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20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences
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20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences

Interview 20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have ConsequencesParents Teach Son A Lesson After He Spent All His College Money On TravelingParents Show Son That Actions Have Consequences After He Spent All His College Money On TravelingDad Teaches Privileged Son A Lesson After He Blows His College Fund On TravellingDad Refuses To Help His Son Out With Tuition Costs After He Spent His College Funds On TravelingDad Gives Son His College Fund, He Spends It On Traveling, Dad Refuses To Pay For His School20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences20 Y.O. Spends All His College Money On Traveling, Parents Show Him That Actions Have Consequences
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College funds are a great way to save up for a kid’s education, as you will not need to worry about affording it and it will not be so ‘painful’ financially to collect money. However, college funds do not always go towards actually paying tuition. Parents give this money to kids because when they turn 18 years old, the money is theirs. However, as you may think, 18 Y.O. adults sometimes can make mistakes, especially after receiving a large amount of money with which they can literally do whatever they want.

More info: Reddit

Traveling is also a nice kind of investment, though when choosing between college and traveling, it’s important to think through the outcomes

Image credits: olia danilevich (not the actual photo)

Dad ponders if he is being a jerk for refusing to pay for son’s education after he blew his college fund on traveling

Image credits: u/Ornery-Cranberry7577

Image credits: Chanka Madushan Sugathdasa (not the actual photo)

When their son was 18 Y.O., his parents gave him his college fund which he could spend however he wanted, knowing consequences

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Image credits: u/Ornery-Cranberry7577

Image credits: Nicola Barts (not the actual photo)

The 18 Y.O. spent the money on traveling; however, 2 years later, he wishes to go to school

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Image credits: u/Ornery-Cranberry7577

However, his dad instructed him that as he spent his college fund, now he has to earn his own money to pay tuition

A few days ago, one Reddit user asked one of the harshest community’s members if he was being a jerk for refusing to pay for his son’s college tuition after he blew his money when he was 18 Y.O. despite being able to afford it. The post got a lot of attention and in just 3 days it received almost 11K upvotes and more than 4.2K comments.

The author of this story starts by explaining that at 18 Y.O., their son got his college fund. As an adult, he was informed of the intent of what this money was for, but his parents didn’t police him over it, because at the end of the day, it was his money and he could use it however he wanted, keeping in mind the consequences. 

However, now, 2 years later, the guy wants to go to school and asked his parents to pay for the tuition. However, knowing where he blew his money, his father said no and if he wants to go to study, he needs to get a job. In the later edit, OP added that he is not a monster and if his son had informed him that he wanted to travel, he would have given him money.

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The community members defended the author and gave him the ‘Not the A-hole’ badge. However, they discussed that 18 Y.O. is not old enough to make smart decisions. “One of the best things a parent can do is pass down financial literacy to their child,” one user wrote. “Pretty dumb for giving him the money and letting him do whatever with it with no guidance, but NTA for not paying for his tuition now,” another added.

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

Bored Panda got in touch with Samantha, who is a parental blogger and founder of Walking Outside in Slippers. She kindly agreed to share her insights regarding how parents can approach discussing financial decisions with kids and offer guidance but still let kids make their own choices.

“In my experience with my own kids, an appreciation for money and budgeting starts young with allowance and setting savings goals,” Samantha starts. She says that her kids have chores they are expected to do each week to earn their allowance and they have their own kid-friendly debit cards they can use to buy something. “When there is a toy or video game they want, we encourage them to save up enough money to buy that item.”

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Samantha emphasizes that even though she and her husband reward their kids with a small toy or something else for accomplishments such as good grades, they try to leave the major spoiling to the grandparents. But in addition to this, they often talk about the importance of college for them and being self-reliant as adults.

Moreover, she shared that parents can do all they can to try to shelter kids from mistakes, but they are still bound to make many. “I believe learning from your choices, good and bad, is a crucial part of maturing. When parenting our kids, my husband and I stick to putting focus on the most important life lessons. Being kind, fair and honest, especially. With a strong core moral compass, I believe the other pieces will eventually fall into place.”

So long story short, kids are going to make mistakes, but they will learn from them. It’s important to provide kids with guidance and share suggestions from personal experiences. However, what do you think about this story? Did this father do the right thing or is he being too harsh?

Redditors backed up the father, but emphasized that it’s important to teach kids financial literacy

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Austėja Bliujūtė

Austėja Bliujūtė

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Hey there! I'm Austeja, a writer with a knack for capturing everything from family dramas to the latest meme trends at Bored Panda. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in business management, I blend expertise with creativity to deliver engaging articles. I love spicing up my pieces with insights from experts in the industry, ensuring the readers get interesting information. When I'm not typing away, you can find me jet-setting to sunny destinations, hunting for the perfect palm-fringed oasis, enjoying leisurely brunches with friends or binging various TV shows!

Read less »
Austėja Bliujūtė

Austėja Bliujūtė

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Hey there! I'm Austeja, a writer with a knack for capturing everything from family dramas to the latest meme trends at Bored Panda. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in business management, I blend expertise with creativity to deliver engaging articles. I love spicing up my pieces with insights from experts in the industry, ensuring the readers get interesting information. When I'm not typing away, you can find me jet-setting to sunny destinations, hunting for the perfect palm-fringed oasis, enjoying leisurely brunches with friends or binging various TV shows!

Monika Pašukonytė

Monika Pašukonytė

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

Read less »

Monika Pašukonytė

Monika Pašukonytė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I am a visual editor here. In my free time I enjoy the vibrant worlds of art galleries, exhibitions, and soulful concerts. Yet, amidst life's hustle and bustle, I find solace in nature's embrace, cherishing tranquil moments with beloved friends. Deep within, I hold a dream close - to embark on a global journey in an RV, accompanied by my faithful canine companion. Together, we'll wander through diverse cultures, weaving precious memories under the starry night sky, fulfilling the wanderlust that stirs my soul.

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Tyke
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can't make my mind up on this one, however, it does bug me that he says he made his son save up for a car, and once he had told him to keep the money and bought him a car anyway. So sent the message that he will bail him out... this Dad is a bit confusing

Ron Baza
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Save up and I’ll reward you,” isn’t the same message as “P**s the money down the toilet and I’ll bail you out”.

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Alyssa Phillips
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it depends on the child. My son has an extremely large sum of money coming towards him because of an insurance settlement, and I am well aware that he will have very poor judgment. Despite all of our financial input, he is not financially savvy. So we are in discussions now on how to deal with that. A large sum of money to anyone, much less than 18-year-old, can be very overwhelming.

Sarah nashold
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could it be in a trust so he can onky take out ao much at a time unless it's for a home ir something?

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Ace
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The last comment in the article says it all really "pretty dumb for giving him the money".

XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

17 1/2, "You're my kid you'll do as I say because you're too immature." 18: "Go away, you're an adult, I'll not help with any mistake!"

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Load More Comments
Tyke
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can't make my mind up on this one, however, it does bug me that he says he made his son save up for a car, and once he had told him to keep the money and bought him a car anyway. So sent the message that he will bail him out... this Dad is a bit confusing

Ron Baza
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Save up and I’ll reward you,” isn’t the same message as “P**s the money down the toilet and I’ll bail you out”.

Load More Replies...
Alyssa Phillips
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it depends on the child. My son has an extremely large sum of money coming towards him because of an insurance settlement, and I am well aware that he will have very poor judgment. Despite all of our financial input, he is not financially savvy. So we are in discussions now on how to deal with that. A large sum of money to anyone, much less than 18-year-old, can be very overwhelming.

Sarah nashold
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could it be in a trust so he can onky take out ao much at a time unless it's for a home ir something?

Load More Replies...
Ace
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The last comment in the article says it all really "pretty dumb for giving him the money".

XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

17 1/2, "You're my kid you'll do as I say because you're too immature." 18: "Go away, you're an adult, I'll not help with any mistake!"

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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