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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think £5 a week is enough pocket money?

131 replies

Childrenofthestones · 16/09/2015 05:41

12 and 15 yr olds.
We pay everything else, phone contracts, bus fares when they go out with friends, treats etc. They do no chores for this.
Is this enough?
I guess I am asking is what is the going rate?

OP posts:
nagynolonger · 16/09/2015 06:21

I think it's plenty for a 12 year old if it is for little extras like sweets and everything else is paid for by you.

At 15 it might be a good idea to start to give a bit more and make them budget for some things. How much will depend on how sensible you think they are and how much spare cash you have.

Mine are all older now and range from mid 30s to 18 years. Even 20 years ago some of DC friends were being given much more than £5 every week to spend/waste. Many parents give an allowance to cover things like clothes for mid teens. Others will give nothing on a regular basis because parents simply don't have spare cash. DC who do get regular pocket money are the lucky ones.

I wouldn't link pocket money for ordinary chores like room tidying or helping out at meal times. These are thing everyone does without payment within the family. I would give extra for gardening type chores, car washing, painting etc.

My 18 year old can now work behind a bar so is earning money. Over the summer he has painted fences and done garden chores for neighbours. He only has £5 -10 per week from us. He tells me he's a very poor hard done by teenager. Some of his class mates get given £200+ every month and parents still pay for phones and a car.

Most schools will have pupils with the full range from nothing/very little to teens with more spare cash than some adults. From my limited experience fewer teenagers have regular jobs now. Maybe it's because those part time jobs are needed by adults.

Lweji · 16/09/2015 06:25

Per week??? No chores? But they do contribute at home?
My 10 year old gets that per month, more or less. And he sets the table.

But I'd give more to the 15 year old and stop paying some stuff.

turningvioletviolet · 16/09/2015 06:30

Mine have never had pocket money. We throw them out to work the second they hit 13 (paper rounds) and tbh the two eldest dcs (15 and 18) have more disposable income than me and dh. They pay for all their own clothes and social activities.

Iggly · 16/09/2015 06:33

I got £5 a week 20+ years ago but it was to cover toiletries etc as well. Doesn't seem much to me tbh.

HaydeeofMonteCristo · 16/09/2015 06:38

I think ok for 12 yr old. I might set some easyish chores though to get them more independent etc.

I think 15 yr old could have more and pay for more out of it. I had clothes allowance by that age and topped it up by babysitting for neighbours (lived in small village where few if any teenage jobs available).

nokidshere · 16/09/2015 06:51

I give my two teens 50 a month. I buy things they need but they fund their social lives and buy things they want.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 06:54

I definitely don't think that's enough for the 15 year old, sorry.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 16/09/2015 06:57

The 15 year old probably struggles to have a social life on that? I remember when I was 15 £5 was enough for a cinema ticket and a milkshake or coffee which is something I used to do a lot with friend on a Saturday, nowadays you would need £10 or more for that. That said I'd be getting him to earn more, ether by jobs at home or by getting out and looking for a Saturday job

goblinhat · 16/09/2015 06:58

I give my DS £40 a month, plus I pay his mobile phone contract. I pay forotr all his clothes and toiletries, he get a couple of pounds on top for his school lunches.
DD gets no official allowance- but money when she needs it. However her dance class costs are £200 a month.

God teenagers are expensive.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 07:00

The chances of a 15 year old getting a Saturday job are slim to none I would think. I remember my mother shrieking this at me (she had an obsession with me working) and I really tried but most places want you to be at least 16. That was in 1997 so I doubt things have got any better!

It's really unfair to penalise kids for stuff they just can't help - by all means give him/her some tasks and chores at home but any Saturday job they can get will probably be somewhere that employs kids to save money and as such won't be the sort of place I'd want a child of mine working, if you see what I mean. Plus, their GCSEs will be approaching and I think they should be the priority.

goblinhat · 16/09/2015 07:03

I agree about priorities. My teenagers are working hard at school to make sure they get a University place of their choosing.
I don't mind subsidising their lives for these last crucial couple of years while they work towards their future.

Every1KnowsJeffHesUsuallyACunt · 16/09/2015 07:04

I used to get £20 a week. But I was an only child, didn't have a contract phone and helped my mum by dog walking and cleaning because she worked.
I could earn a fiver extra if I mowed the lawn or did the washing.

I had to get credit for my phone and fund anything I wanted to do and buy out of that. I didn't get extra dinner money either.

Artandco · 16/09/2015 07:06

I think it isn't enough. Like others said that will barely pay for a coffee now. Def wouldn't be enough to go for a swim or to cinema here. Do they buy any clothes from that?

Scobberlotcher · 16/09/2015 07:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sandgrown · 16/09/2015 07:11

Blackcloud both ny older children had great Saturday jobs working for national chains and they were very well looked after. My daughter worked for a clothes store and had the added bonus of discount on her clothes. They both worked through university and I am sure their work experience helped them get jobs when they graduated.

Blackcloudsbrightsky · 16/09/2015 07:12

I also worked through university and sixth form college but there is a massive difference between working part time at university aged 18-21 and being able to work part time as a schoolgirl aged 15!

Many, many kids of this age just won't be able to find work and it's unfair to penalise them because of this.

fieldfare · 16/09/2015 07:15

At 14 I was getting my child benefit from my Mum which was about £60 a month, she also paid for my toiletries, clothes and ran me about to my weekend waitressing job.
I had to pitch in for that though as she went back to work. Daily I would hang out any washing she'd put in in the morning, bring in any washing hanging out, clear the ashes and re-lay the fire, have a quick tidy up in the lounge and make dinner a couple of nights a week. Nothing complicated, just sausage casserole or a spag bol.

I thought it was fair then, although I had a lot more money than my friends I also did a lot more chores, I still think it's fair now and dd is going along the same way.

TheBunnyOfDoom · 16/09/2015 07:16

I would give the 15 year old more, and make them pay their phone bill and bus fare, I think. They're never going to learn to budget if you pay for everything. I think at 15 (about 11 years ago) I got £50 a month but I had to pay my phone (PAYG - £5 a month) and everything I wanted except essential clothes and toiletries. So I had to buy all my own make-up, books, magazines, junk food, cinema tickets, trips to town etc.

You need to help them budget. Give them x amount per month. That money has to cover x, y and z and if they run out of money, don't top it up. I think they really need to learn how much things actually cost and that x amount a month actually doesn't go very far at all once you've paid out everything you need.

HearTheThunderRoar · 16/09/2015 07:18

DD gets $20 (10GBP) per week for doing small chores. I pay her phone contact and toiletries, she has to pay for everything else (clothes, social life etc). It's great practice for teaching how to budget.

She also works at my work during the week and holidays for minimal wage.

I don't think £5 will go very far to fund a 15 year old's social life.

NotSoDesperateHousewife · 16/09/2015 07:20

I don't think it's enough, my 7 and 8 year olds get £5 each (subject to good behaviour) because if they got any less they couldn't even buy themselves a magazine! Things are expensive these days.

Artandco · 16/09/2015 07:28

Oh and in comparison my 4 year old gets £4 and 5 year old gets £5 a week

Toughasoldboots · 16/09/2015 07:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheHouseOnTheLane · 16/09/2015 07:31

It's not enough imo! My DC are 11 and 7 and they get that. They also get the odd pound or two for small things.

Teens need about 20 a week....make them earn it through jobs round the house or get paper rounds.

Gatehouse77 · 16/09/2015 07:42

We capped weekly pocket money at £3 up to the age of 13 then they get a bank account and a monthly allowance of £20.

At 16 we give them £100 to pay for everything except school related stuff and if we had a specific event - wedding, bar mitzvah, etc.

They don't have to do chores for it but are expected to pitch in and help when asked, and they do as that's being part of a family in our opinion.

ChilliAndMint · 16/09/2015 07:45

My dc who is nine, gets £2 per hour for housework; washing up, ironing, general tidying and cleaning etc. On average about £10 a week.