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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

clothing allowance for teen?

32 replies

Hattifattner · 31/10/2018 13:15

Do any of you have a clothing allowance for your teens? On top of phones and pocket money? If so, how much would be reasonable?

I currently give me DD £400pa for clothing - excluding school clothes and occasion wear (like prom dresses) and sportswear for her hobby. I will also typically buy her one or two items for christmas or birthdays from her favourite store.

The £400 is split as £150 summer, £250 winter. Last year I just acted as the credit card, letting her choose herself and just being there to pay. I try to allow her to choose from whatever shop she wants but within a realistic budget - so if she wants a hollister hoodie, she might need to buy primark jeans. Last year I insisted that she bought certain items, so she could get an idea that she couldn't spend the whole amount on shoes and bikinis and bras.......

This year I want to step away and just give her the cash, with a view to her learning how to budget (and also, if I'm honest, I am tired of her constant gimme gimme gimme for clothing she will never wear.)

She is 15 but doesn't really socialise. SHe lives in leggings or jeans.

So question is: if you have an allocated amount for clothing, how much is it, how do you work it?

OP posts:
Zebrasmummy · 31/10/2018 22:48

Hoping my comment will keep this active as I'd like to know the answer as well! I think a budget is a great idea and I'm considering it for my dc, but how to manage it is the next step.

JakeBallardswife · 31/10/2018 22:55

Dd is 11, I buy lots of things but some things I go halves on with her using her pocket money. Makes her really think If she wants the item.

Zebrasmummy · 31/10/2018 23:45

I think that's what makes me think it'd work for my dc. When she wants something and I say "are you going to treat yourself then?" or similar, shell often think harder and buy less, but things she really loves. My ds might be a bit different . . . he isn't any where near as careful as her. It could all be blown in a day, but there's a lesson in that as well I guess!?

Original poster
Hattifattner · 01/11/2018 09:39

with my older daughter, I did this and it worked well. Possibly the first year I made her write down what the money needed to cover - a coat, boots, 3 pairs jeans, 4 long sleeved T shirts, a couple of hoodies etc. I worked out how much a basic set would cost at eg Primark and then doubled it so that she would be able to buy some more expensive branded bits and bobs if she wanted.

I went and sat in a cafe in the mall and drank coffee while she went and shopped, then came back with my card at the end. It gave her the autonomy to choose wheat she wanted without me judging her choices.

That was 5 years ago, shes in Uni now and I think she has a good grasp on money.

Youngest DD is now going through the same and I have adjusted for inflation, but just need to know if she is getting about the same as other kids? Obviously some get more and some get less...but on average?

Also, if you do an allowance, would you pay monthly? I give mine her allowance in October and again in April/may - otherwise I think she would fritter it away.

And when she goes to 6th form next year, should it increase as she will be in civvies all the time (and will hopefully start to go to parties and socialise)

OP posts:
KingBee · 01/11/2018 17:28

We give the dcs £30/month for clothes - we pay for school clothing and shoes. DD has spent some of it on non-clothing and has been a bit surprised by this, so dh has bought her a cash book to record her spends and one of us will go through it with her every month till she can get back on track again. Ds has been fine with his, so there won't be any intervention needed with him.

mycatplotsdeath · 01/11/2018 17:35

When mine was a teenager they had money monthly £80
They were very good at shopping online when the sales were on.
If they wanted a expensive item they either saved or ask for it as a birthday or Xmas gift

Original poster
Hattifattner · 01/11/2018 20:01

mycatplotsdeath was that pocket money included or just £ for clothes?

OP posts:
mycatplotsdeath · 01/11/2018 20:27

@Hattifattner that was pocket money included, it was for everything apart from phone and educational travel.

The first month they blew the lot in a week, once they realised that the were not going to be given anymore more money not even by doing extra chores, they budgeted accordingly and even had savings

KingBee · 01/11/2018 20:32

To be clear we assigned £30 towards clothing - they get more cash for other things.

HemanOrSheRa · 01/11/2018 20:43

After shelling out another £100 on clothes this week for DS on our usual school holiday shopping trip, I'm thinking about giving him a clothing allowance. I'm pretty sure it'll end up cheaper in the long run (for me!).

He's 13 though, so maybe a bit young? Not sure.

KingBee · 01/11/2018 20:47

When the dcs were 13 we allocated the budget but they didn't have free access to the funds

AlexanderHamilton · 01/11/2018 21:02

Children in care get a clothing allowance of between £45 and 70 per month depending on the authority/care home.

I tend to use those figures as a guide to what is reasonable.

HemanOrSheRa · 01/11/2018 21:08

Oh that's interesting KingBee. Did you 'give' them the money so they could see it mount up in some way? Funnily enough, DS is pretty good at hunting out bargains when we go clothes shopping or he gets gift cards for Christmas and birthdays. His monthly allowance budgeting skills are a work in progress Grin.

Beansandcoffee · 01/11/2018 21:11

Blimey there’s no way I can afford to spend £45 - £70 month on my sons clothes. I doubt I spend that on myself.

AlexanderHamilton · 01/11/2018 21:14

Apart from a changing school allowance & a prom allowance though that would cover everything including replacement/outgrown uniform, shoes and winter coats.

cookingteaforsix · 01/11/2018 21:21

I buy all clothes for my DD. If she decides she wants designer items, I contribute the price of basic clothing and she tops up.

I'd pay £40 towards trainers. If she wants top brand she saves and tops up. No allowance as such, I buy all essentials. If it's a need I pay, if it's a want she tops up.

She's very good at judging which items need to be upgraded.

KingBee · 01/11/2018 21:26

Herman - we had a shared Google Drive _ spreadsheet initially. £30 per week is more than adequate for non uniform/essential spends - my kids are into looking stylish but not into branded clothing - it's all a bit Year 7 apparently - I'd say tacky!

HemanOrSheRa · 01/11/2018 22:15

Ha! Thank you KingBee. I loathe the clothes DS wants but he doesn't have a massive amount and wears the arse out them. I prefer him wearing what he wants rather than me picking up bits here and there that he won't wear AT ALL.

It's a tricky balance, I think. DS is in men's shoes now and just into men's clothes. Which are more expensive anyway .

Original poster
Hattifattner · 02/11/2018 08:54

Thank you all. Its tricky isnt it!

Sorry to drip feed but the reason I posted this is that my DD is actually my foster daughter and I get a LOT of pressure to spend more/give more.

I don't want her to get the idea that she will always be able to have flash designer gear....she is likely to end up in a minimum wage job with very little disposable income, so trying hard to start her thinking about wants vs needs. We/she spent about £110 last month on basics (jeans, leggings, tshirts), plus an expensive branded coat that will last her several years. Since then, I've given her the balance, to spend as she wishes as long as its on clothing. So far, a Hollister bra, a pair of bling heels (she never goes out), a hoodie that's an XXL (she is a size 8) and a cheap pair of trainers. SO that's going well...!!

OP posts:
KingBee · 02/11/2018 12:43

The £45-£70 would be for all clothing including school uniform and sports gear, wouldn't it?
It must be tricky if your kids are into branded clothing.

rabbitmat · 02/11/2018 12:52

I give my 14 year old a clothing allowance of £30 a month. He has pocket money on top of this (£7 a week) and has his phone, school stuff and school lunch paid for. He is only allowed to spend his clothing allowance on clothes. I started doing it because he only wants designer stuff and won't wear clothes from High Street shops. Drives me crazy! I'm hoping the allowance will give him a better idea of the value of money.
Its not going brilliantly well! I had to buy something for him when he went away with school recently but I told him it was reward for a good school report. I hope in the long term he will become more careful with his money.

Nedzilla · 02/11/2018 13:01

I wouldnt give them a fixed clothing allowance, as thats then promoting them buying more clothing that needed as its given separately.

Instead I would up their current pocket money allowence if you give it, to include clothing. But they will then have to choose whether they need clothes or not.

I think £30 per month is enough (£360 per year) for them to buy a new coat if needed, and then a few new of each item needed. At 15 years not everything will be outgrown each year so they wont need a full wardrobe every year. If they are savy, they can save some of the extra £30 for other stuff.

And then like you say offer to buy a few new items also at xmas and birthdays

I wouldnt include uniform cost in the above

RomanyRoots · 02/11/2018 13:10

My dd is 14 and she has her child benefit, minus £20 which I save in a separate account for driving lessons, test and first car.
Out of this she buys any snacks for school, some clothes, toiletries, entertainment and £5 towards her phone contract.
I did this with her older siblings too, it works well as they learn how to manage their money and budget.
Some months my dd saves some money and she keeps this in her savings account.

RomanyRoots · 02/11/2018 13:13

Meant to say since starting this she has gone from wanting labels like converse, Vans, etc to buying from Primark and unbranded clothes.
I'm a happy person.

KingBee · 02/11/2018 16:07

They do tend to change their shopping habits when you put them in charge of the cash.

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