MM(21) cash:  I think he's down to about $11,000 cash.  $1,750 in his checking account, but $1,200 of that is earmarked for an engagement ring.

The engagement topic has come up more.  It sounds like the engagement is planned for any day now.   But the wedding will be an 'after college' thing.  

MM(21) has been insisting that he doesn't need any money.  & has been pinching his pennies.  Never ended up pulling any money from savings (last school year).  But we will have to sit down before school starts and make sure he has enough cash for the next school year.  Or at least the first half of the school year.  On the flip side of the coin, he is much more spendy during summer months.  He did a big trip a few weeks ago.  This week he has been going out almost every night, socializing with college friends.  Restaurants, bars, that kind of thing.  He's very, "Like hell I would spend money," at school, so it's good to see him relaxing and enjoying a little more. 

The past school year MM(21) received a $1,000 gift from the in-laws (annual college gift) and $500 interest.  Expenses were $680.  This means that he was able to save $820, which is about what he will be spending on an engagement ring.  (They are going 50/50 on the ring, so he only has to come up with half the cost.)

Note:  I cover tuition/fees, rent, utilities, medical/dental and a grocery allowance.  The $680 he spent was for everything else.  It included $250 automobile expenses.  Just had him pay towards some of the car repairs during summer months when he was using the car more.  I no longer have access to his credit card, so I don't know how much he has spent on fuel (probably some) or what else he spends his money on.  

I've been giving him his 'gifted college money' (during college years) for 'college spending'.  But MIL has been inconsistent.  Ideally he should be getting a check any day and it might last him for the next school year.  But if MIL forgets for a while, MM(21) will need to transfer some funds out of his savings account.

Engagement ring side note:  The topic came up at work because a co worker's young sister just got engaged and we were talking about MM(21)'s engagement plans.  My employer has a 8 figure net worth (family money) and married very young.  He mentioned that a couple of our employees (who don't work in the office) he felt were delaying engagements re: cost of ring.  & we joked about the diamond industry recommendation to spend X months of salary on a ring.  🙄  I don't remember the number, but my boss revealed (to everyone) that he spent a whole whopping $300? on an engagement ring.  He had bought it at a pawn shop.  (He's a decade younger than I, so this was around 2005.  For reference).  I chimed in that my ring didn't cost any more than that.  

It's funny because my inclination is to say that we were 18/19 and weren't going to spend any more on a ring.  But that's not true at all.  If I actually stop to think about it.  MH had the free college ride and was working his butt off to save up for a Bay Area home (he started saving in high school).  He had thousands of dollars, in addition to no immediate expenses.  I would have considered it a red flag if he spent any more on a ring.  I am sure everyone else just wrote it off that both my boss and my husband were "very young and broke" but the truth is the both of them could have bought much more expensive rings (with cash) if that was something they actually valued.  & of course, we are talking about people who don't do debt.  Clearly people justify spending a lot more, putting engagement rings on credit.

Edited to add:  MM(21) bought the ring this week.  I don't know if he plans to propose this week in town or if he plans to propose at college town.  He's moving back next weekend.