Pocket money: does it come with provisos?

[OrmIrian]

Do you restrict what they spend it on? (Crack cocaine, knives and drugs being a given obviously.)

DD is 9. She gets pocket money every week in return for somewhat vague duties round the house. She had a Nintendo DS for b'day this year and has spent her pocket money on second-hand games on Amazon for which she has gone without any money for a few weeks. But this time she wants a new game which will basically cost her 12 weeks pocket money. She won't whinge and won't ask for anything else (she doesn't do that), but I suspect that she will regret it and will have got bored with it well before that time. Bearing in mind that we are also going on holidays in 2 weeks.

Should I put my foot down?

I always had to save up in advance for things - she might not want it when 12 weeks have elapsed (particularly if she wants to spend money on holiday in the meantime!) I don't believe in encouraging credit

I could do that but it would have the same effect as saying no as far as DD is concerned.

I think if you're doing it on credit then you have the right to veto it. Different if she has to save up over that meny weeks, because then it tests how much she wants it. Maybe a compromise and buy it half -way through ie 6 weeks time?

I would not do 12 weeks of credit, they change their minds, MuminScotland's idea is reasonable.
Mine are only veto'd from buying food with their pocket money, else they'd blow it all on sweets each week!

I'd make her wait, sorry, she hasn't eanrt the money yet, she doesn't get the game.

Maybe throw in some extra jobs for an increase in pocket money so it is quicker as a compromise?

I was thinking of a compromise I must admit. I can tell her, quite honestly, that with the holiday, holiday clubs, taking DD and her cousin riding next week, I have no spare money. So she will have to wait until I get paid again at the end of the month. Then we'll see. Reasonable?

Yes.

No, DD's pocket money is recieved without errans/chres and she can chose what she spends it on, although we do guide her - she is 6y so easier to do

DD has bought a trampoline with her pocket money though, so at present she has no pocket money at all - think she is borrowing on the old "never never!" LOL.