How much pocket money?

[namechangeagain999]

IYO, how much pocket money is reasonable for a 16, almost 17 year old?

Most of the 16/17 year olds I know have a part time job so don’t get pocket money anymore.

What would you expect them to buy with it?

We are currently giving 50 quid which has been the same for the last few years. 50 quid doesn't get that far, but don't know if this should be increased or stopped and said teenager be asked to get a part time job

@MsVestibule looking at bank statements its only really being spent on takeaways but am being asked now to increase as he wants to go cinema

What do they pay for? Clothes included? Lunches? Travel to school? Phone?

@tanpestryfirescreen all of that is already provided

£50 a month or a week?

I don't think lots of 16 year olds have a job, depends on where you live and how much study they have to do.

Mine gets £55 per month and has a Saturday job. We have been helping him out with petrol money recently too as we made him stop his Monday shift at the pub (A levels start next month)

I gave all of mine a budget at that age that included their clothes (not Pjs and underwear), toiletries if they didn't want the family ones etc, netflix, make up etc They all managed their own money from age 13.

I always paid for phones as on family contracts. Lunch to Year 11 was through parent pay but in 6th form they could go out for lunch and so they got cash for that included (£20 a week but averaged out to include non term time) . Presents for friends- we only do token gifts for family.

I can't remember but it was about £200 a month in 6th form for everything. They had to make choices about how they spent that obviously.

It worked well. 2 have left uni never have had an overdraft and 1 is at uni and has savings. They didnt blow their money when they got it at uni as they were used to managing their own money.

£50 a week or a month?

@MsVestibule 50 per month

Yes, he could get a job but would it affect his studies? Could you afford to increase it to £15pw? Perhaps tie it to him doing specific chores?

@MsVestibule Yes, he could get a job but would it affect his studies? Unfortunately not much studying happening so I don't think it will affect that.

Could you afford to increase it to £15pw? Probably if that's what is reasonable for his age and other factors

Perhaps tie it to him doing specific chores? He does get occasional additional money from dm for doing chores

I think £15 a week is really low.

Does he go out with friends? That isn't enough to go out even once a week.

@tanpestryfirescreen so what do you think is a reasonable amount of pocket money? And do you think there should be any emphasis on getting a part time job?

I always had to earn my spending money, either by doing chores or when I was old enough by holding down a proper job.

My DD15 earns 40/month from me by doing household chores. She also gets 40/week spent on private tuition and a club which is 20/week. I pay for her clothes and mobile phone. She manages to save from her 40/month so I guess it’s enough.

At 17 i was getting £20 a week from my job (only 4 hours a week) and £50 a month from my parents (this was 5 years ago). It worked out well enough that i could cover most things

Mine gets £17 per month (was £16 pm when she was 16).
She has a PT job, and says she is actually "rolling in it" now but I gave my older 2 pocket money until they got to the end of the school year they turned 18, so am doing the same for her.

DS gets £20 a week.

Plus his bus fare to college.

Plus lunch money.

We buy him 12 beers once a month or so.

We take himself and his girlfriend to top end pubs (with top end prices) with nice views and it affords us time to sit and say nothing or sit and chat, you would be surprised how much they share in a remote pub with little or no phone signal.

DH keeps saying they will figure this one out soon.... but not yet hopefully.....Mwah..mwah...

We started a new system late last year as I was losing track of how much they were getting and I noticed that they were more careful when actually spending their 'own' money.

My 14 and 17 yo get £170 each per month.

That includes money for going out, make-up, perfume, etc, birthday gifts, Easter/Christmas presents, clothes, shoes, etc.

All I pay for is:

☆School uniform once per year and school shoes, although if they are careless and ruin them, they'd have to replace them too.

☆basic toiletries, eg, shampoo, pads, deoderant, conditioner. If they want fancier ones, or use them up too quickly, then they have to buy their own.

They're expected to help out around the house in return for this.

They went a bit mad and spent about £50 each on clothes in the first week as they've got contactless cards, so it's easy to spend it.

I've reminded them to save for Christmas, etc, but ultimately they need to learn to manage money for themselves. I won't be bailing them out if they run out of money either.

The 17yo also has a job, so she earns extra to what we give her. She's saving that for driving lessons though.

That is fairly low I got £20 a week at that age in 2000 so nearly twenty years ago, and my parents were not wealthy. I also had a part time job, waitressing was always good as you earn this as well as wages, so I had more money than friends who worked in shops etc. Maybe say if he gets part time work you will support that by increasing what he gets as pocket money

Tips

@TwoBlueFish

"Most of the 16/17 year olds I know have a part time job so don't get pocket money any more."

The OP asked how much pocket money is reasonable for an almost 17 year old. How is your reply in any way helpful to the OP?

£50 a month but she can earn more from us by doing the ironing which she does. She's almost 16 and I expect her to find a job shortly.

I buy uniform, winter coat, essential shoes (for school/sport/dance but not fashion), essential toiletries (not make up) and pay if we are out as a family.