Being disabled and having raised my son on my own for much of the past 20yrs (he's now 24), I've been really open with him since he was about 9 about finances because sometimes in the supermarket I couldn't press the buttons on the chip&pin machine and I had to ask him to do it, so he's always known my pin no.
He always helped me around the house with cooking, cleaning, laundry etc and I made sure to give him a much as I could afford to (as well as emotionally) as a way to thank him for making my life a little easier.
When he was about 10, he regularly asked for computer games when we were out shopping and at £35-50 each, I felt he needed to know that he couldn't have one 'every' week. That was when we sat down and I showed him my monthly budget, explaining that everyone needs to know how to control moneyand I started giving him a substantial monthly allowance from which he had to buy games, sweets, clothes (except school uniform and special outfits) himself. He soon realised that he couldn't afford everything he wanted immediately and that he needed to budget and save.
Many times over the years he's said how much he appreciates me having done this with him and he's really good at managing his money and finding bargains.
We're now discussing my finances in a lot more detail because I'm about to arrange a Financial Lasting Power of Attorney, which will give him authority to look after this for me. He already has access to and authority to talk to certain companies (like utility providers) on my behalf but I am conscious that in time I may need these arrangements to be put on a more official footing, which is why we're looking at it now so that something is put in place whilst I'm still managing to do things myself before it becomes an emergency situation.
Please help! (grandchild being locked in bedroom)


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