How does your 11 year-old pay for things in shops?

[icloudornot]

Currently, my 11 year-old has an old phone of mine which he plays games on and talks to his friends using WhatsApp. However, he is beginning to get more independent and likes to go on errands. We are about to put a SIM card into the phone. I’ve created an Apple ID account for him. Thinking that was the right thing to do. However, I now realise he won’t have any access to Apple Pay as he is under the legal age of 13. He’s also looking a bit annoyed that he will have to re-download all his games and sign in again. What did you do for your kids? How do they pay for things in shops? I don’t really want him carrying around a cash card. You can buy a key ring that through an app can take funds out of a designated bank account. But now I’m wondering whether it’s easier to just leave him on my Apple ID until he is 13. Whenever he uses Apple Pay, I get a notification and so can see whether he is abusing the privilege. He’ll be at secondary school in September. While he’s on my Apple ID, I don’t think I can set up parental controls. This isn’t such an issue while he’s just playing Roblox, but it might be more of an issue once he’s a teenager. There’s nothing on my phone that I mind him seeing. Advice please, how do other people deal with this?

HyperJar. My 12 year old doesn’t have a smart phone and won’t be getting one till she’s at least 14. She uses the card to pay for the bus and pocket money bits - sweets etc. it alerts me to all her transactions and I have to confirm it’s her every 5th contactless transaction. It’s got no overdraft/credit facility, isn’t linked to a bank account and only ever has about £20-30 so even if she lost it or was stolen it’s not a disaster. It’s also handy to be able to separate her bus money and pocket money into separate “jars.” I think rooster, go Henry etc all a similar setup. She always has about £3 cash for emergencies as well and sometimes gets larger amounts of cash as birthday money from relatives so uses that too.

Cash. So he can physically see it come and go and budget properly.

A HyperJar card. I have a weekly limit on it so he can’t overspend. You can also restrict the shops etc if you want to. I haven’t bothered. On the app the adult can see all purchases.

I think cash is an important step in learning about how to manage money.

My son recently got married to his best friend. Was a beautiful ceremony & they are so happy .
However during the reception the brides brother crossed a boundary . My daughter ma girly went to get a drink and the brides brother, poked her where sge

We did this - Nationwide current account age 11.

Our 11 year old DD has a GoHenry card; yes the monthly fee is annoying, but we like the fact that she can have money available within the GoHenry app, but nothing on the card until it’s transferred by DH or myself. Means that if she loses the card the money is still safe. It has worked really well for us, and gives her some independence in budgeting. When she’s 13, she’ll be able to use it in her Apple Wallet.

Use a Wise card/app. You can put money onto the ‘card’ (I’m not sure if you can get an actual physical card), add it to the phone’s wallet (may be able attach to Apple pay??) and make payments that way. It comes with an app so transactions and balance can easily be seen. Ironically my DS 20 set it up on my phone (as it’s easy to use overseas), it’s so much better than the Henry card we got him when he was younger.

A mix of Rooster card/cash

She never has more than about £20 on her rooster card, and I can block it if she loses it

Revolut until was 13 then Santander debit card

Rooster Card She can’t have Apple Pay until 13 and they block it in pubs etc but she’s not going to need it there anyway!

An 11 year old shouldn't be using WhatsApp, it's still classed as social media with a minimum age of 13. You've given him a LOT of freedom with this phone

This is the only correct answer I've seen! What happened to kids earning pocket money and learning to count out the correct change etc

Cash is so much better because it’s real. Essential to learn the value of money. Getting change and working it out.

It’s actually been a great idea and has solved a lot of problems for us. There is a £1500 credit limit as it’s an old card that we don’t use any more. It means she’s never without means of payment if she’s not with us (side note she is 13 now) and on a practical level it’s helpful if we are out together and she pops to one shop, I pop to another etc as I don’t have to follow her round to pay. It works well for us.

Our kids do earn pocket money, but, on balance, we felt it was important for them to learn how to earn and spend money in a way that reflects the world they will be living in. DH and I went back and forth on it but, fundamentally, most spending now is done on a card, so we decided this was how to manage pocket money. When they are 4/5/6 and just learning to add up we use cash, but beyond that, we do switch to a card as I feel learning to manage money digitally is an essential skill for them to develop. Lots of places also don't accept cash.

Monzo kids is fab. My 11 year old has one you need to open a monzo account as the adult also. Kids cant spend online and there is no account no or sort code on the kids card. Its linked to your card in the app and you can set a spending limit. All free to use.

hyperjar is really good and also free

Just because these kids use cards doesn’t mean they don’t earn their money or know the value of cash or can’t count out change etc.
My 13 year old has earned pocket money since he was very little for ‘helping’ in various ways and then set chores as he got older. When we bought things from the shops, like sweets, football cards etc he was made to pay - with cash. He is very mathematical and has learnt perfectly well how to calculate change and add up prices. But we live in a society that relies on cash less and less and having a card on your phone is the way most people live so why shouldn’t these kids have that available to them too.
I also think that many budgeting is something you need to learn from more than just using cash - look at how many adults can’t budget or manage their money (and most adults will have grown up with cash as the main way to pay) - budgeting is a different skill.

Revolut under 18 account and he uses a card (he’s 9). I control it via an app on my phone.

OK perfect, just ignore the laws and terms and conditions of your accounts!

Plenty of free options out there!

Except lots of places don’t take cash nowadays.

Why does your primary age child have WhatsApp?

Get him a child’s bank account and set limits.

Monzo and most others have the ability to immediately freeze a card if it’s stolen/lost.