DS is turning 18, ideas?

[Glitter Brunello]

I'm not looking for gift ideas, but I'd like to do a few things to commemorate this milestone. I've come up with having him fill out his own passport application. He also needs to register for Selective Service, but I'm not sure I want to do that on his birthday

For his 17th birthday, he went to an R rated movie and got to buy his own ticket - I thought that was great.

Any other ideas?

[IreneLF]

He can also register to vote -- but he may need to be registered for the army @ sss.gov before he can (not positive about that need but think so).

He can sit for the test to become an enumerator for the census
( must be 18 to work -- it pays $15 an hour and up depending on area) -- but I know he needs to be registered for SSS before the gov't will let him work.

Drive to Canada so he can order a legal beer? (seems extreme but he;d prob like that one).

Sorry, I suck at gifting ideas.

Julianne just suggested that he should go to a club. ("clubbing! He's 18"...) She might have more ideas but she just left for the school bus.

[wackymother]

Does he have a checking account? How about taking him to open a checking account and then....ooooooh!...ordering checks for him? You can give him a few small checks to deposit, in funny amounts so he has to enter them in his check register and practice balancing a checkbook.

[longtimer]

Originally Posted by wackymother

Does he have a checking account? How about taking him to open a checking account and then....ooooooh!...ordering checks for him? You can give him a few small checks to deposit, in funny amounts so he has to enter them in his check register and practice balancing a checkbook.

Hey great idea! Another thought is to give him a prepaid VISA card. Works like a credit card, but with spending limits (as much as you put on the card). If you belong to AAA, you can get a reloadable card for him that doesn't carry any monthly fees. He will learn the responsibility of keeping track of his spending. It also can be used for online purchases.

[Glitter Brunello]

Irene, you don't suck at this, your ideas are great! He would LOVE the legal beer idea. Unfortunately I don't think there's time for that. I didn't think of registering to vote, I will look into that. I thought about the census job, but his ski shop job runs through til end of March.

I'm sure he's going out to a club with his friends tomorrow night - though they've been doing that all year.

Longtimer, we already have a gift for him, so the Visa thing won't work for now, though it's a good idea generally. Maybe when he's away next year at college. I will look into AAA - I think we use something else but can easily switch.

Wacky, the checking account is an interesting idea. Right now he's got a savings account and an ATM card, which he uses for his pay.

Thanks, everyone!!

[wackymother]

Originally Posted by Glitter Brunello

Longtimer, we already have a gift for him, so the Visa thing won't work for now, though it's a good idea generally. Maybe when he's away next year at college. I will look into AAA - I think we use something else but can easily switch.

Colleges actually mostly already have a sort of prepaid Visa-like thing, a card where you put money on it and then the student can use it around town and on campus for food, entertainment, whatever.

Sometimes it's part of the student ID and sometimes it's part of a dining hall pass and sometimes it's a separate card, but it basically works like a prepaid Visa. The aggravating thing is that the money often disappears when the school year ends!

[Glitter Brunello]

Originally Posted by wackymother

Colleges actually mostly already have a sort of prepaid Visa-like thing, a card where you put money on it and then the student can use it around town and on campus for food, entertainment, whatever.

Sometimes it's part of the student ID and sometimes it's part of a dining hall pass and sometimes it's a separate card, but it basically works like a prepaid Visa. The aggravating thing is that the money often disappears when the school year ends!

I'm sure ours will disappear long before then

[happymum]

Originally Posted by IreneLF

Drive to Canada so he can order a legal beer? (seems extreme but he;d prob like that one).

Great idea! Particularly since our beer is stronger!
However, not every province allows drinking at 18. Many have a limit of 19.

[bigfrank]

Rent him a limo, And invite his friends in but do not say anything, have his friends inside the limo. Tell him you are taking him out on the town so he will be dressed you can even say you got a limo when he sees his friends inside he will freak out. Oh having a bottle of Jack inside might liven things up even more and since no one is driving

[Glitter Brunello]

Originally Posted by bigfrank

Rent him a limo, And invite his friends in but do not say anything, have his friends inside the limo. Tell him you are taking him out on the town so he will be dressed you can even say you got a limo when he sees his friends inside he will freak out. Oh having a bottle of Jack inside might liven things up even more and since no one is driving

I'm sure he would love to be your kid, BF.