A
male
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Paying parents, i have 4 brothers and we all still live at home. Mum has always worked out how much we should each pay towards living expenses. Mum has always said that however many of us there are we should pay the same percentage of our wages. So i pay my Mum 1/7 th of my wages. Same applies to all of us regardless of how much we earn. My youngest brother has just started an apprenticeship and doesn't earn much and mum lets him get away with not giving her anything. I don't think this if fair do you? Reply to this Question
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female
reader, aunt honesty  +, writes (24 March 2016):
 I think you should be happy for your brother. He is not earning a lot therefore your mother doesn't want to take money from him. That is her choice. There is no point you feeling jealous because it will make you look immature and petty. At the end of the day you are at an age now where you could be fending for yourself, and believe me that would cost more than 1/7th of your wages. So instead of worrying about what your brother is doing, I suggest that you are thankful to your mother for having you still under her roof and looking after you for a little money.
A
female
reader, Honeypie  + ♥, writes (24 March 2016):
 I think it's up to your parents. 100%
I didn't pay "rent" till after I turned 18 (and I worked from age 12, after school).
I do think it's a good idea of teaching your kids that with adulthood comes responsibilities, such as rent, utilities etc.
If he get a very little paycheck while in his apprenticeship I can see why your parents are OK with him not paying, YET. Maybe they want him to have a taste of his "own" money before suggesting he has to pay rent.
I say TRUST your parents to figure this out. After all.... that is their job, not yours.
IF you think it's unfair, then there is always the option of suggesting it to your brother... or you, moving out. Paying 100% for yourself.
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A
female
reader, CindyCares  +, writes (24 March 2016):
 I agree with jls022. The concept of sharing financial responsibilities equally is fine, but it needs to be applied with a pinch of salt, i.e. to all the siblings who, by age and income, are supposed to be economically indipendent ,or almost there
In other words, to those who COULD, sort of,more or less, live on their own,although very frugally, yet are still under their parents' roof.
If you had a child brother who gets 5 £ a month as allowance, or the occasional money gift from grandma, you would not demand, hopefully ,that he pooled in his 1/7 of income ,right ?
Your brother is , I imagine , very young, maybe still a minor, and anyway he is just starting out and trying to make his way in the world somehow, and he can use a little respite from financial pressure , until his working position improves ; which is what your mother is giving him. Try and be supportive of his efforts and progresses, rather than counting the pennies in his pocket.
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A
female
reader, jls022 +, writes (24 March 2016):
While I can see where you are coming from, in the UK the minimum wage for someone in the first year of an apprenticeship is £3.30. The current UK minimum wage for everyone else up to the age of 20 is £5.30 and the living wage is £8.25, but unfortunately these don't apply to apprenticeships which means companies can (and do) hugely underpay their staff.
In real terms, that means even if he works a full 35 hour week, he will only get £115 and that's before any contributions he may have to pay (pension/national insurance etc). That wage wouldn't even cover my current commuting costs in the UK so there's a good chance he doesn't have very much money left over at all at the end of the week.
My mum and dad are the same as yours and they tried to keep everything fair between me and my two sisters, but there were times they would bend the rules if it meant one of us needed a little bit of extra help, which it seems like your brother does. Since he's only just started, how about you cut him and your parents a bit of slack? I'm sure they will start charging him when he gets on his feet and has a bit more to give.
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