Pocket money for a 13 year old

[margesimpson81]

My DS is 13, and I currently give him £2 a week. He was okay with this for a long time, but recently he's been complaining that this isn't enough, his friends get more. He doesn't really go out much, prefers tochat on PS4 with his friends. When he does go to the movies, bowling, things like that we give him money, but he has to pay for any snacks or drinks. I assume the money would mostly be spent on video games. He doesn't have to do many chores, just clean his room and walk the dog. But to any other parents out there - What do you give your 13 year olds? Is £2 enough?

Mine has £30 a month and I supplement for going out and buy most of his clothes. He is out a lot though and long school commute. £2 a week is enough to go to the corner shop once!

No chores connection here. DD gets £20/months into her account.

I expect her to save and pay for anything above basic skincare/make up etc, going out for coffees with friends and the stationary she is so desperate to have.

We pay for all essentials like school stuff, meals when going out, the odd cinema/bowling trip and all hobbies and related expenses.

She has to save money to have spending money during the holidays.

£2/week is what she got when she was 7.

DD gets £30 a month paid in to her bank account. I also pay her mobile phone and gym membership. Not linked to chores but she is expected to help out around the house and keep her bedroom tidy. That money funds excursions out with friends, cinema, wagamamas, Nando’s etc and any fashion items she wishes to purchase. She usually has birthday/Xmas money that she also dips in to.

DD, 14, gets £15 per month direct into her nationwide flex account with a cash withdrawal card. When she start socialising more independently this will go up to £25. We are if anything on the low side.

She used to spend cash pocket money quite quickly, but when we moved to the monthly into an account she spends less as it isn't burning a hole in her pocket.

£10 plus phone paid for plus going out money as needed for (say) cinema.

I would like to go with a monthly allowance but DS has zero will power and would blow the lot on sweets and fizzy drinks in 3 days. All very well saying, well they have to learn to manage money, but there's a limit to how long I'll give him money to spend on crap and then be stuck at home because he has no money left to go out with friends. Maybe when he's matured a bit ...

I’ve got 3 teens, 13,15,17. DD17 gets £10 a week. DS15 gets £8 a week and DD13 gets £6 a week. They also get an extra £1 for every chore they do. They don’t spend much at all but will occasionally splash out on clothes and shoes but other than that my kids love saving up.

£5 a week, not linked to chores, plus phone paid for.

I give my 12 year old £25 a month onto his Go Henry debit card and probably £15 or so on top of that over the course of a month

£2? What do you think he does with that?
Unless you’re on a tight budget it’s very mean. It wouldn’t get anything; magazine, snack, bus 🙄
My DD13 gets £10 pw more if extra chores are done.

Why use these Gohenry cards? My DD has her own bank account with debit card, gives her freedom to shop & budget.

My just turned 15 year old dd gets £22 per week, she does pay for her phone and Netflix out of it. So she manages her bills and what is left.

DD starts college in September so her allowance has gone up from £20pcm to £80pcm.
She gets her £10 phone bill paid and transport to school.I have bought her a basic wardrobe for college and all the equipment she needs.
She has to buy extra clothes,coffees and lunch from this.It has motivated her to make packed lunches already.She likes saving money but maybe shocked at how much a haircut costs!

We have 4 between us. Ages between 5-13. Youngest gets £10 , oldest £100 (he is my step-child and gets £50 of that from his mother) a month. We pay for everything so the funds are not chore related (we do not reward for things they are expected to do such as making their own beds for the older ones, tidying up etc) but they are expected to save 50% each month which we keep a close eye on. The money is usually spent on educational magazine subscriptions, robux and numerous other games and gaming equipment which we do not pay for. Older one is already saving for his driving lessons and a trip to New Zealand when he is of age.

@Rumours0fAHurricane

I give my 12 year old £25 a month onto his Go Henry debit card

Go get him a real debit card, why are you paying for one?

£2 is a pretty weird amount at 13. It’s the kind of money you give to little kids who are excited to buy sweeties with it at the weekend.

@MrsMop7 err because I want to and that's my decision to make? Hope that clarifies

DD is 13 and gets £12 a week in her bank account. I was giving her £5, but was giving her more on top of that for trips out with her friends, etc. This way, she can save up if she wants something bigger, and I don't give her any extras. She's currently saving for trainers that I won't buy for her! DS is 10 and gets £2.50.

We used to give £15 into an account each month from age 13 plus pay for phone contract ( rural area). That was for whatever they wanted normal weeks. Holidays we have a bit extra,spending money if we were away or extra for cinema etc if at home eg half terms. I bought all basic toiletries and san pro but if they wanted fancy stuff they paid themselves. I think it went to £25 at 16 but the two eldest got casual jobs washing up in the pub by then

My sister would get £50 a week off our dad and !50 a month from our mum.

At that age I got £3 a week lmao

How times have changed

I remember in 1992 getting £10 a week at age 14. My son gets £7 a week, he blows in on video games. He only gets it in term time if he is well behaved all week. I might increase it to £10 if he studies daily next term too. I pay a fortune in clubs and coaches too. I can understand wanting you DC to know the value of money as sometimes I think my son doesn't and it upsets me.

£85/month here

My 13yo gets £10 a month plus another £2 a week behaviour dependent - so £20 ish a month. He's just got a paper round too which he job shares with a mate so that's another £9 a week for 3 mornings, plus extra if he covers for friend's holidays. He pays £5 towards his phone out of that and I buy necessary clothes or usually go halves if he wants something more branded (ie expensive)

I'm new to MN, but my 13 daughter gets £10 a week for chores, good behaviour, School work, manners, and a weekly chat about her life, friends, projects, ambitions, dreams, so I'm kept in her loop! But £2 I'd definitely not enough......it probably engenders feelings of embarrassment compared to teen peers, and lessens self worth, trust, and independence.......it's better to give more for postive creative actions in return in my opinion to demonstrate the real World of work for cash.

Why would you bump a 2 year old thread to post that?

Well I'm new, and I was wondering what the average pocket money was as I'm thinking of getting my daughter a gohenry debit card, and it was the first post that came up....any more questions? If it doesn't interest you, why respond at all?