To say no to in-app purchases?

[carolinesbaby]

Help me settle a dispute with 12 year old DD.

Are "everybody's kids" allowed to buy things in games on in-app purchases?

We have always given a blanket no to this, because it seems to be a quick route to financial ruin, easy to spend money they haven't got, and expensive for what they actually get. Also because I don't want to enter my card details into Roblox.

Now Dd is sobbing because I said no to spending her birthday money on Roblox coins.

So AIBU to say no?

Absolutely not, DD is not allowed to spend money on fictional items

I agree, that way ruin lies

At 12 and with her own money I would let her.

If its her birthday money then surely it's her choice of where to spend it?

I wouldn't let them spend my money willy nilly but if its their choice to spend their own money on it then that's up to them.

Oh fuck no, in app purchases are awful.

Can't you get a gift voucher rather than put your card details in? I absolutely agree with not having your details on there, but see no reason she can't spend her money how she likes.

I've always said no because it feels like a gateway to online gambling.

In app purchases no way unless it's her card and her cash.

If it's her card and her money, I can't see a problem tbh.

YANBU

DC have Greenlight debit cards, and if they earn money they can use it however they want.

They cannot do in-app purchases on my card, no.

@thisplaceisweird

I've always said no because it feels like a gateway to online gambling.

It feels like that to me too.

@LindaEllen

Can't you get a gift voucher rather than put your card details in? I absolutely agree with not having your details on there, but see no reason she can't spend her money how she likes.

Does such a thing exist?

My children are allowed to within set limits, like most things in their lives.

What are they playing roblox on?

In app purchases are turned off on all devices. If they have vouchers or pocket / birthday money they can spend it on Robux etc but we will absolutely not give them any extra from our money nor give them access to do it themselves.

We also say no because it’s not worth it for the likes of roblox etc. However, we do allow in-app purchase if it’s to extend the game or convert to the full version etc. Minecraft had an episode thing which we bought.

It is very much a gateway to gambling particularly the reward chests and so it’s a firm no. Tbh the eldest doesn’t ask very much at all as it is always a consistent no.

In app purchases are terrible. No cards linked to anything the kids can get to here and mine are not little children.

The tablets need my password to buy or download anything including free apps.

The only device that can be purchased on without an adult is the 14 year old switch and that is set to funds only so they would have to buy a gift card and put it on and then spend that. They have so far spent a grand total of £2.99 on something for fortnite.

Not allowed in this house either.
They were always told as soon as they had earnings and cards they could do what they like. The two now adult ones have never gone on to do so, nor in fact have they even bought a games console, so they can’t have been that desperate after all!

I think it depends a bit on the game and what the purchase is for. I don't know Roblox so can't comment on that specifically. But my son plays another game where it's helpful to occasionally make an in-app purchase, I let him do that with his own money, it's 2-3 times a month (£5 a time).

If the in-app purchases are more of an addictive thing, like you can't play the game properly without them and so it's a constant temptation, then I would not be keen at all.

No in app purchases here either.

Blanket no in our house too.

Not Roblox but I buy a gift voucher (via cd keys so I pay less than the face value) and they load that onto the Xbox. It's always their birthday or pocket money that's used though, no unlimited pass to my money. So they have a sense of ownership over the money and weigh up if it's a worthwhile purchase. My 12 year old had £50 of Xbox credit for his birthday in April and only £20 is spent which bought two games. I think not wanting to waste it has made him more responsible rather than less.
On the odd occasion I've had to enter my card details I make sure they are deleted from the app or game immediately to prevent any further transactions (also to reduce risk related to hacking).
Someone up thread said they wouldn't allow it for a "fictional" item but in today's online world things are like this more than ever, eg rent an online movie, a Kindle book, music via Spotify, you have no physical item but still gain something from the transaction. At 12 I think it's old enough to start weighing up if something is good value, how long will they get enjoyment from it versus the cost? I usually make them think about this and wait a bit before agreeing to make sure it's not a spur of the moment decision to buy.

Someone on here recently was trying to get back the £6000 her 13 year old spent on in app purchases. Not sure how successful she has been.

Not allowed here either. My 11 year old DS plays fortnite and he asked relatives for gift cards for Christmas because he knows I’d never buy them. It’s so foolish, he has shown me the crap he’s bought on there and he admitted he only really uses one of the ‘skins’ so the rest are pointless.

We always say ‘we’re not spending real money on fake money’ and repeat every time they ask.