15 year old keeps getting parcels and I'm starting to wonder where the money’s coming from

[EarlyMorningTea0]

My 15 year old daughter has suddenly started getting little parcels delivered a few times a week. Nothing massive, just those small padded envelopes or little boxes. She always says its just bits she’s ordered.

Thing is I cant work out how she’s paying for any of it. She doesn’t have a job, gets normal pocket money from us and that definitely wouldn’t stretch to this many deliveries. We’ve not noticed money missing or anything odd with the bank accounts either.

I’ve asked her a couple of times and she just shrugs and says she’s got money. When I ask from where she says she’s been saving or sold a few things, but she’s never really had much worth selling as far as I know.

Part of me thinks she’s 15 and entitled to a bit of privacy, but another part of me thinks I’m her parent and if money is appearing from somewhere I should know about it. I dont want to accuse her of anything if theres a perfectly innocent explanation, but equally I dont want to ignore something that turns out to be a bigger issue.

AIBU if I insist she tells me exactly where the money is coming from?

Not at the moment they don’t.

And the ones they did were savings accounts which parents pay into. But the flex one and the FlexOne saver are from 11 upwards.

There are so many computer games where you can earn and spend in-game tokens on in-game items by playing and spending time in the game but also separately purchase more of the same (or upgraded) tokens for real money that this isn't really as naïve as it first appears - a salutary lesson!

I think you're doing the right thing by asking, and she should be comfortable to tell you as I am sure it's no big deal. I was buying and selling bits and pieces online at that age but never hid it from my parents. I'm sure it will be nothing but definitely worth putting pressure on and getting a proper answer!

Exactly. It's ok to admit not knowing they weren't the same thing!

Monzo comes with a Neon card for 6-15, youngest was definitely using last year at 10, we never used it as a savings account but I suppose it might have been! Yes the parents pay in (or anyone else with a linked account) as they’re not old enough to earn their own money.

She’s fifteen. You can’t sell on online selling platforms unless you’re 18 or over, so OP would likely know because she would be the account holder.

This really. It’s just common sense.

Your daughter needs to be taught financial literacy, @EarlyMorningTea0 .

Even if there is a logical explanation for her purchases, she is clearly frittering away money. If she doesn’t learn the basics of budgeting and money management, this will continue and escalate and she will never be solvent and may end up in credit card debt.

I'd watch for driving it underground too, she needs to be open and you do too, she's not in trouble. Last thing you need is her hiding it.