allowance

[Anonymous]

I'd like your opinions on how much to give a teen on a weekly or monthly basis. This would be for fun things like movies, eating out or some other special event/treat that I want them to pay for. We do the school stuff, like supplies, clothes, lunch etc.

[Anonymous]

we give $50/month for a 15 YO and $75 for 18 YO. Both earn some money from babysitting, etc. We still cover most expenses like clothes (unless it is frivolous) and gas. Also cover things like prom and homecoming related expenses. But movies and casual dinners out are their responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we give $50/month for a 15 YO and $75 for 18 YO. Both earn some money from babysitting, etc. We still cover most expenses like clothes (unless it is frivolous) and gas. Also cover things like prom and homecoming related expenses. But movies and casual dinners out are their responsibility.

Wow! We give our 16 y.o. DS $30/month for similar expenses and a clothing budget of $400 for the year. He also babysits during the school year and works in the summer.

[Anonymous]

OP here
I haven't added up what we end up giving our kids for life's extras, but I don't want to be a piggy bank anymore. I was thinking of being on the generous side, so they will not have to ask us for any money. They ocassionally earn money from odd jobs. Does $50 for DS age 14, $60 for DD age 16 sound reasonable?

[Anonymous]

My kids are a bit younger, but we do an equivalent of half their age/week. So 6-year-old gets $3/week. 9-year-old gets $4.50/week. They get a bit extra from grandparents sometimes, tooth fairy is still visiting, and we'll occasionally give them $ for helping out around house (not as general rule, but for a special task or extra effort done with no complaints).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we give $50/month for a 15 YO and $75 for 18 YO. Both earn some money from babysitting, etc. We still cover most expenses like clothes (unless it is frivolous) and gas. Also cover things like prom and homecoming related expenses. But movies and casual dinners out are their responsibility.

Wow! We give our 16 y.o. DS $30/month for similar expenses and a clothing budget of $400 for the year. He also babysits during the school year and works in the summer.

So why is that a a wow? $20/month more? That basically covers a movie and popcorn/candy.

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if those who give an allowance require their kids to do chores so they "earn" their money? Growing up we had weekly chores (vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, taking out the trash/recycling, changing our own beds and putting our own clothes away) that had to be completed in order for us to receive our allowance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we give $50/month for a 15 YO and $75 for 18 YO. Both earn some money from babysitting, etc. We still cover most expenses like clothes (unless it is frivolous) and gas. Also cover things like prom and homecoming related expenses. But movies and casual dinners out are their responsibility.

Wow! We give our 16 y.o. DS $30/month for similar expenses and a clothing budget of $400 for the year. He also babysits during the school year and works in the summer.

So why is that a a wow? $20/month more? That basically covers a movie and popcorn/candy.

It was a "wow" b/c $20 is 66% greater than the allowance we give our kid, who's a year older. I should have added that our oldest, who is now in college, got $50/month as a h.s. senior, compared to PP's $75. Again, an insubstantial difference absolutely, but significant percentage-wise.

In answer to the PP who asked about chores. Our kids are expected to do pitch in (pet care, cleaning up kitchen, taking out trash, doing laundry, shoveling snow, etc.), but we have never linked allowance to chores. In our view, helping out at home is just part of being a family. You don't get paid for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we give $50/month for a 15 YO and $75 for 18 YO. Both earn some money from babysitting, etc. We still cover most expenses like clothes (unless it is frivolous) and gas. Also cover things like prom and homecoming related expenses. But movies and casual dinners out are their responsibility.

Wow! We give our 16 y.o. DS $30/month for similar expenses and a clothing budget of $400 for the year. He also babysits during the school year and works in the summer.

So why is that a a wow? $20/month more? That basically covers a movie and popcorn/candy.

It was a "wow" b/c $20 is 66% greater than the allowance we give our kid, who's a year older. I should have added that our oldest, who is now in college, got $50/month as a h.s. senior, compared to PP's $75. Again, an insubstantial difference absolutely, but significant percentage-wise.

In answer to the PP who asked about chores. Our kids are expected to do pitch in (pet care, cleaning up kitchen, taking out trash, doing laundry, shoveling snow, etc.), but we have never linked allowance to chores. In our view, helping out at home is just part of being a family. You don't get paid for it.

So the allowance it essentially a "just because" sort of thing? I don't mean that as a snarky comment, but am honestly trying to understand the philosophy of giving kids an allowance without it being linked to chores or other responsibilities. No chores done meant that we did not receive our allowance, which meant we couldn't go to the movies or buy something we wanted.

[Anonymous]

I am the OP. I want to give my kids a set amount each month that is basically a bit less than what I currently seem to be doling out for all the events, movies, whatever, so they can learn to live within a budget and plan what to spend money on. Right now DH and I are just piggy banks that just keep giving, with an ocassional "we're not paying for that". I agree with the PP about chores and other jobs around the house just being part of family life. My kids do help with house and yard work, but I let things slide with their rooms a bit, since it's "their" space. I don't plan to tie the money to chores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the OP. I want to give my kids a set amount each month that is basically a bit less than what I currently seem to be doling out for all the events, movies, whatever, so they can learn to live within a budget and plan what to spend money on. Right now DH and I are just piggy banks that just keep giving, with an ocassional "we're not paying for that". I agree with the PP about chores and other jobs around the house just being part of family life. My kids do help with house and yard work, but I let things slide with their rooms a bit, since it's "their" space. I don't plan to tie the money to chores.

I'm the PP whose allowance policy was characterized as "just because" (no snark meant, none taken -- just trying to identify myself):
yes, we view allowance as a tool for learning how to manage money. And, BTW, we have no problems with the kids getting their chores done -- we just say, "hey, you're old enough and responsible enough to handle these chores, and we can't do it all ourselves". They get it.

[Anonymous]

Why is the allowance amount based on age? I haven't started yet, but my kids are 6 and 9 and they basically want to buy the same things. If they do the same number of chores, why should the amount be different? Seems to set up a resentment situation where the younger resents the older for just being older. The older does nothing to earn more money and the younger has no opportunity to be and equal earner. Seems like "age discrimination"! LOL