DL(18) is my far more balanced child. 

Of course, he wasn't spending anything at all re: summer camp job.  Was just the nature of the job.

But then he came back home and started college.  His first (college) credit card bill is a gnarly $400.  I need to go through it with him and figure out what charges are for books.  We want to cover college books and supplies (as long as he doesn't have a job and is just living at home).  Can revisit if circumstances change.  I think about $115 of this is books for school.

The rest:

$130 Car Gas

$ 85 Clothing

$ 35 Eating Out (Student Union)

$ 27 Haircut

I did end up buying him new running shoes, when his extreme cheapskate genetics had a moment.  🙄  

Spending this month:

$133 Car Gas (will probably be one more fill up this credit card cycle)

$ 28 Meals Out

He planned a brunch with his new college friends.  & last weekend he had some plans with his best high school friend.  They did some kind of movie marathon and went out for coffee (to help stay awake).  I know at other times he has been taking advantage of school amenities.  When we go over that $400 bill and how much I owe him, will get a better sense if he's just eating meals in the student union or how much of that is paying for other services.  I know he sometimes play pool between classes, stuff like that.

Reminds me, he got a free 'home cooked' meal at school one night and has done other free nights out.  Like MM(20), doesn't mean he is sitting at home the rest of the time, just because he is not spending money.

He's been at college for 2 months?  He just went to the college gym for the first time, last week.  I am glad he is taking advantage of that perk.  He loves going to the gym, in general.  (Briefly joined a gym in early 2020, and then that went to heck.  In the meantime, has just been making do at home.  He mostly uses weights and a pull up bar.  In addition to running and biking.  But he is crazy fit. The gym will be really nice for him.)

I am shocked how much he is spending on gas.  His commute is only 15 miles each way, but he's chosen to stick to the city streets and back roads.  I presume that he's taking a massive hit on his mpg, not just taking the freeway.

It sounds like he is spending $1,600 just on gas, for his 9 months of commuting.  Not counting summer driving or a work commute or anything beyond his college commute.  I had to double check and triple check because that sounds so absurd.  (My commute is 10 miles longer each way.  His fuel costs 7x what I am paying for electric fuel.)   Gas sticker shock.

The economics are very different re: the car-centric college choice.  

Edited to add:  I pinned DL(18) down.  He said he had a few food purchases (just shows up as 'The Store @UU') but that a $6 charge was for scan trons.  So I guess I owe him $121 (for college books and supplies).  I revised #s above.

More eating out the first weeks of school.  He's since switched to packing lunches.  Which is interesting because he mostly refused to pack lunch during high school years.  It's different I guess when your parents aren't paying for it.  But I expect that 'having a lot more time to plan ahead' is also a factor.