# Living at home, how much to give up?



## Homebody (5 Jun 2009)

I will soon be moving back to my parents house due to changing jobs.  I have asked my mother how much money I should give her every week to cover myself and she said whatever suits myself.  I might have one meal with the family at weekends but otherwise I will be buying and cooking my own food.  How much do people that are living at home generally give their parents every week?


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## sam h (5 Jun 2009)

It really depends on your circumstances & that of your parents.  
 - are you stuck for cash, are you saving for a house? Then maybe below the going rate for renting a room in your area
 - are your parents stuck for cash, will you mum be doing your washing? If so, you should pay the normal rent.


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## BoscoTalking (5 Jun 2009)

Sister moved out recently - it costs her 100pw  for the roof, and food light and heat are extra now.
When she was living at home she handed up 60e and it was a sweet deal, dinners when she rang to put her name in the pot, wake up call, free heat and electric and in return she paid up 60e PW and the odd ESB bill here and there if it was on the table and she was in town. If mum borrowed her car for an errand it came back full of petrol as parents dote on their youngest   both are pensioners.


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## ney001 (5 Jun 2009)

Homebody said:


> I will soon be moving back to my parents house due to changing jobs.  I have asked my mother how much money I should give her every week to cover myself and she said whatever suits myself.  I might have one meal with the family at weekends but otherwise I will be buying and cooking my own food.  How much do people that are living at home generally give their parents every week?





When I was living at home, I handed up a quarter of my earnings


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## TLC (5 Jun 2009)

What ever you contribute make sure you apply for the tax relief under the "rent a room schem" as far as I'm aware it won't affect your parents tax status - depending on amount paid & claimed


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## mf1 (5 Jun 2009)

TLC said:


> What ever you contribute make sure you apply for the tax relief under the "rent a room schem" as far as I'm aware it won't affect your parents tax status - depending on amount paid & claimed



I don't think you can apply this if its inter family and the family home?

mf


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## allthedoyles (5 Jun 2009)

TLC said:


> What ever you contribute make sure you apply for the tax relief under the "rent a room schem" as far as I'm aware it won't affect your parents tax status - depending on amount paid & claimed


 
I may be wrong , but I understood that sons and daughters cannot claim 'rent a room relief'..Below is excerpt from revenue.ie 

*Note: *​​​​*for 2007 and following years 'rent-a-room' relief cannot be granted to*
*individuals in respect of accomodation provided by parents for their own*
*children. In circumstances where there are non-connected persons paying*
*rent for rooms in the family home, these payments will still qualify for*​
*'rent-a-room' relief.*


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## samanthajane (5 Jun 2009)

How much do you think you would be able to pay? 

Just remember not to go to far. 

I had my mum living with me for nearly 2 years. I love her to bits of course but when she first moved in she wasn't working so the topic of helping out of wasn't mentioned. 

For most of the time it wasn't a problem, but there were a few times i really could of done with her help, but i always felt awkward about approaching the subject with her. As more time went by the harder is was. 

Thinking back i should of just come out and said " mum since your working full time now and getting a good wage is there anyway could could help out with rent bills ect"

Set an agreed amount wht you both think is fair and there's no harm when the gas bill comes to throw a couple of pennies towards it.


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## becky (5 Jun 2009)

When I first started working I was let off for a year - now my wage was £60 a week in 1989.

I'd think at least a €100 a week and pay the esb and/or sky.


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## GreenQueen (5 Jun 2009)

When I was living at home I was expected (like another poster) to hand up a percentage of my net weekly earnings.  My parents set it at 30% thinking that I would have to set that amount aside in the future if I decided to rent or take out a mortgage.  It was a great learning experience and I got used to not having that amount of money and budgeting around it.


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## samanthajane (5 Jun 2009)

I think 100 a week is more than fair. If can afford to pay the esb/sky bill every time it comes in then thats fine, otherwise just throwing a bit towards it would still be reasonable


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## NickyK (5 Jun 2009)

My bother recently split up with his partner so ended up moving home. He gives my mother 60e a week and he has everything handed to him (jammy sod).


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## Guest110 (6 Jun 2009)

If you come out with on average 500 a week, i think it is fair to give 150 a week to go towards all bills and food !

Anything less - its taking advantage on parents that dont have it!


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## papervalue (6 Jun 2009)

€100 a week or take responsibilty for certain bills up to value of €400 a month eg esb/ rubbish/ tv licence/ phone/ broadband/ oil heating/ donation to weekly shop/ hygeine products etc


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## Mauri (6 Jun 2009)

Our son still lives at home. Hands up €600 a month. Pays for sport and movies on NTL, shares cost of broad band. Does n't use our land line phone. Gives us a couple of hundred €'s when going on holls and is all around generous. Does his own washing would cook for all of us if I was n't around.

However I have a relation who has three daughters in professional well paid jobs and she won't take any housekeeping money from them. She prefers to see them fly off to the states to buy designer gear. Parents are not particularly well off. She does everything for them God help them when they enter the real world.


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## theresa1 (1 May 2012)

Anybody care to suggest what a daughter or son living at home now in an average job should hand up? Please include in the figure -food,gas, electricity and washing clothes.


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## alexandra123 (1 May 2012)

I remember watching Eddie Hobbs last year and he said someone living at home should be giving up 600 euro a month or their about but definitely not less.


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## Sue Ellen (2 May 2012)

I think €100 would be fair per week.


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## Newbie! (2 May 2012)

Sue Ellen said:


> I think €100 would be fair.


Per week?


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## dmos87 (2 May 2012)

I think the best thing the OP can do is take a look on Daft for average room rental prices in the area. She / he should be looking to match this, and of course contribute a fair share to bills. As long as the figure is something both parties are happy with and in agreement from the get-go.

The reason I say this is* if* the OP is not in a city location (might be rural), rent may be significantly less. We also do not know the reason for returning to the family home (saving for mortgage, clearing debt, could be anything) and so this would need to be taken into consideration. 

If for example the OP would be contributing 400-500 a month to the family home, but can rent a room locally for 280 a month (a price I paid from 2007 onwards), financially they may be best off not to return home.


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## dmos87 (2 May 2012)

alexandra123 said:


> I remember watching Eddie Hobbs last year and he said someone living at home should be giving up 600 euro a month or their about but definitely not less.


 

Not to be funny, but a friend works a 45 hour week on her feet in bar and catering, and this amount equals half of her take home pay. It is cheaper to rent a room elsewhere than it would be to hand this amount over for some.


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## michaelm (9 May 2012)

ney001 said:


> When I was living at home, I handed up a quarter of my earnings


Me too (but after I deducted bus fare and lunch money).


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## rustbucket (10 May 2012)

Why dont you discuss it with your parents again and ask them what they would consider fair. 

Most people continue to live at home or move back home as they either cant afford to move out or they are saving etc. Maybe to get their own place.

Any people I know still living at home, and indeed myself when I lived at home, paid at most about €100 a week.  This was when I was in my first job out of college or based on the notion that I was saving for something.

It really depends on your own financial circumstances and that of your parents.

For example if you were lucky enough to  be earning €50k per year or more I would think that €100 per week at home would not be enough.


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## Leper (13 May 2012)

rustbucket said:


> Why dont you discuss it with your parents again and ask them what they would consider fair.
> 
> Most people continue to live at home or move back home as they either cant afford to move out or they are saving etc. Maybe to get their own place.
> 
> ...


 
Well said, the question answered decently and the post is good among many who would look for any excuse to pay nothing.


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