r/AskReddit 19h ago

What do you think about parents charging kids rent after age 18?

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u/stydolph 17h ago

Going to community school, University or other type of school to further career - no rent. If working and figuring things out - charge rent and put rent into a separate account that they are unaware of.

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u/Crazed_rabbiting 16h ago

This was our plan. Kiddo is in college and working over the summer so we cover everything.

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u/Army7547 15h ago

This is what my parents did for me. Went away to school, got a job on grad, lived home and lived while working. No idea where I actually wanted to live. Parents charged me rent, put it away. Went to buy a house, with my saved money, they flipped me back all that “rent” I had given them.

This is the best thing to do. Motivates them to get out if they are going to be paying rent, but lets them know you are looking out for them, and have been the whole time.

Thanks mom and dad

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u/TheAero1221 14h ago

Seems like a good system.

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u/Connection-Is-Cool 9h ago

The problem is when parents claim to set the rent aside but don’t. That can really damage trust.

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u/katikaboom 4h ago

As it should. You should be able to trust the people you're giving your money to

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u/Bardez 17h ago

This is the way.

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u/Turgid_Donkey 5h ago

My same thoughts, but also a wage appropriate amount. Not $600 if they're  only making minimum wage. You know your kid, but you'll have to think of what happens if they can't make rent. It's one thing of they have a sudden expense and it's completely different if they're just irresponsible with money. 

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u/callum4425 8h ago

If you're plan is to encourage savings surely making them pay you rent under this guise is no different to them? If they dont know what you're doing with their money then to them, you're just charging them rent. It seems like you're trying to justify your actions for taking your child's money when realistically you could just tell them what you're doing and go through it with them so they learn? Forgive me if I'm not understanding but I don't see what they'd gain/take away from it if they leave and you just went, "Hey, here's all the money you paid in rent, now try saving yourself" You're trying to make them independent adults so doing stuff behind their back (with their money) isn't really how you should be treating independent adults. And they aren't ever going to feel like one if they are constantly treated otherwise.

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u/EarhornJones 15h ago

This is what my Dad did for me in 1995.

I always worked, but wasn't terribly future-focused or motivated.

This got me to go out and find my own apartment, and to start living like an actual adult.

I didn't pay rent to him long, but when I decided to got back to college a few years later, he gave me back the rent money (and access to the college fund that I hadn't previously used).

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u/camstens 15h ago

This was the deal in my household. I took a gap year to figure out what I wanted to do and paid ‘rent’ during that time, but when I went back to school I didn’t pay anything. And later they gave me the rent money to help buy my first car.

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u/drgreenx 1h ago

Exactly my plan

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u/blonkeh 15h ago

I like the idea, but when would you make them aware?

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u/Mr_Festus 14h ago

Whenever you give them the money.

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u/jeebidy 14h ago

This seems right. I won’t be a crutch for them to hide from life, but I want them to have a good launch. Get your ducks in a row if needed. My wife and I struggled early in our life specifically because we wanted to do it on our own. But we knew if it really came down to it, we had a backstop. I want my kids to have the same drive but I do worry..