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Original poster

Pocket money for 12 year old

139 replies

Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:15

How much pocket money do you give your children?
My son has £10 a week, was just wondering whether this is too much/too little.
Obviously everything is more expensive these days but it with the COL things are really tight here too.
I pay for his contract sim every month. Dinner & snack money for school. Any clothes/shoes he needs etc
He does reluctantly do some chores but annoyingly wastes majority of his money on drinks and sweets even tho I’ve encouraged him to take drinks out with him to save spending out on more.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:46

CoffeeCakeAndALattePlease · 22/06/2023 23:40

I started getting pocket money at 5…. 25p lol. Stopped when I was 15 and got my weekend job and it had gradually risen to £3.50 by then.

everything seems so expensive now, pocket money doesn’t go far.

No it doesn’t go far at all, I guess £10 over a week is just under £1.50 a day. A 500ml bottle of drink is more than that now in some shops it’s shocking, hence why I try telling him take a bottle of water or something out with him rather than wasting his pocket money. It falls on deaf ears the majority of the time though.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:48

allthecats1982 · 22/06/2023 23:42

@Ilovepugs2017 my son is the same. He likes to squirrel money away and then when we go somewhere he "forgets" his money and looks lovingly at a grandparent or auntie/ I've warned people about making eye contact with him near toy shops!

Weirdly my younger son who is 10 next week is the opposite, hates spending money unless he realllly wants something. Prefers to otherwise save it 😂 maybe he could give my older son some tips

OP posts:
pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 22/06/2023 23:50

Fuck a duck, mine get the number of ££ they are in years per month. So my 11 yo gets £11 per month.

They get all food/clothes/activities paid for and generally seem to be rolling in it!

Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:51

Sugarfree23 · 22/06/2023 23:45

Who the heck gets papers delivered in the days of Internet and mobile phones?

My 12 yo gets £25 a month, paid onto a card. Mainly used for sweets and occasionally going out with pals.

We haven't linked it to house chores. We tried in the past and failed but I was getting to the stage that he needed to learn to handle his own money and budgeting.

I have no idea 😂 I think even a lot of the older generation now use tablets/tv to keep up with the goings on in the world.

I really wish I hadn’t linked the chores to the pocket money. Is it too late to change that 🫣😆

OP posts:
XiCi · 22/06/2023 23:51

Dd (12) has a Revolut card that I just top up as and when she needs it. So some weeks I don't need to put any money on it and other weeks she'll need £50 or so if going to town with friends etc. Obviously more goes on the card in the school holidays. I don't link anything to chores.

Badbudgeter · 22/06/2023 23:52

Ahsoka2001 · 22/06/2023 23:29

Ermm from what...? Children can't really work unless it's a paper round or special jobs like acting/modelling etc

Show quote history

They earn it by doing jobs round the house. There are basic jobs they do as part of living in a family. Clean bedroom, put plates in dishwasher after meals, put away your own laundry type stuff. I will pay them to do my/ extra jobs hoovering, dusting skirting boards, cleaning the car, weeding the drive, a committed child has earns upwards of £40 a week doing lots of jobs to buy a computer game. Luckily they are mostly a bit lazy otherwise I’d be skint.

NewNovember · 22/06/2023 23:53

We start pocket money at 13 and give half per age per week so starting at £6.50. Also pay for a bus pass, a giff gaff sim and Unlimted cinema tickets because dh gets them cheap through work. Pocket money stops once they get a part time job but we carry on with the phone and cinema tickets.

greenmarsupial · 22/06/2023 23:53

DD 12 (year 8) gets £15 a month. We pay for clothes, phone, presents for friends' birthdays etc. We had a big conversation about wants vs. needs which she seemed to understand. For example, shampoo is a need, a new nail varnish is a want so we would pay for the former and she would cover the latter with her pocket money.

She was talking about getting plaits done next time she gets her hair cut and I suggested that was a want so she would need to pay the difference.

When I can face it, I will set up a clothes budget for her. I think it would be good for her to be able to choose her own things and make decisions. We would still cover uniform and essentials.

Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:53

pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 22/06/2023 23:50

Fuck a duck, mine get the number of ££ they are in years per month. So my 11 yo gets £11 per month.

They get all food/clothes/activities paid for and generally seem to be rolling in it!

Oh really? My OH did say he thinks £10 may be a bit above average lol! Where as I was saying is it really though? With the cost of things now.

Do yours get it once a month or weekly? I usually give mine theirs weekly. I used to give my eldest £10 at the start of the week and told him it’s gotta last but he ended up wasting most/all in the first day so now he has it as a couple of £ a day

OP posts:
Ahsoka2001 · 22/06/2023 23:55

Badbudgeter · 22/06/2023 23:52

They earn it by doing jobs round the house. There are basic jobs they do as part of living in a family. Clean bedroom, put plates in dishwasher after meals, put away your own laundry type stuff. I will pay them to do my/ extra jobs hoovering, dusting skirting boards, cleaning the car, weeding the drive, a committed child has earns upwards of £40 a week doing lots of jobs to buy a computer game. Luckily they are mostly a bit lazy otherwise I’d be skint.

Show quote history

I get that, I just don't know why the pp didn't say "I give them X amount of pocket money if they earn it by doing these jobs" instead of pulling out the £0 figure...

Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:58

greenmarsupial · 22/06/2023 23:53

DD 12 (year 8) gets £15 a month. We pay for clothes, phone, presents for friends' birthdays etc. We had a big conversation about wants vs. needs which she seemed to understand. For example, shampoo is a need, a new nail varnish is a want so we would pay for the former and she would cover the latter with her pocket money.

She was talking about getting plaits done next time she gets her hair cut and I suggested that was a want so she would need to pay the difference.

When I can face it, I will set up a clothes budget for her. I think it would be good for her to be able to choose her own things and make decisions. We would still cover uniform and essentials.

I think it might be useful for me to have this wants/needs chat with my son 🫣
He usually has his hair cut once a month -6 weeks depending how quick it grows at the barbers at £15 a time and that’s covered by me.
Ive bought him countless stationary since he’s started school but he keeps ‘losing it’. OH has suggested next time he loses it it should come out of his money, maybe then he will look after them more if he knows he’s paying for it

OP posts:
Wishitsnows · 22/06/2023 23:58

Wow I got more than this in the early 90’s and could get more for my money then. Kids on these types of amounts will have to save for months to get something not great.

pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 23/06/2023 00:00

Mine get theirs just once a month. It goes in their wallets and usually stays there.

Seriously, £10 per week on frivolities is more than I spend on myself these days.

Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 23/06/2023 00:00

NewNovember · 22/06/2023 23:53

We start pocket money at 13 and give half per age per week so starting at £6.50. Also pay for a bus pass, a giff gaff sim and Unlimted cinema tickets because dh gets them cheap through work. Pocket money stops once they get a part time job but we carry on with the phone and cinema tickets.

I love the idea of the half their age per week! So with a 12, 10 and 6 year old it would be £14 a week. Sounds much healthier than what I’m shelling out now! 😊🫣

OP posts:
greenmarsupial · 23/06/2023 00:02

@Ilovepugs2017 it is definitely about understanding the value of money. If they keep losing stuff and just assume it's going to magically be replaced it is very frustrating! I would kit him out for September but be very clear that 'lost' or uncared for items need to be replaced from pocket money.

Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 23/06/2023 00:02

pasbeaucoupdegendarme · 23/06/2023 00:00

Mine get theirs just once a month. It goes in their wallets and usually stays there.

Seriously, £10 per week on frivolities is more than I spend on myself these days.

Same here. If I’m lucky I treat myself to a cappucino in a local coffee shop I love once a month and that’s £3.20. If I need some new clothes I sell some clothes I don’t want on Vinted first and then re buy some more on Vinted 🫣

OP posts:
Original poster
Ilovepugs2017 · 23/06/2023 00:04

greenmarsupial · 23/06/2023 00:02

@Ilovepugs2017 it is definitely about understanding the value of money. If they keep losing stuff and just assume it's going to magically be replaced it is very frustrating! I would kit him out for September but be very clear that 'lost' or uncared for items need to be replaced from pocket money.

Yes definitely. I think he does need to get the concept of the value of money for definite. He’s not fully through year 7 in comprehensive school yet and is on his 3rd bag tho I can’t really blame him for that the amount of books they have to carry sometimes is insane!

OP posts:
Badbudgeter · 23/06/2023 00:13

Ahsoka2001 · 22/06/2023 23:55

I get that, I just don't know why the pp didn't say "I give them X amount of pocket money if they earn it by doing these jobs" instead of pulling out the £0 figure...

Show quote history

To be fair it’s zero most weeks for my dc, unless there is something they want specifically and then they become motivated. I pay for activities, haircuts, clothes, phones, take them to cafes, presents for friends parties etc. Tbh I’d rather they didn’t have too much money as they would buy sugar and E numbers.

Sugarfree23 · 23/06/2023 00:19

Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:51

I have no idea 😂 I think even a lot of the older generation now use tablets/tv to keep up with the goings on in the world.

I really wish I hadn’t linked the chores to the pocket money. Is it too late to change that 🫣😆

Show quote history

I'd been trying for ages to get mine to keep his room tidy in exchange for pocket money.
The room was always a tip, and no pocket money was being earned however he does help with dishes and filling the dishwasher set the table etc.

When he hit 12 I really thought I needed to relaunch the pocket money thing, sorted Rooster cards for both kids via RBS / Natwest - so I don't need to think about cash either as that was another issue.

If he's doing chores for it I wouldn't change it keep him in the habit.

Georgeandzippyzoo · 23/06/2023 00:36

Ilovepugs2017 · 22/06/2023 23:58

I think it might be useful for me to have this wants/needs chat with my son 🫣
He usually has his hair cut once a month -6 weeks depending how quick it grows at the barbers at £15 a time and that’s covered by me.
Ive bought him countless stationary since he’s started school but he keeps ‘losing it’. OH has suggested next time he loses it it should come out of his money, maybe then he will look after them more if he knows he’s paying for it

Show quote history

We could literally be talking about the same kid except ours is 14. He gets £8 a week. It normally goes on pop or extra dinner money as they can go into local town for lunch. If I gave it all on a Monday he would have no dinner money by Thursday so I now give lunch money daily. He has a go Henry card which is useless for him as he has no concept of joy much he is spending, where with cash he can visibly see how much he has left.
We pay for sim, clothes, lunches etc so really he pays gircthe stuff he wants. If he wants something bigger he has to save so birthdays etc, money goes into a savings account which we dont touch very often. . When pocket money has gone it's gone and it's usually on crap with nothing to show for . it

Remagirl · 23/06/2023 00:44

Our 13 year old gets £10 per week. If he misses his bus for school or gets a de merit at school it's removed. Needless to say he never misses the bus or gets a de merit.

mrsneate · 23/06/2023 00:48

£30 a month. But also pay for his phone sim only contract. And football direct debit. And numerous football boots 😂

Nervouswreck25 · 23/06/2023 01:46

250 a month BUT she manages basically everything with that and it works for us. She pays for her own clothes / phone bill / etc

Intemperatefatty · 23/06/2023 01:57

Ours get £30 per month to spend on whatever she wishes (mostly sweets, chips and slushes!). Glad we’re not too far out with everyone else, she tells me some girls in her class get £100 a month!

SkyAboveSoBlue · 23/06/2023 02:11

At 12, we gave £50 a month. Most of it was saved as we still bought pretty much everything for them.
Out youngest is 14 and gets £100 a month now.