My Parents charge me rent an utilities when i'm only 17 they say it is to teach me responsibility is this ok?

Question

I am responsible i paid $700 to graduate early, i work 55 hours a week at one job an 20 at another an i have always kept this house clean b/c they sit on their butts doing nothing. I bought everything that i own an wear, i have never asked to borrow money i have made it one way or another. An rent in this part of the state is alot cheeper then what i am payin now i have checked into it already. Oh by the way i pay approximately $900

Answer 1

That is RIDICULOUS.
You're still a teenager... you're still growing up. There are other things to be responsible about besides RENT!

Rent is for someone who is 40 years old still living with their parents.

Answer 2

There is fine line between "teaching" and "abusing a situation", and only you can determine if that line as been cross. Alot of people are saying "yay" and "nay" to your situation, but to determine it for yourself, you need to do some compairing. The following is not ment to scare you or tick you off, but help you focus. You have probably all ready done this to some degree in your head, but it is really the only advice I can give that has not all ready been given.

You pay $900 for rent and utilities, work two jobs and clean a house. So far, you sound very responcible and the lesson appears to have been learned. But let's look at the next step.

A cheap but still nice apartment in my parts costs between $550 and $700 and price depends on how many, if any, basic utilities are included in rent. Power, heat, water, and phone are the basic utilities; next level are car payments and gas (assuming you have a car), groceries and housing supplies (trash bags, cleaning sprays, shampoo, etc). Finally cable, cell phone, credit card and internet are extras you may or may not want.

Assume a MINIMUM (which means it can and will be higher) of $50 for each basic bills not covered by your rent, then subtract that from how much you make at work. That number is now how much you have to spend on the final two levels.

Starting out is hectic because if your parents don't let you take "your" furniture with you, that's something else you will have to invest in. Moving is always a hassle, weither you rely on friends with cars/trucks, or hire movers, because you have to pack, move, unpack. However, hassle is just one part of what people like to call "the real world". The trick is to find a place where you feel safe, welcome and can be happy.

Being "responcible" is both easy and hard, for all it really is is the will and drive to do what is expected of you. Maturity is when you take what responcibilities you have, possibly adding more to your list, and do them reguardless of will or drive in order make your life better. A few lines on Yahoo will never give anyone enough information to understand what you go through, and even if you wrote an auto-biography or knew us your whole life, you're experiances are unique to you and no one else. We give advice based on the pieces that we know, but it is you who will have to live with the desicion you make. If you are ready for the next step, walk on.

~~ Abaddon

Answer 3

Well if you have a job some where outside the home to where you are getting paid for it, then I have to say yes it is ok for them to do this. You should not have to pay them much, but yes there is not a thing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, my parents did this to me when I was growing up, what I didn't know was that all the time they were having me give them money, they were saving it for me and when I did move out....I had a little nest egg that helped out get started on. Then I did my daughter the same way. She thought she was helping with the bills and had no problem with it. Then when she moved out, she got her surprise as I handed the money over to her.

Even if your parents don't give you your money back, they are just trying to make you understand how hard this old world really is out there and teaching you to learn how to budget your money.

Answer 4

Of course it's okay. Just be glad they don't own their own business, they can make you work there for free! In all seriousness though it does teach a good lesson. Be grateful they care enough to try to teach you things. I JUST read the rest of the situation. You should have asked if the rate was to high. Which it is. Now it sounds more like your parents are leaching off from you. Move out already and start your own life away from them. I think you will be much happier.

Answer 5

If you are in school, I would say no, but if you are not in school I would say yes. My parents made me get a job and charged me rent because I quit school. It sounds like your parents are using "Old School" methods with you. Just go with the flow man. It will teach you the value of a dollar if it doesn't teach you anything else. Look at it this way. If you were out on your own, it would cost you a hell of a lot more than your parents are charging you now, so feel lucky that you can get out as cheap as you can for now. It's expensive out there in the real world.

Answer 6

Yes, it seems like a good way to make you responsible for yourself. So how much are they charging you for rent and how are you making the money to pay the rent? Do you have a part time job or do they give you money for working around the house?

Answer 7

Sure it's Ok.Let me ask you this. What have you givin them in the last 16 years? It was their responsibility to bring you this far.It's not the money thats the point here.Think what they gave up bring you to where your at.Even if you pay for a few years,it's still a bargain,plus if you want the extras where you feel the money is lost,it will make you think of ways to replace it. They are prepairing you for what they went thru.Learn this lesson,and be thankful their looking out for you. You can never repay them back. Think about it.

Answer 8

I help my mom without thinking it was a problem and I feel so glad that I did this for her and I learn to have responsibility I start working at 13 until I got married. You at an age to help out a little if they need the money or do not need the money

Answer 9

the most important thing is were you earning money when they charged you, if so and if the amount is reasonable then i think is ok. or they charge you because they don't have enough money to raise the family and they want you to help out, in such case i think you should be careful, you should put your study in the first place, don't just quit school and go to work. tell you parents to get allowance from the government and you can work some part-time to help out a bit but not affecting your education.

Answer 10

Yes it's more than just OK!!! Your parents are teaching you at a young age there is no such thing as a free ride!!! Oh by the way -- when I was 17 I was in Viet nam learning what your parents are trying to teach you now it's called RESPONSIBILITY !!!!