DEAR HARRIETTE: I never taught my son how to manage money. Now he is away at college, and it seems like he is always asking me to add money into his bank account. I see that he is not buying anything extravagant -- mainly he buys snacks and things for school -- but I cannot afford to be his ATM. Plus, he needs to learn how to manage what he’s got. I’m sure he is going to be mad when I tell him I am going to limit how much I give him per month, but I have to do it. What should I say? -- Creating a Budget
DEAR CREATING A BUDGET: The greatest gift you can give your son is to teach him how to manage the money he has. If you just continue to give him whatever he requests, he will never learn to be responsible with money. Decide how much you can afford to give him per month. Tell him what your plan is and that he will have to make that money stretch or find a job to supplement his needs. Let him suffer a bit if he runs out of money. If he is on a meal plan at school, he'll get enough food to survive even if he has no money left. When he has to go without, he will quickly learn that he has to plan ahead and make choices based on needs and desires. This will help him immeasurably in his life, though it may be painful at first.