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Original poster

To let ds spend his birthday money?

48 replies

Sayhellotothemoomoos · 15/08/2017 08:35

Ds 9yo has £150 of birthday money left from months ago. At the time he wanted to spend the money on a football kit (he lives in footy kits) but we persuaded him to wait until all the new kits came out.

Now the new ones are out he's seen one he loves it will cost £75 for the whole kit.

Dh thinks ds should save his money and add to it, either, 'for his future', or for a purchase that will last many years.

I do think the footy kits are extortionate but as any mum of a football fan will know, they love them.

OP posts:
blahdeblah12 · 15/08/2017 08:36

It's his birthday money. Let him spend some (or all) fgs. Your dh is being a miserable sod

RhiWrites · 15/08/2017 08:37

Savings are so boring to a child. He's consistently wanted the mit. It's half the money he has. Seems like a great choice.

What's the point of birthday money if he's not allowed to spend it?

Sandsnake · 15/08/2017 08:37

Absolutely let him spend it! He's already shown patience in waiting for the new kits to come out.

LoyaltyAndLobster · 15/08/2017 08:37

It's his birthday money let him spend it.

grafittiartist · 15/08/2017 08:37

His money- he should spend it how he likes! That's what it was given for. Children's birthday money really adds up, and as adults I think we would try to spend that amount really carefully - but a child has nothing else to spend it on but fun!

Cherrytart6 · 15/08/2017 08:38

It's up to DS. If he wants the kit he should buy it. I'm all for saving but this is DS's birthday cash and he's got his eye on something

OwlinaTree · 15/08/2017 08:38

It's his birthday money, I'd let him buy the kit. He's still got £75 to save. I always had to put mine in the post office, and I wish I'd been allowed to spend some of it on fun stuff!

isthistoonosy · 15/08/2017 08:38

Let him buy the kit. Spend half and save half is a good life lesson and everyone is happy (ish).

SpottedGingham · 15/08/2017 08:39

It's his birthday money. He wants to buy something that he will get enjoyment out of now. No problems.

Biker47 · 15/08/2017 08:39

Saving it "for his future"? For what, a mortgage?? Just let him spend it.

BrutusMcDogface · 15/08/2017 08:39

Spend half, save half sounds ideal to me. Of course he should buy the kit, especially as he was told to wait which implies that he would be allowed to buy one when the new kits came out.

AmateurSwami · 15/08/2017 08:40

He's waited til now, people give him birthday money in lieu of random presents he'd never use-let him get the kit!

rizlett · 15/08/2017 08:40

Well you made a deal with him to wait till the new kits came out.

He's only 9 but agreed to delay because he could understand your point.

It'd be very unfair to go back on this and in the process make him less likely to agree to any deals with you in the future.

NoSquirrels · 15/08/2017 08:41

It's 50% of his birthday money, on a purchase he's already delayed the gratification- what on earth would you be trying to teach him by saying no, other than that life is always a joyless fun suck?

He's made a choice to wait, he listened to your sensible advice. Now he gets the reward for being prudent.

HELP HIM BUY THE KIT!

bumpsadaisy11 · 15/08/2017 08:42

I got into a habit of saving all of my ds birthday & Christmas money. It was a standing joke, as soon as they received any money, they gave it straight to me.
It soon added up, so much so, that after he passed his driving test he was able to buy & insure his first car with it. He was absolutely delighted.

Starlight2345 · 15/08/2017 08:42

My DS is 10.part of the lesson of money is to see £75 spent and that has gone from his total. Else he will just hate gets birthday money..It becomes a none present.

As they get older the things they really want cost more.. so let him get something he really wants.

QueenofallIsee · 15/08/2017 08:42

I could understand the issue if you were talking 1000's but £150? Let him spend it on the footie kit ffs! If he is anything like my lads he will live in it

RoganJosh · 15/08/2017 08:43

He has saved it I would say?

DeadGood · 15/08/2017 08:44

"Saving it "for his future"? For what, a mortgage??"

Yes, what an insane idea Hmm

gingeristhenewblack43 · 15/08/2017 08:44

If you asked the people who gifted him money fir his birthday whether they did so so he can spend or save it, I think they would all say so he could buy himself something he wanted.

TheSnowFairy · 15/08/2017 08:47

DD (9) wanted to spend her birthday £ on the Lego hotel which was about £80.

I did have reservations at the cost and told her so but she was adamant.

It now has pride of place in the front room.

Op, let him buy it!

biffyboom · 15/08/2017 08:47

That would be very cruel to have made him wait patiently for his perfect birthday present, only to try to make him have nothing - a 9yr old wont see saving the money as anything but a betrayal of his trust. And he will remember it every xmas and birthday.

Original poster
Sayhellotothemoomoos · 15/08/2017 08:55

I am going to let him buy the kit btw. I think the one he's chosen is lovely and I know he'll wear it with pride until he literally can't fit into it. He'll still have half the money to save and he's waited patiently for months in my view.

I don't think there's anything wrong with saving btw, for his future or anything else, I just felt dh was sucking the fun out of the birthday money.

OP posts:
TheCraicDealer · 15/08/2017 08:57

I got into a habit of saving all of my ds birthday & Christmas money. It was a standing joke, as soon as they received any money, they gave it straight to me.
It soon added up, so much so, that after he passed his driving test he was able to buy & insure his first car with it. He was absolutely delighted.

This his exactly what my dad did and my sis and I were so grateful we plan to do it with our own kids. He always gave us £20 out of it or whatever to spend on toys or whatever but the bulk of it went away.

Hulababy · 15/08/2017 08:58

It's his birthday money. His present, in lieu of a physical gift. Let him spend it on what he's chosen. It's his to spend so let him enjoy the moment.

It's the insistence of some parents that their child must save gift money that means that I never ever give cash as a present to children.

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