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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To let ds (5) spend some of his christmas money?

72 replies

Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 18:35

Ds was lucky enough to receive £700 in money this christmas. He does most Christmases and birthdays so consequently has a lot of money saved.
He had some playmobil pirates for christmas and wants to buy as island for them. It's £50. Dh says ds has had loads for christmas and doesn't need anything else...which is true. However I think if he pays in £650 to his savings £50 isn't too much to spend on something he'd really like. His birthday isn't until June so he's a while to wait otherwise.
Aibu to think it would be ok for him to have the £50?

OP posts:
myotherusernameisbetter · 02/01/2015 18:37

Children need to learn the pleasure of spending as well as that of saving, i say let him buy it. Someone could have given him that for Christmas instead of the money.

Leeds2 · 02/01/2015 18:39

I would let him buy it too.

Andrewofgg · 02/01/2015 18:39

Let him, £50 out of £700 is reasonable. Tell DH to stop being a grinch.

MinceSpy · 02/01/2015 18:42

Learning to spend sensibly is a valuable life skill as much as saving. Let him buy the Playmobil

HaroldLloyd · 02/01/2015 18:42

I would let him buy it, it's a small proportion of the overall money he had and ir sounds like a quality thing he will use and play with.

Wowsers at 700 pounds though. If he is going to get money like that every year I think agreeing he can spend a little and save the rest is sensible.

blibblibs · 02/01/2015 18:44

Our DC had almost £100 each after christmas, some christmas money, some pocket money and some they made from selling toys before we moved house.

I let them both spend it all earlier in the week. DS bought a couple of big bits of lego and DD bought some lego and small other things that she saw. We made a day of it, got the train, had lunch etc.

Yes they could have saved it, yes they got lots at christmas but it was thier money and they decided what they wanted to do with it (and they'd been planning since I convinced them to get rid of old toys)

I would say that it seems very reasonable to let DS spend that small a percent on something he would like and enjoy.

Starlightbright1 · 02/01/2015 18:44

Yes I would also let him..At 5 £700 means nothing it is just a number.

GraysAnalogy · 02/01/2015 18:44

I'd take him on a mini shopping spree. Nice day out for you both.

I may drop it that it would take you x hours to earn that money so he knows the value Wink

Original poster
Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 18:45

Yes he's the richest person in this household! Pil always give him £500 and then my parents give him £100 and he has another £100 or so from other relatives. He's never spent any of it before because there's been nothing he's really wanted.

OP posts:
cece · 02/01/2015 18:50

Definitely let him spent it.

DaisyFlowerChain · 02/01/2015 18:54

I'd let him spend it too. I have always let DS have free reign over what he spends his birthday or Christmas money on, it was given to him in lieu of a present so his choice.

Original poster
Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 18:56

Should have said never been anything not never been nothing. Phone changed it to a double negative. I loathe double negatives!

Anyway I'm glad I'm not being unreasonable. Now to combined dh!

OP posts:
Original poster
Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 18:56

Convince!

OP posts:
NeedsAsockamnesty · 02/01/2015 18:57

It is his money let him buy an island

CarmelasFridge · 02/01/2015 18:58

It irritates me when I give a child a gift of cash and the parents make them save it. Save some sure, but not all.

Mehitabel6 · 02/01/2015 18:58

It isn't often you get a unanimous result on AIBU so therefore we must be right! Let him spend some.

MinionsAndLego · 02/01/2015 18:58

I ALWAYS let mine spend their money on whatever they want, YANBU let him buy the toy he wants Smile

Marmiteandjamislush · 02/01/2015 19:00

YABU, I think. He's 5 and regardless of the money he has saved, £50 is a heck of a lot of money on a toy. Especially just after Christmas. Playmobil may be flavour of the month now, but not in a few weeks. If he still loves it in June, buy it for him for his birthday and keep his savings in tact. June is not really that far off, and I'm in the camp that it is good for children to wait for things. I believe it sets them up well for adult hood and teaches them that if something is worth having, it's worth waiting and working for. That goes for qualifications, and jobs too. Additionally, he will appreciate those savings being kept intact, if he is able to buy/ rent a flat at 25.

PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange · 02/01/2015 19:01

I don't think either of you has any control in what he wants to spend his money on. ( unless it highly unappriopate)

He could have wanted skylander swap force with a playstaion/Xbox and I would think the same.

Original poster
Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 19:03

No long unanimous!
I think at 5 we have to have some control else we may have £700 worth of stuffed toys in the house!
And I can see dh's point in that he's had a lot of things for christmas... But so have I and I've still been and bought myself some boots today and a new coat with my christmas money. I haven't even saved any. Mind you I didn't get £700 Grin

OP posts:
PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange · 02/01/2015 19:03

Marmite, my friend inherited £50,000 on her 18 birthday she spent the lot on holidays, cars and clothes. 10 years later she has nothing to show for it.

That money she could have had a mortgage of £25,000 and been paid off by now.

Original poster
Whowillsaveyoursoul · 02/01/2015 19:04

Ds is pretty good with toys actually, he doesn't play with that many things but what he likes he plays with for a long time.

OP posts:
Marmiteandjamislush · 02/01/2015 19:06

My Dcs are also given substantial amounts of cash from parents each year, in lieu of presents, my eldest is nearly 6 and he doesn't know about it. DF puts it in to an account in their name and has invested it v. wisely in shares, as he has done for himself. So I do practice what I preach. Smile

Starlightbright1 · 02/01/2015 19:06

Another argument to add to your bow is that Palymobil does tend to hold his value well so store the box it can be sold on in a few years.

HaroldLloyd · 02/01/2015 19:10

Blimey, who would give a 5 year old the full whack to spend?

And now pissed off would you be at 18 when you discovered your parents let your five year old self piss 700 up the wall each CHRISTMAS on a load of shite?