A few weeks ago when I was home and we were talking about the holidays that were coming up. I said that we should limit gift giving to both Christmas and birthdays to $20/person. I'm turning 20 in less than a week and my sister has a birthday 2 weeks before mine. So me being a cheap bastard I get my sister a $20 birthday present. My parents get her an iPod Nano.

Two weekends ago I was at Sears with my mom (I just needed to buy one thing, I don't usually go to the mall with my mom ) and I told her that I needed a tire pressure gauge for auto-crossing, and said that it could be my birthday present. Basically I thought I'd save her the trouble of having to find something cheap. She bought it right then and there.

Now today my mom told me to check my student account at my college. I noticed that there was a $300 payment. Now I'm trying to be independent and I don't want to take money from my parents, and they know that. That's why my mom deposited the money there, because then we won't get into an argument about it. I don't live at home, but I live in the college dorm, which is 15 minutes from home.

Two questions. I've tried every possible way of telling my parents that I don't want money from them, especially when they're in a lot of debt. They won't listen and they're not letting me grow up. How do I deal with that?

What should I do with the money? Open up online savings account to have money just in case? Put it towards my car loan? Buy textbooks? Buy an OEM front lip?

 

Use it for school expenses. I'm sure your parents are more concerned with your education than your car. $300 should buy almost two textbooks.

 

You gotta look at international editions. Like $20-30 for a new textbook on ebay.

 

just enjoy their generosity. it makes them happy to give you money so in a sense it's rude to deprive them of that joy. besides, you are only 20. you have lots of time to be independent. just finish school, get a good job and you can demonstrate your independence by being generous to your parents by buying THEM things and helping with their debt.

 

take the help while you can trust me

 

how is it rude to not want money from your parents when you don't need it and they do (he said they're in debt)?

how was your mom able to get the money into your account in the first place? my parents don't have access to any of my banking or financial info.

 

well im sure she has his account info for that very reason school payments monthly

 

$300 is a lot of Busch Light. Think about it.

 

It was my school account. My mom works in the accounting department of the school I go to.

 

I don't drink.