Glory box/hope chest, anyone still doing them?

[toomanyshoes]

I remember mum started one for me when I was pre teen but she ended up using everything herself

Anyway....

Does anyone still do them? What do you think of them?

I think it's a good idea to help kids/young adults start up when they first move out of home.

[DaintreeDream]

I am years away from it but I think it is a great idea although I never did get one myself. I did buy quiet alot whilst living 'at home' with my parents so I suppose they didn't feel the need to.

[Traveller]

In my final year of school my mum built up a sort of "new home start" kit with things like sheets, towels, cutlery, salt and pepper grinders, recipe book, etc. I guess that is a sort of hope chest, but I think all she was hoping was that I would leave home soon!

[Mother Goose]

My Dad gave me an old Army trunk and a set of knives. I filled it with other stuff (and then some) in my preperation to leave home. When I left, I had pretty much everything I needed. All I had to buy was fridge, washer, and a couch.

I will def start one for DD. DH and I are also thinking of keeping any board she pays and giving it back to her when she moves out.

[Lisa]

How funny that you posted this! About an hour ago I was having this discussion with my DS1 and we're going to start one for him this weekend. The first thing he wants are recipe books and he has begun to raid mine!

[~Kim~]

My mum did that MG.
From about 16 often one of our birthday/christmas gifts with something to 'put away'. My board money became my bond for the RE when I moved out.

I will start one for both kids when they're a bit older....provided we have room to store stuff. Otherwise I will start an account for the purpose.

[DaintreeDream]

DH and I are also thinking of keeping any board she pays and giving it back to her when she moves out.

A friend of mines parents did this and it was given to them upon the purchase of their first house. I think it is a great idea if you can afford to do so.

We started by putting away $1 a day for each child when they were born, it is managable and with interest it might help them out a little. We also put any money they receive for birthdays etc into their accounts as they get more than enough gifts and are to young to understand. We also have a money box that any spare change is put into, this is then divided into the girls accounts, it all adds up but without putting any strain on our finances.

[AngelPants]

my mum her her side of the family did one for me and gave it to me for my 18th birthday.i still use everything i got given and i now have a beautiful blanket box as well. they were going to do one for my sis but she didnt want one (until i got one lol) and now shes at the stage of wanting to move out and has nothing to start out with so i personally think its a fantastic idea but not for everyone

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

DP's nan has a 'glory box' and she's 89
Honestly though there are gifts we give her and she says "will put it in the glory box" but we have to convince her NO her gifts are to be used now.

when i moved i was given bits and pieces by family but not specifically new items and not with the intention or putting them aside for when i moved out.

I think it's a great idea for the kids, not something i have to worry about for a while but i also wonder, where do you start.
pots & pans etc are all well and good but with bedding, table cloths and things like that they may have a different sixed bed etc.

What was or is included in yours?

[toomanyshoes]

I guess bedding would be harder.

Mine was mostly kitchen stuff but as I said, she ended up using it so there could have been more in there I didn't see "rofl:

I was thinking of good basic cook books, utensils, towels, dinner set, cutlery, even a set good set of plastic containers, glasses, etc.

So when is too early to start? lol

[Astrid]

No actual glory box, but mum would keep the old things she upgrade. So there was some cutlery, saucepans, mugs etc.

Don't think I would do a specific one for the girls. These days places like Ikea and Kmart have great kitchen starter sets, also they may not be local when they first move out of home. Money would serve them better so they can buy what they need at that time. If I put anything aside for them, it will be like what was done for me, putting aside upgraded items.

I do think the concept of a glory box is outdated. It is from a time when a woman married and would not go out and earn money. So she needed to set herself up before marriage to ensure there was enough linen, towels etc to get through the rest of her life.

[Gigi]

i started paying board at 14, while in Year 9, going to school fulltime and part time jobs. I was told, my board money would be put towards my wedding reception one day. At birthdays and xmas time, my relatives gave me things for my glorybox, like a heavy crystal punch bowl from my nana (prolly a gift she got given and never used, she already had one). Nothing practical, the stuff that is not essential to a home, what i call "the fat", and now i am much older, realise, requires a big family home, the lifestyle to afford being able to entertain people, the room to store it, etc etc. So many years ago, i gave the punchbowl away to people with their own big house, who had enough money to invite people over for a dinner party, where a punchbowl actually got used, and was in proportion with the house.

When i was kicked out of home at 17, people i knew, especially parents of my friends, gave me their old stuff, that they had upgraded (their old vac etc, crockery) and that was much more useful. Opshops were great to help me furnish a small bedsit. It was a big stress at the time, having to come up with all the stuff AT ONCE. Thinking, i had been wasting money on DOLLY and CLEO when i should have been eyeing the catalogues, for when sheets are on sale. Later on, living in sharehouses, i never had to have ALL the stuff, each person would contribute to the household, we just each had to have the bedroom stuff.

I actually think, the best gift my mother could have given me, rather than a box of household useful goods, would have been
- the knowledge of how to cook and prepare basic food,
- the knowledge of how to budget, price compare, look for bargains, about Consumer Affairs
- some self esteem from being loved
those things would have been a good way to start off adult life, you can't buy those things.


i have no idea, if i will be in a position to help my own child out this way, but i would be much more practical about it, that my relatives were for me.

And mum spent all the board i paid (from 14 - 17yrs) on a brand new sewing machine and other sewing sundries, for herself.

[Astrid]

I think these days the money put toward Glory box items would be better used to pay off your own mortgage sooner (if you have one). I feel it is important for DH and I to be set-up well enough when the girls hit 18, that we are able to help them then when they may need help to go to Uni, do an apprenticeship etc. If our home is paid off, then they also have a home.

Gigi has made some fantastic points!

[Traveller]

I agree with a lot of what Gigi says. In my final year of school I was expected to do my own laundry, ironing, cleaning. I was also expected to cook a meal for the family once a week. My parents said they would prefer I struggled with these skills where they could help me, rather than leave home and be unable to fend for myself. So as well as having a starter kit for my kids for when they leave home or go to uni, I intend to follow my parents example and ensure they can cook and use a washing machine/dryer.

[Aligater]

My sister had 1 and my cousin I think by the time it was my turn so much had happened I was forgotten. I would have loved one though. I think I will do them for my girls

[SunnyRain]

Astrid makes a very good point about the chances of children moving further away, interstate or overseas (both my dh and I have done so), the cost of moving all that stuff is prohibitive, better to set up a trust fund if you can afford it.

Also, what you buy now might be obsolete or seriously daggy in years to come.

I hadn't ever thought of it. It's not something I'd bother with because storage space is limited in our house and I only own the bare minimum of all that jazz.

But I also wouldn't charge my kids board either, they're my chickens and I'll take care of them as long as they need me to. Although, charging something you will ultimately give back with interest is a clever idea, one I might entertain.

Come on lilac, you're 5 weeks old, time to start earning your keep!

Sent from my Desire HD

[emc2]

I opened a Savings account as soon as I got Jim's birth certificate.

It really depends on where life's at when he grows up..if there's still lots of cars around, I think I'd like to be able to pay for driving lessons for him.

He'll probably be pretty independent though, given that I'm single, even if I eventually get paired off (or not) I will help him to be able to do things on his own.

[Lisa]

I never thought I would want to charge my children board, but the reality is that they need to learn to pay for their accommodation just like we all do. Because my DS has just left school he now does chores to earn his 'keep' but when he is in full time employment, we will be charging him board.