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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Letting DS not spend real money on Fortnite

120 replies

MidnightVelvetthe7th · 17/09/2018 19:11

Please could I get some opinions, my 9 year old DS wants to spend his saved pocket money (£20) to buy a battle pack in the game Fortnite on the Xbox.

I've said no, as I always say no as I don't like them spending money on online games but I need to examine why I'm so reluctant as he's asking why not. My usual excuses are because you don't get anything to show for your money & if you spend it & the game glitches & loses it/you have to set up another account then you may as well throw your money down a drain. Not to mention that once Fortnite stops becoming the game of the moment its a waste.

I do have form for spending money on online games myself so I understand why he wants to, my game was Farmville 2 & I must have spent about £60 on it, & I don't play it anymore so it was a total waste of cash. I don't play any online games now but I understand the want to get ahead.

But AIBU, is it normal for kids to spend their pocket money on this sort of thing now? Do your DC do it? Should I change my mind & let him?

OP posts:
chuckiecheese · 17/09/2018 19:14

I know exactly what you mean. My ten year old is the same. However, I have a daughter who spends her pocket money on make up & going to the cinema. Is that any more a waste of money?

Wink
milafawny · 17/09/2018 19:14

This season is nearly over, the battle pass at this point is a waste. At the start of a season my kids spend their pocket money on the battlepass though, so they make full use of it. Its their money, they earn through chores. They play fortnite regularly and the battle pass gets used more than the tat they used to buy.

milafawny · 17/09/2018 19:16

The season ends on the 25th September, the new on will start soon after, if you chose to let him, encourage him to wait for season 6.

Itsatravesty · 17/09/2018 19:16

It's no more a waste than all the comics I bought as a child or adults buying magazines they read once. If gaming's one of his hobbies then why shouldn't he be able to spend his pocket money on it? Mine does but he has limits and has to save some too for when he wants bigger things. Lots of hobbies involve spending money on things that aren't actually material items we can keep.

chuckiecheese · 17/09/2018 19:18

Perhaps wait until new one starts?

Original poster
MidnightVelvetthe7th · 17/09/2018 19:21

Ah thanks all, I've just told him about the new season & he said he'd wait for that one.

You're all making me rethink as the last thing he spent his money on was Pokemon cards that are now gathering dust upstairs, so maybe they're as much as a waste....

OP posts:
ionising · 17/09/2018 19:30

I have the same problem. My dd had £70 from her birthday in June. Over a few months it has all gone digitally.

I thought about the magazines, make up, sweets, plastic tat that is wasted.

She actually enjoys the online stuff and gets more value than the other stuff she wasted it on.
We all have out own preferences on what we enjoy. Just because it’s online does that make it wrong? I don’t know.

Lemontart25 · 17/09/2018 19:34

It's part & parcel of being a child though isn't it spending money on rubbish, moving on from one fad (Pokemon cards like you said, comics, sticker books, good old pogs) to another.

I have fond memories of all the things my siblings & I spent our money on as children. It makes their childhood to have those freedoms. Even if it's spent on a bag full of sweets & fizzy drinks that turn your tongue a funny colour 😂

Their I money their choice... within reason obviously Wink

Shoobydooby09 · 17/09/2018 19:43

My SC play this game and whilst they have their own money to spend as they please (birthday/Christmas etc) that's fine. Once its gone it's gone. It's the constant asking for extra that is annoying and the sulking and moods when DH and their mum say no. They may choose to spend their money on this game - that's fine their choice. But we choose not to 'waste' our money on it. I also have an issue in that isn't this promoting gambling to young children? Me and DH don't know enough about it, supose we should educate ourselves Hmm but go me it's online gaming involving money and if it was adults in sure it would be considered as some form of gambling.

Ratbagcatbag · 17/09/2018 19:47

I think it's no different than buying a magazine like I used too, read it once, maybe twice and then binned.
This is just their version of it.

I think he's been quite sensible with guidance to agree to wait for the new season, so it sounds like he'd get a lot of enjoyment and use from it.

DonutCone · 17/09/2018 19:51

I totally agree that it is no worse than the endless stickers, or magazines or other random tat DD buys. I guarantee DS is getting more out of the money he's spent on Fortnite than she has ever got out of any of the crap she's come home with. Plus I'm so done with a house full of tiny little bits of junk.

lork · 17/09/2018 19:51

I felt the same at first, but as the game itself is free I thought that spending a small amount of money every now and again was justified for the enjoyment DS gets out of playing. We have several old style games that cost maybe £30 or more and have in the end not been played much.

FoofFighter · 17/09/2018 20:08

Basic battle pass is £7.99 (or equivalent in v bucks) - of course you can totally play the game for free without paying a penny. But for access to extra challenges to win v bucks and experience and outfits etc - it's well worth the initial 7.99 - after that going through the levels will earn enough v bucks for free that can be used to pay for the next season (as long as doesn't waste it on dances etc!)

GuavaPalava · 17/09/2018 20:08

I think it's completely different to buying a magazine or chocolate or a small toy. The companies charging for all these in app purchases are under scrutiny and rightly so. Of course kids want the latest skins or battle passes etc

I used to take the same line with my 11 year old - when it's gone, it's gone. He's in a fortunate position in that he receives a £30 allowance a month from his grandparents as well as money for chores and he has this put on to a Go Henry card. He also had additional holiday money.

I looked over his spending last month and he'd spent £47 on fortnite. It's just easy come, easy go and with nothing tangible to show for it. So we sat down and discussed it and the upshot is he will buy the £7.99 pass each month and that is that. He was slightly horrified to see how easily this money had gone

So yes, I'm usually very much of the 'when it's gone, it's gone' mindset but I've had a re think when it comes to these online purchases as I think it just pages the way for worrying addictions in the future

GuavaPalava · 17/09/2018 20:09

*paves

FoofFighter · 17/09/2018 20:09

its not gambling or anything like it Hmm

Earslaps · 17/09/2018 20:28

I have said no spending money, but to be honest it's no worse than buying a different game that costs. I think it just feels worse because you don't have a disc or anything physical.

Princess1066 · 17/09/2018 20:48

I'd never heard of this game until yesterday when a friend told me that a child who goes to her for after school activities had just run up a bill of €1600 on his parents credit card Shock

GuavaPalava · 17/09/2018 20:52

@FoofFighter where did I say it was gambling? Are you hard of reading? I said it paved the way for future addictions and evidence exists already that proves this is the case. Why not read up on it?

BananaBonanza · 17/09/2018 20:57

Historically you'd think nothing of saving up for a game... £60+ quid for age of empires gold pack (might have been mythology), Ultima Online was a not insubstantial monthly subscription.... If a kid saved up for it you'd pat them on the back.

The idea of free to play games is relatively new. But the games still cost to develop. Seems to me a good way to contribute to game development.

Its his pocket money, if its gone its gone, he'll soon learn.

curlykaren · 17/09/2018 20:59

The biggest drawback is that the user is not in charge of access to their own items. We've had an account suspended by Sony so everything that ive bought on that account and our PS4 plus subscription are a complete waste of money now!

BananaBonanza · 17/09/2018 20:59

Always password protect the means of financing these things...

BananaBonanza · 17/09/2018 21:00

account suspended by Sony so everything that ive bought on that account and our PS4 plus subscription are a complete waste of money now!

Apple are really good at this too...

Mrskeats · 17/09/2018 21:01

Fortnite has a 12 certificate doesn’t it?

BananaBonanza · 17/09/2018 21:06

From a legal perspective the 12 only refers to the sale of the game...