Student spends $90,000 university fund on expensive clothes and trip to Europe - then blames parents for not teaching her budgeting

Student believes trip to Europe was part of her education

“Maybe they should have taught me how to budget a little more carefully or something.”

This is the reply a 22-year-old university student gave when she called a radio show to ask for advice on what to do after she spent the entire $90,000 (£58,000) college fund left to her by her grandparents on “school clothes and a college break” (a.k.a. expensive clothes, shoes, and a trip to Europe) – and blamed her parents for it.

The student, known only as Kim, appeared on radio show The Bert Show based in Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss how she thought the trip to Europe was part of her education, adding: “That’s how I try to justify that.”

Now, however, Kim said she is “stressed” after the bill came through for her final year at university – for which she needs $20,000 (£13,000) in order to finish her studies.

The radio show’s hosts hit-out at Kim, who spoke via a voice-disguiser, with sarcastic comments and tried to give her some harsh lessons in the process.

One of the hosts, Kristin Klingshirn, told Kim to grow-up and “take responsibility and accountability” for her actions, come clean to her parents, and that she should ask to borrow the money from them and pay back every penny of it.

After speaking with her parents, Kim called the station back some time later to say she had discussed her situation with her dad “who was a little bit of a jerk about it” – after he chuckled and said he couldn’t help her out.

When the show’s hosts suggested the sum she was after was quite large and maybe they couldn’t afford it, Kim replied: “They’re not being honest with me, saying they don’t have money because my dad has worked for, like, a million years and they have a retirement account.”

When host, Jeff Dauler, suggested she find a part-time job – perhaps at the school cafeteria – Kim replied: “That’s embarrassing.”

Just when it seemed she may come round to the idea of working to save-up some money, it was Kim’s parents who still had to take the blame. She insisted: “I know they’re trying to teach me a lesson and blah, blah, blah – and character-building – but, like, I hope they realise working part-time could have such a negative effect on my grades – and as a person.”

Listen to the full interview here.