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AIBU?

To ask what you give/or not in terms of pocket money?

113 replies

Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:22

Dd is nearly 11. When she is older we plan to give her a sort of allowance so that she can get used to managing money (treats, comics, milkshakes) but now, while she is still in primary school we are not sure what to give in terms of amount and wondered what you do. Also, do you give pocket money dependent upon chores/music practice etc?

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phantomnamechanger · 07/09/2013 19:36

DD 13 gets £3, I know some will say that's stingy but we pay her phone and buy all her clothes and toiletries as well as sweets a few times a week - so that's really her saving/spending money for hols, if she wants to go out to town with friends I give her money for a drink/cake or the cinema

The younger ones get £2
They all get an extra £5 spending money fro holiday souvenirs, and £20 to buy xmas gifts for each other and their friends

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phantomnamechanger · 07/09/2013 19:39

oh and the money is not linked to jobs or music practice which we expect them to do anyway, but occasionally if they volunteer to do something extra/generous - say hovering for me, they will get £1

money is docked for bad behaviour (rarely and only after several warnings that that will happen)

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:40

I don't think that's stingy phantomn, not at all. I think the £20 for xmas gifts is a really good idea too. Do they do chores?

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:41

sorry x posted! Yes, you are right about the music practice and chores.

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Hulababy · 07/09/2013 19:42

DD is 11y and receives £4 a week, plus a bit of change each week for school snacks/meet up with friend after school. It started at £1 a week aged 5y and goes up 50p on each birthday.

not linked to chores - we expect that as the norm just for being part of a family - but we do reserve the right to dock/stop pocket money for poor behaviour, though never actually had to.

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Artandtravel · 07/09/2013 19:45

My son who is nine gets £5.00 every Monday from a dear retired neighbour who spoils him with icecreams, magazines, and endless supplies of Actimel. I don't give him pocket money, but he often gets Lego or little toys or those plastic eggs with tiny toys inside. It seems enough for now.

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NoComet · 07/09/2013 19:46

£10 a month, but DD2 is a grade a forgetter of her purse and scrounger of mum. She is never broke.

Because she is never broke tying it to chores or music has never worked, she just doesn't care.

You need to be far meaner than I am on doling out extra trip and holiday spending money to stand a chance of a reward system working.

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:51

Thanks Hula and Art. Art, your neighbour is so sweet! My Dd gets treats like this from various relatives at points throughout the year, lucky girl!

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sydlexic · 07/09/2013 19:51

Age 12 DS gets £50 per month. He only buys something a couple of times a year, he will shop around for a good deal, he is a complete miser.

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Calloh · 07/09/2013 19:52

I read somewhere this idea (though it sounds expensive - may need to be adjusted) you have four pots and you give a pound per week per year of age.

Of this 10% has to go to charity, 30% is for immediate use on mags, cinema etc, 30% in short term savings that can be accessed every few months or so for games - that kind of thing and 30% long term savings. I know it sounds expensive and a faff but I thought it sounded great at reaching benefit of saving.

However I give £1.50 a week 5 yr old and 3 yr old and am going to try and work in an extra 50p bonus that can be earnt through good table manners (current thing).

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PandaG · 07/09/2013 19:52

£25 a month - DS 13 and now DD 11. is to fund trips to cinema, half of any birthday presents for friends, half of scout ativities over and above subs, contribution towards camps and trips if individual rather than family.

we buy all clothes, toiletries, pay for school stuff. It has been enough for DS so far, but he has only recently started to go out with his mates on a more regular basis. May have to increase it a bit this year.

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:54

That is sort of where I'm at StarBallBunny!

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marriedinwhiteisback · 07/09/2013 19:55

Mine are older before I'm flamed.

DD, 15 gets £20 pcm and all general exes found.

DS, 18 (uni in a few weeks) gets £100pcm (and has for the last year). He budgets for going out and the odd personal expenses.

I buy their clothes, pay for their phones and buy anything study related.

DS has regular work caddying but has to get up early for it but it tends to bring in 30 a shot, often more. DD has been helping a neighbour in the holidays who has a young baby and two others under 5 and is being offered babysitting regularly once or twice a week because of it at £6 per hour

Money sticks to dd; ds is a bigger spender. Their GPs give them £20 each whenever they see them, usually once a month

We are in london and they get far less than many of their contemporaries
.

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 19:58

That is really interesting Calloh, great for encouraging good behaviour with money for the future but I don't think I'm organised enough for that! I can't decide between giving a small amount but paying out for other treats or giving her a bit more but then saying she has to budget for treats (meet ups with a friend etc) herself. Sorry, I should say "we" , my dp is thinking about it too!

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NoComet · 07/09/2013 20:02

I'm thinking about upping it to £20, into a card account. Then cutting the amount of hand outs. DD1(15) gets £15 a month, but she has a much smaller friendship group who often meet at their houses.

DD2's wandering into town for lunch and a shop group are going to get expensive if DD2 doesn't learn to budget.

We certainly need an agreement that I'm not buying Xmas presents for vast numbers of school friends.

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PMDD · 07/09/2013 20:11

Since each of my children have turned 5, I have given them £1 a month for every year they are. That way the eldest child gets a bit more than the younger children. I make them save up for things they want like a toy etc.

When each of my children turn 13, I intend to give each one an allowance each month so they buy their own clothes and shoes as well as phone top up, make up etc. Probably around £40/month. However, I will buy their main winter coat, school uniform, school shoes, trainers and bag.

This is what my mum did for me, except at the time (30 years ago), I got £8 per month.

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Rufus43 · 07/09/2013 20:12

We do a pound per year of their age, it goes straight to their bank account until they start secondary school when we give them cash.

At 14 years old we give them £15 until they are 16 when the plan is to give them £20

It is not dependent on behaviour or chores

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picnicbasketcase · 07/09/2013 20:13

No pocket money. Money is given when they need it.

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ModreB · 07/09/2013 20:18

DS3 is 13 yo and he gets £10 per week. He gets extra for bus fair as he buses to and from school, but all treats, cinema unless we go as a family etc has to come out of this.

He is good at saving up, he saved £200 to take on holiday this summer for instance.

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LegoDragon · 07/09/2013 20:25

My eldest is 7, so younger. She gets the bre minimum of 50p a week and gets 25p per small chore (for larger chores, like hoovering or cleaning out the pet, she will get up to 80p). This means she usually gets £3 or so a week, but she earns most of that. Recently she went on a chores spree and did loads of stuff and we ended up giving her £5. However, our country is quite expensive and this is only a rough conversion from dollars.

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 20:30

We're thinking of doing a card account when she's older too StarBall. I bet it is really expensive living in London Married, we recently stayed in Brighton and it was amazing, we loved it and could easily lived there but all agreed that Dd would be so incredibly tempted by all the fantastic shops.

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grrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 07/09/2013 20:32

DS 13 gets £5 per week paid directly into his bank account.

He also does chores, but this is not connected to his money given.

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Tapirbackrider · 07/09/2013 20:37

Dd and ds get £10 pw; they both have chores around the house/garden to do, and know that if these things aren't done, then their money is 'docked'.

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Lilacroses · 07/09/2013 20:38

Rufus, thanks for replying. is that per week or month? Is that for treats or everything?

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glendatheveryexcitedwitch · 07/09/2013 20:50

Ds 13 gets £30 per month plus his phone - this is for trips out with his mates, games and extra read expensive clothes!! His chores are to wash up daily after dinner, walk the dog after school and to whizz the Hoover round the front room after school. He hasn't had pocket money for past couple of months as he has to be nagged and mithered to do his chores. Have no idea how to get him to understand how easy life would be for him and us if he just got on and did it!!! Any ideas?? Am I doing it all wrong?

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