My lovely grand-daughter

Young people do need to learn to budget. And to get the work ethic..ie if I need money I need to work! Luckily my DDs were always able to get Saturday & holidav jobs. 13 yr old DGD is already planning where she would like to apply to work when she is old enough. It is an attitude that needs actively encouraging! nananina just asking her to do your ironing in the hols or similar as a payback for the extra payments demonstrates you are not the lottery!

Wow she is a lucky girl to have that spending money. I do think it's good for them to have some fun while young but also, they really need to be learning how to budget a bit. That is what leaving home is all about in my opinion.

She really needs to control her spending a bit now, as next autumn I assume she may move into a shared flat? Then there will be a lot more budgeting called for. Long term it's a kindness to make her start to live within her means.

How you approach that without getting her back up is the question. Maybe you could give the amount early this month but say, for her own good, that's the last time, and she must cut back a bit. Difficult.

The start of term is often the most expensive time - new courses and a lot of costs need to be paid upfront - books, possibly bus passes, clubs etc need to be paid for and can be very expensive. Sometimes the loan/grant payments do not come through until a week or two after they start which added to Christmas spending can make January a very lean month

My dd started university last autumn - I said I would buy the compulsory books for her first term and ended up with a bill of almost £400. She also has a back problem and needs to swim regularly - the cheapest way of doing it is to buy a term pass but that costs £50.

Arrange a visit which will fit in with her lectures and life and have a good chat about anything and everything, that's what I would do.
If she is having a problem managing suggest a part time job both my children worked thru Uni.
She will get to meet people from all works of life.
She will come out of Uni a different person, confident and ready to meet the world both mine did.

Thanks again - some interesting replies. I suspect the money is going on food which of course is essential - she is vegan and doesn't eat a lot, but otherwise I think it's nights out, clubs drinks, take away and cab back to Uni and apparently that would blow a big hole in £100. She talks to me about what she's up to and recently said she only went out 1 night a week and 2 nights tops. Then she said she was well below average for nights so I asked what she did in Uni when she wasn't out and she knows me well enough to know that I'd be worrying she was all alone and so she said "Don't worry nan I only said well below average so you wouldn't worry! I didn't ask how many night.

Someone asked about rent when they are in a student house share next academic year and I've no idea. There was a grant for accommodation and living expenses until 2017 and then it got converted to a loan - it's £4,250 - have no idea how that works and whether sh'll be able to use some of it for rent and bills.

I think she's been out on the lash a few more times than her budget would stretch to, that's all.

I wouldn't worry.

Yes Muffin I agree! And when my sons were Uni students I did fork out a fair amount over time but couldn't afford what I give DGD. They both had part time jobs too and always drank beer in the Students Union bar, whereas madam goes to clubs with her friend and they drink cocktails and vodka!!