Would you charge your parents rent?

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  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 738 Member
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    The answer may be different if the person wasn't obviously financially well off (ie, the couple of hundred dollars would make the difference between feeding the children or not). She raised you, it's only right that u care for her in her old age. If u need any additional incentive, remember ur modeling elderly care for the four children. Do they want their children to charge them rent and act like they r an obligation when their older?
  • be_patient
    be_patient Posts: 186 Member
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    no, mainly because the person is already financially stable. if they weren't, then the answer would change to yes. additionally, your parents have already done more for you than you deserve.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
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    Not for 18 yrs .... then $80/wk. just like I had to pay if I stayed at home after I turned 18 ......

    after all, you have to start teaching them to be responsible at some point ....LOL.....
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    No, they brought me into the world and made sure I had everything. If anything, they deserve something back! :smile:
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    Yes, I would.

    I don't consider myself a cold, heartless *kitten* because of it.
  • Montarosa456
    Montarosa456 Posts: 133
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    This can only go on my own personal feelings/up bringing but no.
    I would really like help with childcare if I was in that situation but rent? Nope...not a penny thanks because they've really done so much for me.
    More than I can ever re pay really :)
  • 2stepscloser
    2stepscloser Posts: 2,900 Member
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    I wouldn't charge rent. Your mother is alone on limited income. She's probably helping watch the kids, laundry, cooking, etc., which alone is payment enough.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    No, I would never charge my parents rent. Even if they had charged me rent when I was younger (which I did with my son). Charging an adult child rent is teaching them how to plan for paying real rent when they finally move out. My parents raised me and provided for me and there's no way in he** I would dream of charging them anything to live with me if they needed to.
  • Unaisha8
    Unaisha8 Posts: 247 Member
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    No way! I would never do that, my parents can stay whenever they want even forever. They did a lot for me when I was a kid and now it's my turn to look after them and provide them with anything they want:
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    i wonder if the NO people are considering what it would do to her confidence and pride.

    it's not true of all mothers but it's true of a lot. sometimes the cruelest thing families do is put their own need to feel kind above an elderly relative's need to feel like a contributer. we all know how uncomfortable it can be to feel indebted to someone, and no amount of assurances eases it.

    If she wants to contribute to rent/bills and can, I'd accept but make it a low amount of money. I'm certainly not going to tell her, "Hey Mom, it's going to be $200 for the spare room, $200 for utilities," My folks never charged me rent when I moved back with them as an adult, though it was agreed that I should chip in when I could.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
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    She's probably helping watch the kids, laundry, cooking, etc., which alone is payment enough.
    feeling obligated to be a live-in nanny/cleaner would suck. and, if she doesn't contribute financially, she may well feel obligated (even if you insist she isn't). paying nominal rent would free her from any feeling of guilt & obligation, leaving her free to actually have a life.
  • glovepuppet
    glovepuppet Posts: 1,710 Member
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    i wonder if the NO people are considering what it would do to her confidence and pride.

    it's not true of all mothers but it's true of a lot. sometimes the cruelest thing families do is put their own need to feel kind above an elderly relative's need to feel like a contributer. we all know how uncomfortable it can be to feel indebted to someone, and no amount of assurances eases it.

    If she wants to contribute to rent/bills and can, I'd accept but make it a low amount of money. I'm certainly not going to tell her, "Hey Mom, it's going to be $200 for the spare room, $200 for utilities," My folks never charged me rent when I moved back with them as an adult, though it was agreed that I should chip in when I could.
    and when you chipped in what you could afford it made you feel better about living with them, right?
  • AlexThreeClaw
    AlexThreeClaw Posts: 73 Member
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    If I were as financially stable as the OP suggests, and it were my mum moving in, then yep. I'd definitely charge a token rent because it would make my mum feel like it was as much her home as possible. Without a fixed rental payment, she'd probably feel like a burden, a charity case even, and I strongly suspect she'd be constantly under my feet trying to "earn" her room and board.

    That said, she'd also get every penny back and then some, in gifts, and spa days, and bribes to take the kids out for a whole day. Just a whole lot of casual "I heard that band you like is holding a concert nearby. Are you going? You can't really afford it? Pssh, nonsense. Here, take this wad of cash and have a good time."
  • britttttx3
    britttttx3 Posts: 458
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    If I was well off financially, and my mom was only recieving money from the government, Hell nah I wouldn't charge her, or my dad. If she wants to help out because that would make her feel better that's fine.
  • Nina1007
    Nina1007 Posts: 150
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    I had to live with my dad for a year after my divorce. My only income was $500/month from child support (until I found a job). He wanted $200/month. So needless to say, I would charge his *kitten* rent. He didn't even pay child support for us kids when we were growing up.

    My mom, I would not charge her rent because she would never ask for a dime from her kids. She just lived to far away otherwise, I would have lived with her when I needed a place.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    I would never charge my parents rent. They didn't charge me rent for the first 18 years of my life, plus all the other stuff they did for me growing up.
    The only situation I could see, would be if a younger, working parent moves in to split rent, to help both parties out.

    But in the OP situation, that is not the case. Let Grandma move in and enjoy her kids and grandkids. She has deserved that.
    She can use her SS to pay her medical bills and personal items she needs.

    If Grandma WANTS to pay rent to she doesn't feel like she is dependent on her child, then let her, but put the money into a savings account in case she has an emergency expense.
  • usernameMAMA
    usernameMAMA Posts: 681 Member
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    Never. Because they are your parents.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
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    Nope. I would have a live in baby sitter.
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Absolutely not. I could not, in good conscious, charge my mother rent to live with us. Knowing my mother (and my MIL really...) they would pitch in with the house, kids, cooking, etc. Even if we didn't ask them to. They raised us to be responsible adults and we are the product of their teachings. It's our responsibility to take care of them when they need it most, just like they did for us.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    No.

    My guess is that she is probably also watching the kids so that right there is payment enough.

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