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Tips for controlling teen spending?

Honestly, I think you should talk to your parents. I understand your need for independence, but frankly, it seems that you have tried solving it but failed miserably. Tell your parents that every payday, they have to ask you for $300. Then they can put it into an account that you have no access to. This way, you will have no opportunity to spend that $300 or have access to it later.
Also, consider looking into RESP. It is usually started much earlier, but I don't think there is an age limit as long as you still have not graduated high school.
 
CorvusCamenarum said:
I'd hire a kid that put that on his resume. It shows initiative and that you're a self-starter. Use your customers for references.

And it may sound snobbish, but find out if your parents have any friends that need help in the office. You'd already have a foot in the door as it were.
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wow, i cant beleive i havnt thought of putting that on my applications lol. Thanks.

on the help thing, my sister works at a store around here, and my aunt works for the corporate offices as IT, still couldnt get a job there.
 
As an 18-year old college student, I believe you simply needed to learn budgeting.

At 13 years my parents gave me a bank account, and taught me to categorize everything I earned into three categories: free spending, charity, and savings (for college). They made me have a 40% - 20% - 40% allotment ratio. Anything in my spending account is available to spend at any time. Neither of the two other categories ever are. I've always stuck to those categories 100% (they taught me honesty as well). They also taught me how to use Quicken on my Mac and taught me to record everything I spend, and check it with my bank statements; ect.

Plain and simple, your parents needed to teach you how to budget your money. It's not too late, but it's gonna be a lot harder without their help.
 
oh yea, if your going to use itunes, fill ur account up to a predetermined amount (say, 30 ish?) and allow yourself to empty it only once a month.
 
Ok i know I was harsh the first time but I still think you are blowing your money way to badly. You need to talk to your parents because you have noself control. Just because you have money does not mean you can spend it. It will screw you over.

I personally am trying to get my spending under more control as I am burning away my income. I still with in my means but burning the ability to save.

First thing I did made the saving account off limits for spending. 2nd thing I did was keep my checking account artificially low so mentally I have to watch my bills. Mind you artificially low for me is under $2000 at the start of the month which is unconformable for me. Now i have a much larger income than you do but I also have a job and have to cover my own bills.

I consider saving a bill and I put a 100 a week into my savings (auto transfer) that is a bill. After that I save what I can. I pulled out of the "extra" savings to pay for a trip. The 100 a week in savings came in handy for my car and some dental work that I required. I pulled the extra I needed from 100 a week bill.

This advice i put up has allowed me in a matter of 7 months build up a over a 3 months reserve in current life style living cost (about 6 grand)

Now I am trying to keep building up that reserve at a slower pass while I divert some of the money over save up for a new car and a new bike but still building up the reserve at a 100 a week and I plan on to continue doing 10% gross for as long as I can because I know later in life I will not have as much free income and it is a life saver in case something bad goes wrong.
 
Why not ask your parents to open up a savings account in your name and write them checks, that way you'll have no excuse to take that money out.

Although I'm as guilty as you are, I have a well paying (and fun) job, very few obligations, don't mind getting myself nice presents every once in a while, just live within your means AFTER putting money aside and you'll be golden, no sense in hoarding it either.
 
What I do is think of what it is I am saving for and think of how happy I will be when I get it and how much fun I will have with it... Then it makes me wanna keep savin'

You think you have it bad but no, I cant spend anything for 4 years!!!
 
Take out $50-70 for the week, put it into your wallet, and keep your bank card at home. Perhaps take out $100 per week just to be on the safe side. If you don't spend it, then great. If you spend it all, then you limited yourself to $100.
 
NT1440 said:
I dont understand why people that recognize a certain flaw, in this case spending, think they cant simply end it, especially when its as easy as not buying things.

But good for you on getting a job. Im 17 and its been rediculously hard looking for a job, an ENTRY LEVEL job for christs sakes. Ill be your freaking whipping boy for minimum wage, just give me the freakin chance! I was turned down 4 times in a week due to "cutbacks, not having the certain time slots, waiting for applications to be reviewed". Entry level jobs should not be hard to come by no matter what state the economy is in, you will always need someone to do the "bitchwork".
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sorry, but... the most sane folks usually get the pointy end of the stick. (due to basic social psychology)
 
Bring your own lunch, don't bring any money to school with you at all. 15 bucks a day on lunch? I'd stop for your own health more than anything else.
 
blairbeckwith said:
I currently make about $600/month through my part time job...

... $15 lunch every day at school for a week. It's just out of control.
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blairbeckwith said:
At 16, besides my phone bill ($85/month, which I do pay for myself), I have no bills. if I bank half of my income, which is what I'm supposed to do, that leaves me with $215/month of disposable income. I think I can afford some stuff off iTunes.
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So you not planning on having lunch?
 
Lower your phone bill. If you're on an iPhone I recommend getting the EPP 17.30 plan, $30/6GB data, and $15 Smartphone Value Pack. Boom, savings right there.

(I'm 15 and thankfully I don't pay my phone bill until next year when our contract with Bell expires)
 
Honestly the best thing to do is write down everything you spend money on. Its kind of like when you want to lose weight and diet/change your lifestyle you must log everything to figure out where you made a mistake.

I can be completely honest with you guys. I come from a well-off family (I'm sure some others on here as well are too) and I have never had to work for a penny - I'm not saying this because I'm proud, but because I have learned a lesson. Luckily I never had to worry about saving for college, no worries about if I can eat out for lunch/dinner, go out with friends. My parents would buy me things and give me money without questions, but I would be honest with them and tell them I'm going to the movies, I'm going to buy jeans, whatever it was.

This summer I took on my first job ever and I can't tell you how good it feels to have finally saved up. I put 50% in savings. I was also able to buy my own iMac, PS3, Canon XSi, and give my family members gifts each $~150. I walked into the bank and created my own savings account with 2% interest. If I spent money from there I would get charged - you don't want to get money taken away from a savings account!

Sorry for rambling but for you I would suggest:
1. Write down EVERYTHING you spend money on - I find this is the hardest to do when using Cash - I like debit/credit so its printed on a statement. But if its cash, save the receipt, come home and Excel it.
2. Categorize/examine what is important.
3. Talk to you parents and set up a savings account which they can access.
4. Eliminate your iPhone apps! Like stick with the free apps, I have probably spent $5 on apps total and have over 15 that I'm perfectly happy with! There is always an equivalent free version.
5. For music, use Youtube to listen to songs. If you need it for your phone - pick the ones you like the best and limit yourself.
6. iTunes in general - I did this for my 14 yr old cousin - buy Gift Cards and load up about ~$50 (whatever fits your budget after categorizing and reviewing your NEEDS vs WANTS). Remove your credit card info from iTunes and just use the Gift Card balance! **Very important**
7. Take lunch from home. Even if you pay for your own food, buy groceries, its cheaper in terms of more meals for less $$. You can always treat yourself to a lunch during the week and include that in your budgeting!

Once again sorry for the long post and Good Luck!
 
When you get your bank or credit cards sign up for mint.com. I'm not affiliated, but I use it exclusively for my tracking. Updates whenever you sign in and categorizes everything you spend money on and your budget.
 
I agree with whats being said above re: budgeting.

Here is something to consider: this is a crucial skill you are going to need when you leave your parents house.

When you're on your own, **** can go wrong very quickly. Intelligent spending can mitigate the damage when something happens (you get laid off, you get hurt badly, your rent goes up).

It is critical that you learn this now. If you do, I guarantee that you will be more successful and have a better quality of life down the road.
 
wvuwhat said:
When you get your bank or credit cards sign up for mint.com. I'm not affiliated, but I use it exclusively for my tracking. Updates whenever you sign in and categorizes everything you spend money on and your budget.
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Does it work in Canada?
 
nick9191 said:
Bring your own lunch, don't bring any money to school with you at all. 15 bucks a day on lunch? I'd stop for your own health more than anything else.
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you can save so much money by bringing your own lunch. plus it'll be easier to get access to better, healthier foods
 
Abstract said:
Take out $50-70 for the week, put it into your wallet, and keep your bank card at home. Perhaps take out $100 per week just to be on the safe side. If you don't spend it, then great. If you spend it all, then you limited yourself to $100.
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And hopefully when the OP actually hands over that $100 bill to the cashier s/he realizes how much money that is and what it is going to.

I always use cash for pretty much everything. I only have 1 credit card and 1 atm/debt. That's it. And even they hardly get used.
 
I learnt to control my spending the fairly-hard-way. When there was something I really wanted but couldn't afford I'd be disappointed and everything I'd spent my spare cash on looked irrelevant in comparison. I've subsequently become very frugal; with most larger purchases making me cringe.

Though I'm sure this wouldn't work for everyone, so its not exactly recommended (besides, I wasn't aware of it at the time so to speak).

The segmenting percentage idea sounds like a great one. You could probably split it in a way you consider suitable, but from what I've read, telling your parents also seems a wise choice.
 
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