My cousin's son is graduating from high school this weekend. I'd like to give him cash toward spending money at college. Any thoughts on what is a good dollar amount these days? It's been awhile since I got h.s. grad gifts so feel pretty out of the loop :-) I was thinking about $50? Is that too cheap? Is $100 better? Thoughts, please! ETA: I am kind of close to my cousin, and have been around her son several times in his 18 years. We do live far apart, so I probably see them about every 2-3 years.
Thanks to everyone for your responses! I decided to go with a $50 gift card to his future college bookstore.
I think $50 is most generous.
As the mom of recent HS grads (2 years ago & again this year), other ideas:
- gift card to Bed, Bath & Beyond
- gift card to their college bookstore (there will be a link to it on the web site of their chosen school)
- I agree with the suggestion about putting money on his school account that he can use in the various coffee shops & such on campus. My daughter relies on hers heavily.
Whatever you can afford I think is the factor. Some go over the top on these issues.......have to take consideration on the relationship, how well you know one another, the amount of time your invested in their life....etc.
I gave my neice $250 all single bills tied in bows and hung them from an umbrella. It looked so cute. She was heading to WA state. So thought I would get her ready for the rain. LOL. But we are close and have been involved in her life . I think $50 is reasonable for a long lost cousin. OR $100 for someone you are pretty close too. I am sure he will get a lot so it will all add up in the end.
It depends on what you can afford and how well you know him.
My cousin's son graduated last year and I received the "invoice" announcement. i had had no contact with her up until about a year before his graduation which was sporadic on Facebook. I've never met the boy. I sent $25.
My nephew, a very driven young man we are close to graduated last year and we sent him $500.
I think if it is someone you are close to maybe $50+ depending on the relationship and if it is basically an acquaintance type relationship, $25.
My sons just graduated from college. But when we were going thru the highschool grad thing a few years ago we had multiple kids who's parties we went to. For friends of our kids we do $25. for close friends we do $50 and for our family kids (neices, nephews, godchildren etc) we do $100.
But the bottom line is you give what your budget will allow. and no more.
Put dollars in his account at school, for instance University of Alabama has "Bama Bucks" that can be used all over campus and at many local places to eat.
I think 25 for friends and extended family. 50 is for closer family.
If he's close to you, $50 is fine. If you never see him, $25 is fine. And write something nice in the card!
Btw $100 is an amazing gift for a cousin's son. If you have other upcoming grads, think about that first, before you give that large of a gift. You should give the biggest gifts to the kids you are closest to. For example, all my nieces and my nephew got large monetary gifts (and I picked out a special gift that was chosen for their personalities.) I admit that I really spoiled them. There is only one more niece to go now. And I only do this for high school graduation. For college, it's a gift like one of those Lolita Love My Wine hand-painted wine glasses that has graduation caps painted on it. (Yes, the kids are over 21.) And for the nephew, a matching beer pilsner. Finishing high school is the big cahoona.
But my cousin's daughter, who I don't know well and have only seen a few times, got a check for $25.
Hope this helps!
Dawn
Money is alway good but i have to add that one of the best gifts i for was the dr. Suse book Oh! The Places You'll Go! Its perfect for the new grads!
I think $50 is very generous.
It all depends on what you can afford but I think $50 or $100 is a good amount.
I would do a $100!
$50 doesn't stretch that far these days.
