Who does this money belong to ?

[BurpeesAreTheWorkOfTheDevil]

You give a child (9) £10 for spending money on school trip.
Child spends £6.

Who does the £4 belong to?

The parent or the child?

Why give the child so much money then if you know they are going to spend only a small amount and then save the rest? If you want your kid to not spend £10 on tat, then don't give them £10 in the first place! Seems this is essentially just saying "you're going on a school trip so here's £5 for spending on the trip and £5 for the piggy bank. Basically just giving them money for the piggy bank every time they go on a trip.

If I give the kids money when they go on a trip it's because I want them to buy themselves something on that trip. I want them to get themselves a drink or some piece of crap souvenir (even if I hate it). I'm not giving them money to save for other things. That's what pocket money and birthday money is for.

The child. If he budgeted to have some change it is teaching him to spend all of his money so that none is taken from him - a spendthrift in the making.

Child

Child should be well mannered enough to offer it back, parent should thank the child for being so thoughtful and as a reward child keeps the £4

In our house being ‘good’ (kind, thoughtful, helpful, etc) is its own reward. I wouldn’t pay for that kind of behaviour, the ‘payment’ is the good feeling you get from doing the right thing.

In our house being ‘good’ (kind, thoughtful, helpful, etc) is its own reward. I wouldn’t pay for that kind of behaviour, the ‘payment’ is the good feeling you get from doing the right thing. Totally agree!

In our house being ‘good’ (kind, thoughtful, helpful, etc) is its own reward. I wouldn’t pay for that kind of behaviour, the ‘payment’ is the good feeling you get from doing the right thing.
Totally agree!

Same here.

Completely agree with ChocolatePanda.

This "“only buy something if you really like it, otherwise just bring it home for your money box”* makes absolutely no sense to me.

If you're out yourself with your child, and you end up in a gift shop or similar, and you say to them that they can have up to £10 to spend, and they pick something for £8, would you then give them the extra £2? I certainly wouldn't, and I'd view the school trip scenario the same.

I always say only buy something if you really like it, otherwise don't waste your or my money I'd like them to learn not to buy tacky rubbish they don't need or don't really like, just for the sake of buying something - which often seems the case with kids in the compulsory gift shop you have to walk through to get out of the attraction.

If you're out yourself with your child, and you end up in a gift shop or similar, and you say to them that they can have up to £10 to spend, and they pick something for £8, would you then give them the extra £2? I certainly wouldn't, and I'd view the school trip scenario the same.

I always offer the option of moneybox cash instead, even when we are together. The gift shops are full of overpriced tat and I’d much prefer Dd to be a saver than a frivolous spender.

Child. My mum would definitely have said parent.

I always pre arrange things like that so there's no confusion. I usually ask for the change back but then it goes into a kids club pot so when they need snack money for cadets or brownie subs etc. It's in the pot.

Not in my house and my dc wouldn't think for a minute that they'd keep the change. Thankfully they aren't sly or selfish and it wouldn't occur to them to underspend to keep the change, they realise i don't have money to waste and would only buy what they needed on the trip

Ooh I think my children have just been called sly or selfish

My kids know that there is rarely and spare money in this house. If I give them £10 as a treat for the trip they know it's because I have that £10 to spare for once.

It's neither sly nor selfish on their part for not wanting to waste it on overpriced gift shop tat and they always offer change back (knowing I'll say no) BUT it usually goes in their money box OR it will go on treats like an ice cream from the van at the park - they know I can't afford that every day, so they save it and treat themselves. DD sees me scratting around for bus fare change for work and always offers her money box change.

Yep my sly and selfish kids! How very dare they!

Not in my house and my dc wouldn't think for a minute that they'd keep the change. Thankfully they aren't sly or selfish and it wouldn't occur to them to underspend to keep the change, they realise i don't have money to waste and would only buy what they needed on the trip

It's money for spends. It's supposed to be fun. 😂

Trouble is if it's not for the trip the child could save the tenner and spend it on anything like ten pounds of sweets. It was for the trip. But equally I'd let them keep the change for being honest.

“the child could save the tenner and spend it on anything like ten pounds of sweets.”

If a child wants to buy £10 worth of sweets, there are bigger problems than who owns the change!

If I give my DC money for a trip I always say, you can spend it all or keep some for your piggy bank (where they save for holiday spends, or whatever item they currently covet). It teaches them opportunity cost ie if I buy £10worth of useless tat I have lost the opportunity to replace my perfectly good phone with the one everyone else has sooner. They learn the value of money, there are less souvenir pencil sharpeners/key rings/teddies in the house collecting dust, they buy less sweets/slushees & dont puke on the coach on the way home. Everyone's a winner!

I would say child. I only give my children what I'm prepared to lose unless I don't have the right change in which case I am specific in what they can spend - only with 10 yr old, 5 yr Old would t have a clue!