FenTiger

Shortly after starting my first job in UK in 1976 when I got my first wage I was a bit horrified my mother asked me for bed and board from the date I first started working. I'd have preferred a first free month but no it never happened.
Why mention this ... Hungarian sister-in-law popped round and we got into a conversation about bed and board. Her response was her two sons pay nothing! Ah, but I remember they bought eldest son a car when he was at university. My perspective is it was a 'keep up with the joneses' thing! Yup, both parents got good jobs, albeit at same university as their son. Eldest son moved to Budapest aged 30 ... yup, got abit of a shock paying rent plus her food. Contrast my experience I left home 25 years old, one year later moved to London, yes, always a struggle but I always found the money for a good social life.
Obviously my situation is different... my parents were low skilled workers, hungarian sister-in-law and husband university educated and working there too.
In addition I believe what's influenced sister-in-law and husband is a university colleague's son committed suicide. Don't get me wrong a very good ex-colleague of mine committed suicide ... sorry correction .... under dubious sexual activities related to hanging for .... hope you get it.
Still at end of the day .... I think it's normal kids contribute to bed and board.

scrubbedexpat142

Times change Nick!

My first job was in my 17th year, earning £10 / week gross. Net, just under £9.
My Mother (immediately) demanded £8 board & lodging. Didn't leave much!

ETA: £8 then is (apparently) £120 today!

FenTiger

My Hungarian wife mentioned she never contributed to bed and board .... hahaha ....I've been paying her equivalent for years! My Hungarian wife knows and has offered to contribute to our Hungarian house purchase, plus renovations but I've still said no way. In short I unexpectedly made huge profit from my first property in UK. One thing I found quite offensive when I showed friends photos of outside my 1st property they said it was council or social housing accommodation! It had never been either but strictly private. I bought it with 977 years leasehold! Nuff said!

Sachina

When I was 12 years old my parents gave me an allowance of £2 a month out of which I was expected to save 5 shillings, pay for all my clothes and and anything else I wanted, All my entertainment like the cinema etc and my holiday spending money. When I started work at 17 but still living at home, I had to give half my weekly salary to my mother for board and lodging and was still expected to put aside a sum each week as savings. When I married at 21 I had enough saved to put a hefty deposit on our first house.

Both my sons left home at the age of 18 so I've never had to ask them to pay board and lodgings but the couple of times I lived with them for around 6 months I insisted I pay my share. Plus I took pleasure in spoiling my two grandchildren by treating them whenever we went out together.

FenTiger

Very interesting reading. I'm still surprised my nephews, 26 and 30(now living in Budapest), here never contributed to bed and board. I cannot fathom why because at the end of the day being asked to contribute from their work wages helps them manage their money better in the long term.