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Original poster

Want to give ds (4.5) pocket money - how?

75 replies

TracyK · 09/07/2008 11:46

dh and I are are disagreeing on this subject.

I thought £4 a week would be fair. dh thinks too much and ds too young to get the 'concept' of money - I think - this is the way to teach him

He always asks/gets sweets or comics when we are out and about and I thought if he saw his £4 counting down each time we bought something - he would understand my purse isn't bottomless iykwim.

Is £4 too much? A slush puppie/ice cream/go gos are all £1 each - so I thought £4 wouldn't last long!

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itati · 09/07/2008 12:18

We are starting pocket money for our almost 5 and 7 year olds and they are getting £1 a week. IMO £4 is way too much.

girlandboy · 09/07/2008 12:18

Bramshott - no you aren't mean, you are sensible.

Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:20

I'm sorry - what is the point of giving 20p a week? what do they buy with that?

OP posts:
girlandboy · 09/07/2008 12:21

Sweeties? What more should kids be buying at aged 5?

sherby · 09/07/2008 12:21

What can you buy for 20p though, for a whole week?

Are they doing chores for this pocket money or is it just given regardless

sherby · 09/07/2008 12:21

Books, a toy they like, saving for a day out?

Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:22

20p?? I don't know any sweeties that are that cheap.

OP posts:
girlandboy · 09/07/2008 12:22

If my kids wanted for instance, a comic then I would (maybe) buy it for them, but pocket money should surely be for "little" things, not a spending spree. I wouldn't mind £4 a week myself!!

Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:22

I don't know any books/toy you can get for 20p.

OP posts:
Bramshott · 09/07/2008 12:23

I'm probably only in town with her about once a month or so, so by then she would have saved £1. It might be too little I guess, we're only just starting it. I gave her some extra for the school fete last week, and would also buy her an ice cream if we were out and about. I won't buy her sweets or chocolate though, so I guess that's what the pocket money is for.

Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:24

But I don't want to pay for - say a comic - I'd rather he realised that a comic is 75% of his weekly money and that he would have not much left when he paid the £3 odd for a crappy comic.

OP posts:
girlandboy · 09/07/2008 12:24

Tracy - go to a sweet shop, there's loads for 2p or 5p. My kids do it. In fact my ds is notoriously scrooge like and insists on only 10p for sweets if it's his money. If I'm buying, then the sky's the limit apparently (he wishes!!)

sherby · 09/07/2008 12:25

Tracy I was answering girlandboy saying what else would a 5yr old need to be spending money on

Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:26

We don't have sweet shops (I don't think) - just the supermarket or Woolies. Tescos I think sell litle bags of chewy rubbish for about 12p I think. But can't think of any other shops that would sell little sweets.

OP posts:
Original poster
TracyK · 09/07/2008 12:27

Ah - right Sherby - am thinking you're the only one on my wavelength.

OP posts:
girlandboy · 09/07/2008 12:28

A newsagents?

Nemoandthefishes · 09/07/2008 12:31

My DC get pocket money based on how well they do on reward charts.
Ds 4.10 gets £2 a week
DD1 2.7yrs gets £1.50
and dd2 18mths gets £1
all goes up 50p per birthday.

It means they buy their own comics, sweets or save up for random toys they want. Works well for us but probably frowned on by others.

ZoeC · 09/07/2008 12:32

Our newsagent does penny sweets. New books would be harder to save for, but things like go-gos are only £1 and no need to get them every week.

I have always avoided buying snacks and stuff when we're out though so they aren't used to it. Generally they get 'sorry, I can't afford it' or even just no. If out, I will take a drink and fruit with me so no need for extras and they don't ask now.

I imagine dd1's pocket money being used for the termly school disco (£1.50 entry, £1 for sweets/drinks) and then either the occasional comic or go-gos. She likes things to have and keep.

LittleMissBliss · 09/07/2008 12:35

I think £4 a week is far too much.

When Ds is old enough i think we are going to reward chores with pocket money (maybe 20p a chore) so he can choose to do lots of little chores he'll get a bit extra. And this way he will understand the value of money.

Tracy why don't you take healthy snacks to town with you? Box of raisins, apple, breadsticks? This will stop him asking for snacks i'm sure he has come to expect them as you always supply them. As apposed to ice cream or crisps possibly being a treat.

sherby · 09/07/2008 12:35

FWIW Tracy I think the amount should depend on what you want them to buy with it, if you want to encourage saving or if they are doing anything for it

But I really don't think £4 is too much for a 4 yr old if they will be saving for things

As I said DD gets £4 a week. So this week she saved £2 towards a book she wants, spent 75p on a ballon animal at a childrens festival, spent another 60p on an icecream at the park and still has the other 65p. This now has to last until saturday, so I think she will probably buy a small chocolate frog thing after playschool on Thurs and have 50p left to add to the book fund. It seems fair to me after she does 3 chores a day for 7 days. I believe in fair renumeration for work!!!

Othersideofthechannel · 09/07/2008 12:37

I'm beginning to think about this (DS is 5.4)

How do people handle it when there is a not much younger one (DD is 3.7)? I don't feel she is ready for pocket money yet. I would rather just buy her the ice-cream/ride on merry-go-round when we go to the beach.

Also, where do your DCs keep their money or do you look after it for them (bank).

DS has a money box for coins he has found but both DCs like to continually empty the box and post the coins back in so they inevitably disappear around the house.

HonoriaGlossop · 09/07/2008 12:37

DS who is almost six gets £4 a week.

I think it IS rather alot - but I would not think of giving 20p or 50p a week as that would not enable to him to get anything he actually wants; a comic would take about 6 weeks to save for!

He either saves it toward a toy, or buys a little figure or comic. He doesn't buy sweets at all.

He will stick at £4 for quite some time though; it's enough for little things and will be enough for a good while yet.

LittleMissBliss · 09/07/2008 12:40

By chores i mean tidying away his toys. helping to maybe clear the table. Not hoovering or taking bins out or anything like that.

FrannyandZooey · 09/07/2008 12:40

personally I give £1 (ds is 5)
if he wants anything that costs more we discuss it and if I think it is a good thing to have we may well contribute or get it
otherwise he has to either be a bit choosy, or save up

that is the bit that teaches him the value of money, IMO
I don't personally think a child should be going into town and buying something 4 times a week - I don't see how he learns how to save or discriminate that way? Also it just makes life very consumerist if he is shopping that many times a week....

but that is just me

FrannyandZooey · 09/07/2008 12:40

personally I give £1 (ds is 5)
if he wants anything that costs more we discuss it and if I think it is a good thing to have we may well contribute or get it
otherwise he has to either be a bit choosy, or save up

that is the bit that teaches him the value of money, IMO
I don't personally think a child should be going into town and buying something 4 times a week - I don't see how he learns how to save or discriminate that way? Also it just makes life very consumerist if he is shopping that many times a week....

but that is just me