to allow my DDs to spend their money on overpriced items?

[RiverLola]

DM and I went to an event with DD1 (10) and DD2 (7). We bought treats for them and a small gift shop item. DDs both spotted some branded items from the event and wanted them. For what they were they were hugely expensive (as you expect from an event's own gift shop) but they were adamant.

So I told them if they wanted them they would have to spend their own money. DD1 spent 1/3 of her saved money (the value of which is the amount she was gifted from a relative for her birthday) and DD2 spent half of her money (all saved pocket money)

DM says I was unreasonable as it was overpriced, i could have found them similar items online for cheaper and i shouldn't have let them 'waste their money'

I feel it was their money so who am i to stop them spending it? I explained to them that they were expensive for what they were, that cheaper versions could be found etc but they still wanted to spend their own money.

WIBU to let them spend over the odds? Should I have said no, even though it was their money?

I need to know what the items are to judge, but I wouldn't have allowed my daughter at that age to buy something that was over priced, at that sort of price.

I would and have asked why they wanted it. Again impossible to judge not knowing what the things were.

If it was a specificly named item for an important event or branded for a particular cause or interest maybe.

Depends on how much money your child regularly gets to spend on themselves too.

As a comparison iyswim.

That’s why you give children pocket money in the first place, so they can save and buy things they want with it. Kids always want overpriced shit, it’s part of the parcel. They usually realise it is shit after no time at all and hopefully won’t repeat the mistake in future. They don’t learn this if it’s you buying the items for them but hopefully will when it’s their own money.

thesunwillout DC get £3-4 a week at present. we live rurally so there is no 'popping to the shop for sweets' etc so money tends to be saved and then they go to the toy shop, or sometimes they will ask to look for a particular toy/item online. they don't have much opportunity to 'fritter' due to where we live. both DDs are more inclined towards bigger purchases rather than many small ones.

@Pinkflask

It was super painful to watch DS spend over £20 on a tin of Pokemon cards but it was his own money, he'd spent a while weighing up the options and came to the conclusion himself that it wasn't worth it afterwards! It was money given to him by relatives who would be happy to see him spend it frivolously TBH so I didn't feel bad about it. It is exactly how you learn the value of money.

My oldest son has been an avid collector of Pokémon cards for 20 years. As a child he would spend all his pocket money on them and folders to keep them in. Now 20 years later some of those cards are worth serious money and he is still adding to the collection. They are kept in mint condition in their own wallets and will go up in value even more.

Everyone does stupid stuff with money at some point. It’s much better to do it as a child on overpriced tat and learn the lesson than to do it as an adult with real consequences. This is exactly why children should be allowed to have pocket money and spend it as they like, because it’s the best way to learn how to manage money.