's financial situation. A lot of scholarships came into their office and he'd call me down and hand me stuff to apply for. Most of mine came from outside my university though.

[andi9899]

I'll answer all at once since I'm queen of the drive by post.

She is applying at private universities only. I suggested community college for a year or two first and she looked at me like I had 3 heads or something. She is applying for any scholarship she can, both academic and athletic. The plan is to go to school full time and work part time, advancing as she can. She can commute to a couple of the schools she has in mind, but not all.

As far as the insurance, I will make her responsible for the minor things. Big stuff the insurance will take care of for the car. As I will be the agent, I'll be taking care of all that for her. She just needs to make sure her bill is paid. I may help her on some costs, but only if it's earned. She can't expect to run around like a crazy woman and let mom clean up the aftermath.

As far as taxes go, I have no idea. I told her to claim 0 on her witholdings and when I get my taxes done, my tax lady will figure it out to get the most we can back. If that means I cut my kid a check for what I cost her refund wise for me to come out ahead, so be it.

As to letting her drive 5 hours because she can, I don't know. I am a very easy going parent but can be strict too. When she wants to do something she comes to me for permission. We talk about it and decide on rules for where/when/with who and if something happens where she may deviate from that, she calls me. At the end of the day, the final decision is mine. She can be in charge when she is on her own. One of the colleges she wants to go to is 4 hours away so I will have a lot less involvement. I'm sure that will drive me nuts, but I have to let go at some point.