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Post by JustKim on Apr 19, 2016 2:19:27 GMT
I would put around $50 at a time. Closed campus. I could see all purchased done at school and I would monitor it. If they started getting a lot of extras I would talk with them. I also had one son who was buying double lunches and I had to stop that. He was buying for friends that were out of lunch money. Eating fast food everyday is expensive and I would not have given $ for that
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perumbula
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
Jun 26, 2014 18:51:17 GMT
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Post by perumbula on Apr 19, 2016 3:55:16 GMT
My kids don't get lunch money from me because their school doesn't charge for lunch (for anybody.)
When I was in high school my parents gave us what it would cost to eat a standard lunch in the cafeteria. We could use it however we wanted, but if we wanted to eat something that cost more, that came out of our own pockets. I think it's a good way to work it. If your son wants to spend $5-6 a day on lunch he can pay for it out of his own money. There's no reason why you should have to pay extra because he wants to eat out everyday.
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Post by AussieMeg on Apr 19, 2016 3:59:49 GMT
My DD finished school last year, but when I had 2 kids at school they would get money to buy lunch once a week. DD in high school = $6. DS in primary school = approx $4.50 (had to be pre-ordered). Every other day they took a packed lunch to school.
If my kids had refused to take a packed lunch and wanted to buy lunch every day, they'd have to pay for it themselves. I can't afford to be paying for their lunch every day!
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Post by ~summer~ on Apr 19, 2016 4:06:21 GMT
Hot lunch which is quite good - includes salad bar, etc is $5.50.
I give them enough for that plus extra few bucks for brunch. But I have boys that are huge eaters.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,666
Location: Ohio
Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on Apr 19, 2016 6:00:42 GMT
They eat on campus. I just add $100 whenever they her low on funds.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Apr 19, 2016 6:13:17 GMT
We have no school lunches.. so it's bring from home or go hungry. In your situation I would give him enough money to buy school lunches.. if he wants to spend more.. that is on him.
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Rainbow
Pearl Clutcher
Where salt is in the air and sand is at my feet...
Posts: 4,103
Jun 26, 2014 5:57:41 GMT
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Post by Rainbow on Apr 19, 2016 6:35:01 GMT
I'd give him the value of the school lunch in cash and what he does with it is up to him. And eating fast food every day is so unhealthy!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 2, 2024 11:30:46 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2016 10:05:40 GMT
We don't have an open campus so don't have to deal with this thankfully. I'd be a little concerned with fast food everyday, too...on the other hand it's affordable and what teens are generally going to pick anyway whether it's their $$ or mom's!
It sounds like he could really use a job. Is he old enough or able to get one? Or if he receives an allowance then maybe it's time for a discussion with him and give allowance and lunch money at the same time and if he chooses to spend a portion of his allowance to pay for lunches that are more than the cafeteria, that's up to him. I want to make certain my kids are eating lunch every day.
Our high schooler packs lunches but that's a whole other thing because I have to keep a supply of foods she likes, which can be 1/2 the grocery bill if I don't watch it! Over the years we have compromised in that she needs to make do with what we have sometimes unless there are truly no options, which is almost never. Lately she's been baking again, which helps as she has muffins to take so she doesn't go through Lara bars so fast.
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Post by FLA SummerBaby on Apr 19, 2016 11:05:23 GMT
My DD had closed campus lunch so it was either cafeteria food or bring your own lunch. She always preferred to bring lunch, so honestly never had to deal with a "lunch allowance".
Seems reasonable though to give the amount that it would cost to purchase lunch at school (x5 days) and then let him budget it as he chooses. Gives him the option to eat on campus or go off campus and budget with what you give him.
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Post by 2peafaithful on Apr 19, 2016 14:46:29 GMT
I pack my kids lunches. My son hates to buy. 3 kids and I have always packed lunches. 2 have been at private schools and the buy lunches are $$. They are brought in from area food places.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 2, 2024 11:30:46 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2016 15:18:48 GMT
My DD gets $10 for lunch per week. Her daily cost is 1.75, and she is welcome to pack, or eat out, but she only gets 10 a week. It is up to her to use it, or she could pack all 5 days and save it. I think she has yet to choose this route, but she is 15. Time will tell.
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Post by rst on Apr 19, 2016 15:44:23 GMT
Starting when they enter junior high, we set our boys up with a debit account at our credit union. They get a monthly allowance direct deposited to their account which allows them enough to buy school lunches 60% of the time, off campus food maybe 30-40% of the time, or if they choose to pack a lunch more often, they have more cash for other things. If they use it all up at the beginning of the month, then too bad, get a job for those extras or wait until the next deposit. Because it was my expectation that they would be taking food from home a good percentage of the time, we stocked up on easy to carry, popular lunch items -- (staying on campus with a quick lunch was often pragmatically the best choice for study groups or meeting with a teacher, etc)
I really like them using debit cards because it's close to real life as adult experience. There are records we can review if we needed to (not been an issue) and when they have an expense like filling the family car with gas or picking up groceries for me, they just put the the receipt on a clipboard by my desk, and I can transfer the funds into their account.
For the OP -- is he your oldest? If the HS culture is new for your family, maybe find out a bit about what other kids in his friend group are doing. It's hard to be the only kid who doesn't go the the local hang-out spot for lunch. But at the same time, eating fast food every day is expensive and unhealthy and just not a good idea. Sounds like some negotiating and conversation with him are in order. I would't cut off communication by throwing ultimatums or hard figures at him -- that will just feed the obnoxious and entitled attitude. What you really want is open and productive communication leading him to wise choices, so set the conversation up with that in mind.
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