How much pocket money for 15 year old?

[Simionfab191]

DS is 15. We're thinking £20 per week on the understanding that homework is complete, room is kept tidy and bins are put out. This is to cover food when out with friends/girlfriend, cinema trips and to allow him to save for any particular clothes or video games he wants. We'll still buy his basic items.

Does this sound reasonable?

Right. Got it. Anywaybi guess people give what the can

Ours gets £20 a month, we pay for his lunch at school, phone, gym membership (council so cheap), he gets £10 on his travel card now and again and if he is having tea out we pay for that.
We buy all clothing and shoes so it's play money and to save for bigger items, PS network and games, etc

Everyone's financial situation is different. No way I could afford the numbers in this thread. Mine are a bit younger but I don't give pocket money at all. I do pay for everything they need and a club each but that's all we can afford. If they want money when older I will offer chores to earn it and then I'd pay minimum wage or hopefully they will get a job. My parents dressed me out of jumble sales and gave me £1 a week pocket money. i could not afford anything on that and they stopped paying as soon as I got a paper round. I'm not as harsh as my parents but I feel I respect money more than my friends who had allowances, most of them have debt and are renting I have no debt other than mortgage and earn significantly less than them 🤷‍♀️

See I feel that by the age of 15 DS should be learning the cost of things and how to budget/manage his money rather than us just 'paying for everything he needs' as you do with your DC. I understand why you do that when they're young but I think teenagers should be managing it themselves.

I had an allowance growing up, I've never been in debt and always been very careful with money. It's worked well for me and I'm hoping it'll teach DS the same lessons.

DD is 16 and gets £30 a week from us. We cover all clothes, toiletries, clubs,phones, transport, lunches, presents etc. She's a lovely girl and very academic. I'd far prefer she focussed on her A levels than found a job that wouldn't lead to anything.

Oh gosh I must be mean. Mine gets £5 a week. BUT has done since 11 and it was meant to rise each year but they don’t go out and socialise. They’re autistic (no learning disability) and only leaves the house with me or to go to school. They do extra curricular things based around special interest. They currently have a couple of hundred £ on their account as they don’t spend. Every now and again when out with me they buy something from a clothes shop (I buy uniform and basic clothes and they get extra). My younger 11 year old gets the same amount and probably does struggle with it as they like to spend. But if I give them more it will just get spent. They have started meeting friends so need to save a bit but I would top up of going somewhere and needed it. So far it’s just a wander at the shops and a bubble tea.

I’m a single parent on tax credits though so no way could o afford £20-30 a week. I guess it’s down to your circumstances.

It’s not about a job that leads to nothing. All jobs teach something. I got a who job as soon as I was 16. I’m now a qualified professional no where near retail. But that job gave me experience of working with others, earning and waiting for pay day, budgeting and general transferable skills.

He won’t be going to the cinema every week…! £20 is plenty. If they don’t have to stop and think about how they spend it then you may aswell just give them a credit card! He can get a part time job if he wants more. I had one at 15 because I wanted to spend more than I was given.

I’m not saying they should get a job. I’m just saying for those that do it’s not a pointless job leading to ‘nothing’. It’s highly unlikely mine will get jobs at 16 as there’s just nothing about. But there’s a few years for that to change. Youngest keeps asking when she’s old enough to get a job as she’s keen and she’s academic so if she wants a job whilst studying I’ll let her. Eldest probably wouldn’t manage with being autistic. I worked through uni - last year was ful time teaching practice plus going home to do 3 evening shifts a week at Woolworths. The retail wasn’t pointless for becoming a teacher but a necessity for my circumstances. As I say, we all parent differently though due to different circumstances. I do pay for mine to do their extra curricular activities which are pricey. Do they probably gain from that and have to save up their measly pocket money to go out or buy tat as in the case of my youngest.

KP? My stepson worked in a kitchen when he was 14/15

My DSS get 80 a month from us and another 20 from their mother.

They, one more than the other, are becoming more and more entitled. We initially increased their money cos one of them wanted to start an activity. They never did start that activity. Last week it was "I want to try this sports group. Can I send it to you?" - meaning "you pay for it". He was reminded what his extra money was for and suddenly isn't interested... 🤔Sitting there with in excess of £300 in his bank account and still doesn't want to put his hand in his pocket 🙄

My 16 year old (year 11) gets £7.50 a week term time and £15 per week in the holidays.
But he also has a p/t job that brings him in about £50-60 a month.
He also prefers to get cash gifts for Christmas and birthdays and uses that to fund his lifestyle.

I pay for all his toiletries/clothes etc so this literally is his discretionary spending.
He's learnt to budget really well and not buy rubbish.
My thought is it's good to give them just a little less than they need so they learn to prioritise and budget.

15

My 12 year old gets £5 a week and I've just upped the 14 year old to £7.50 from £5. It is mainly spent on junk food though so I'm not keen to give more

Mine gets £20 a week. She manages on that.

Ds1 is 14 and works in McDonald's 2/3x a week. He earns anywhere between $50-$80 a week.

We pay his phone and $6 a week for the canteen at cadets.

Ds2 is 13. We pay for his phone as well and $6 a week for the canteen at cadets but we don't give any pocket money on a regular basis. If he wants to buy a new book or go to the movies with his mates, or whatever, he'll do some jobs around the house to earn some money.

We can't afford to be paying them $20/$30 a week, every week for each kid.

Our 15 year old gets £3 a week, but also 10% interest on any savings up to a cap of £70, so she has the opportunity to get up to £10 a week from us.

She also has a weekend job, so all in all she gets about £30 a week!

Gosh my kids only get £5 per week. I do pay their phones, lunch money and if something comes up like a trip to the cinema or trampolining park with friends then I usually pay for that. I also buy their clothes, shoes toiletries and friends’ presents. I also save £10 a month for them each in a bank account they can’t access.

I think I maybe need to up dd15’s money a bit but then give her more responsibility for budgeting for everything - she does have some SEN so would be interesting to see how this went.

DD15 gets £20 per month.

I pay for her phone (6/month), clothes and gifts for her Dad. She gets a book subscription for birthday and we have family Amazon prime for music.

She pays for fripperies, friends gifts, trips out when she's not with me/dad.

She actually never spends anything. She's got the opportunity to do an amazing trip in 6th form which will cost a fortune. We can afford it and I'd like her to do it. I was contemplating reducing her pocket money as her contribution towards the cost. Maybe im being mean?

She has extra curricular on Saturdays and is great at studying so she'd struggle to find time for a job. Perhaps I should say I'll pay for the trip as long as she commits to volunteer at Parkrun every week (she currently volunteers with them for DofE).

It's hard not to spoil her, I know that a part time job and budgeting are very important parts of growing up and developing independence.

I like this idea of less term time and a bit more on holidays.

@Elliebellie87 Not any more!

£6.99 for a standard (medium) Big Mac meal