Pocket money for 12 year old

[Ilovepugs2017]

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.

I used to get £40 a month when I was 12 and my parents opened a bank account for me. Not linked to chores. Once it was gone it was gone. Parents bought the basics, necessities, I had to pay for food if going out with friends and anything I wanted but didn’t need.
I personally think giving small amounts doesn’t encourage saving as it would take an age to get anything good. May as well blow it on the immediate satisfaction of a chocolate bar and drink etc.
When I wanted something really big then Dad would often go halves with me, for example I wanted a stereo system so I had to save half and he paid the other half. That way I didn’t get discouraged. Now I save well, and spend well.
IMO it’s about balance. Kids should be free to spend their money how and when they like but they shouldn’t be given more when it’s gone unless they do extra around the house or something.

My daughters are under 6 so we haven’t started regular pocket money yet but our plan is for around £5 per week. We also pay money each month into their savings accounts which they will get at either 18 or 21 (not decided yet) so can’t really afford much more than this.
My parents didn’t give pocket money in relation to chores (although did take it away if behaviour was particularly bad) but we could ‘earn’ more by doing bigger tasks such as cleaning the car or hoovering the stairs (we had a dog). I think it worked well

I never understood pocket money and didn't know anyone that got it... what are you paying them for? and what does a 12 year old even need money for?

I didn't need money for anything until 14+ and then it was just for bus fare, sweets and maybe cinema tickets or buying family xmas presents and I used money I saved up from birthdays/xmases throughout my life (I had hundreds saved... all those random £5 stuffed in birthday cards add up over 14 years).

I was lucky I was raised financial smart and to save it, friends that blew through any birthday money etc... as soon as they got it (and still do as adults tbh) had to either do without or work for money.

My 14 year old has hundreds in the bank too from saving that money throughout his life... its not like he has had bills to pay that would eat it up and he obviously doesn't 'need' anything because I buy his stuff.

It seems insane to me that so many people have a spare £40 per month, especially as most families I know have 2-5 kids that would be £80-£200 a month.

I don't know anyone that can afford to give that to their kids to just blow on sweets, novelties and hanging out in town.

My DDS is 9 - 10 this year and he gets no pocket money. He just gets bits and bobs when we are out together or something from the shop if I need to go - I would imagine when he starts going out with friends etc a few quid will be requested but for now I don’t bother

We got rid of our cleaner and gardener due to cost of living and have given DS’s 13 & 11 the opportunity to earn that money. Cleaning the bathroom and downstairs cloakroom £5.00 once a week. Mowing the lawn £10.00 per week (big lawn) changing beds, hoovering etc. We save a bit as they don’t cost as much as the cleaner and gardener did and we are not having to give them money on top of paying for these things to be done around the house.

At 12 mine got £25 a month and her phone paid for (plus clothes etc). My rule was if you NEED it it’s my responsibility, if you WANT it it’s yours.

shes 15 now and get £100 a month but does buy some of her own clothes, her lashes, nails, tanning etc. We still pay for her phone and the majority of her clothes. She uses the bus to get to friends and that comes out of her own money (when she doesn’t con us into driving her)

it does also depend hugely on what you can afford and we did speak this week about the rising col and how she needs to budget as we can no longer afford to randomly top up her spending money (which we had been doing).

From a personal point of view my son doesn't need much and he stashed his pocket money in a drawer if he gets it. He gets the things he needs and wants though so he's not bothered and he's only 8.

From a professional view though the average 11-16yr old I work with needs money for cans of monster, multiple vapes, weekly trainers and the same coat in a variety of obnoxious colours.

I meant to add she does have chores. She clears table after meals, stacks and in stacks dishwasher, helps clear garden after dogs, feeds dogs in evening, gathers all the washing, takes recycling out and keeps her own room tidy/bed changed.

My friend is a foster carer and her agency tell how much to give the children each week. At the age of 12 she would give have given them £6.

However, she is VERY generous with them and, rightly or wrongly, also treats them a lot, buys them lots of expensive clothes, gives them money to meet up with friends, pays their phone etc.

She was advised by Social Workers not to keep spending so much on them as they need to learn the value of money.

I should have said that's £6 a week

I think the difference is why parents give money. My grandparents gave us pocket money per age (10p per year) but my parents didn't. When I was in secondary school my dad paid me the £25 a month maintenance he used to give my mum so I could get school shoes, bus fare and anything else I needed for school. It didn't go far though as school trips are expensive. My mum had other kids to pay for.

When I was 16 I had a job and made about £190 a month that was mine. But £100 of that I needed for rent and the rest on bus fare to college/work that was £45 a month for an anywhere pass and left me £35 a month of my own money that I had to save up for driving lessons 🤣 I wish I was a kid these days from reading all these!

My kids never got pocket money when they were at primary school. I viewed it as a waste of money that would have been spent on pop and sweets. When they were teenagers and wanted to go out then I’d give them money for that specifically and obviously they got money for school bus, lunches etc and if there was anything left over they kept it. Was never an issue and they never asked for money on top because they knew if they needed anything I’d get it for them. They got part time jobs at 16.

My son is 12 in august he has autism and adhd . I just buy him what he needs as he wouldn’t understand pocket money .
if I was to do pocket monkey I imagine I would go with £25-30 a month

Well of course she saves her money, because you pay for everything. If you never got pocket money age 12 ( or 14 ? or 16?). When did you learn to budget ?

I would guess at least 20.00 a week, my sons got 10.00 25 years ago. Everything is so expensive now.

14 year old gets £40 per month put into bank account. That's for all social spending money. Has a current and savings account with nationwide. Is actually quite tight about spending it now, E.g. if going to cinema with pals he'll buy sweets at the supermarket rather than at the cinema and go on a day with cheaper tickets.

We'll occasionally give a bit extra as a reward for something or in the holidays. We pay for phone SIM card separately.

Pocket money isn't link to chores, expected to do those to contribute to the household like everyone else.

We give £5 a week for our 11 year old supposedly linked to chores, but he still gets it regardless. We buy clothes & most stuff for him.

My daughter just turned 13 gets £10 on phone bill contract a month so unlimited calls and texts etc she then gets £10 a week so £50 a month. Not linked to chores although she has specific “jobs” like emptying the dishwasher.

My boys are 13 & 15 and they get £7.50 each a week (was £5 before COL)
They can also earn extra walking the dog rather than me paying a dog walker.

I expect them to do chores as we all make mess so we all need to clean up so I don't link chores to pocket money

I’m have DD13 & DD15 they both get £5 per week and I pay for phones, school canteen (they have packed lunch so this is extra) and clothes when they need them.
We are lucky ( although they might disagree!) that they both have a local magazine round that earns them extra, but my son is dreadful with money. He was £58 (2 months work) and had spent it all by the f of the week on IOU’s, food & Xbox stuff!!! My daughter on the other hand is great at saving and hasn’t spent if hers this month.

TBH I think this is good re your son having to spend money on IOUs etc. He's learned how a credit card works!

When my older one first got pocket money he went absolutely bananas. He revelled in the freedom of buying comics (always a good spend IMO) and ice cream (ditto) and he treated his friends to robux and got shaken down for robux as well from a friend. Now THAT was a good lesson learned for the sake of £20. He is mujch more caujtious and set up his own budgeting spreadsheet.

It's good for them to have their own discretionary spending and to make mistakes with it.

My 14 year old gets £50 a month but they have to pay for football subs and haircuts out of it and has to save £5 a month

£5 per week which I transfer into his bank account. Sometimes he spends it on sweets or a few times a year he will save up for something.
He takes a packed lunch to school I occasionally put a bit of money on his account to get the odd pizza. But that's not a regular thing. I pay £10 a month for the sim for his phone too.

DD12 gets £25 per month if she does her chores, paid directly into her bank account. She can have £2 of that weekly on a Friday to buy sweets/crap, but the rest sits in her account to save for the expensive trainers and tech she wants (along with birthday and Christmas money). Works well for us.