Pocket money/allowance for 13 year old

[bendmeoverbackwards]

What’s the going rate?

Dd currently gets £15/month, I know it needs increasing.

Not sure whether to give her a larger amount to include clothing too...?

What does everyone else do?

DD gets £20/months and it is very much spending money. So far she was fine with it, going to the coffee shop, buying the odd top and make up/body stuff.

But she hardly went out more than once every 2 months.

For me 13 is still too young to be fully responsible for clothing, school stuff etc. We buy whatever is necessary and she buys what she deems essential like the 100th pen or another notebook just because.

She has a good understanding of money and is good in saving for holidays and larger items so we think it works for us at the moment. I think we may increase it after lockdown to £25/months as we think they will meet up a bit more then.

I thought about including clothing because dd is really into clothes and pesters to order more all the bloody time!

My 13 DD gets £5 a week with a Gohenry card so she saves some and keeps some back to save for make up bits etc. I think if I gave more to include clothes she'd end up with a million cheap t-shirts but I would still end up paying for the expensive trainers so I find it better just get what she needs as she needs it.

Oh god I might be overdoing it. I'm new to pocket money, both my DS's are severely autistic so not really got any concept but my 6 year old has just started going out with his carers on a Saturday for a couple of hours, just little activities and going round the shops etc, he gets £20 a week and £10 into his savers
4 year old DS gets £10 a week in cash, usually to use when we're out and about if he spots something he likes and then he also gets £10 put into his savers account each week.

They very rarely spend it all (DS6 only bought a watermelon for the entire time he was out yesterday) but they often take a fancy to things that we couldn't have even imagined so it's a nice knowing it's vaguely budgeted for. We also have a 'ice cream purse' in the car which is full of change for ice creams, coffees, odd drinks etc

DD (14) gets £40 a month transferred in to her account at the beginning of each month. With that she is expected to buy any fashion items and make-up she desires and any birthday/Xmas gifts she wishes to buy for friends. She also uses to finance her excursions out with friends to Nando’s, Wagamama’s, Starbucks and cinema. I still buy all her essential clothing, toiletries and I pay for her mobile phone and gym membership (whilst not in lockdown). She then usually tops her account up with birthday/Xmas money. Pre-lockdown she was pretty much spending her allowance each month but it’s stacking up at the moment!

Mine are only 7 and 5 and get nothing at the moment but when there older, probably teens, I think il split their child benefit in half and give them that. I'd put it one one of those cards you can get however I'd expect them to use some of it towards clothes or toiletries they might want.

£20 a month to buy clothes as well. I buy school stuff, shoes, coats, sports stuff, anything 'essential' eg 1 swimming costume. The £20 covers bus fare to town (so she often walks), stuff from topshop/new look etc.

@BrunoMars

My 13 DD gets £5 a week with a Gohenry card so she saves some and keeps some back to save for make up bits etc. I think if I gave more to include clothes she'd end up with a million cheap t-shirts but I would still end up paying for the expensive trainers so I find it better just get what she needs as she needs it.

I see it similar. I prefer DD wears good quality basics for jeans, shoes and jumpers/hoddies. There is still lots of time to learn about where to buy what kind of clothing. It also means I do have a bit of say about age approbriate clothing as she outgrew all children section long ago and most adult fashion does not suit a 13 year old.

£20/months is enough to buy items from New Look and Primark if she saves a bit and is desperate for yet another top. She also learned to ask for more expensive items as a gift.

my 12 year old gets £40 a month

14 year olds £10 per month but I also buy Playstation/X Box Live and buy clothes/fast food visits etc.

Dc13 gets £40
Dc8 gets 20
Dc7 gets 20

7/8 year old prob get too much admittedly. They're generally savers so idm but if they want a new xbox game, controller, new toy, book etc they're expected to pay for it. Eldest is saving for a gaming chair atm. He will buy sweets occasionally, take a few pound out (pre lockdown) for chips etc if he was out with his mates but it's generally saved by him.

We only started pocket money at 14. We also pay their mobiles £10 pm.

Sorry the pocket money is £10 a week, not month!

Thank you. My dd loves clothes and wants to buy all the time! She shops online, usually reasonably priced places such as New Look or Pretty Little Thing. Occasionally more expensive places if she has a voucher to spend.

I’m thinking maybe £50/month to include fashion clothing and presents for friends. I’d continue to buy all sch stuff, other essentials and big items such as coats and shoes. Do you think this sounds reasonable?

It depends on your income and attitude to spending. For me, there's no way I want my children thinking they can spend that much a month on non essential clothes, but we are savers not shoppers. £50 a month buys a lot of cheap rubbish at new look!

@reluctantbrit I don’t agree that most adult fashion is not appropriate for 13yr olds. DD is a size 6 now, therefore all of her clothes are from adult ranges and she never struggles to find appropriate clothing. She mostly shops in Top Shop, JD Sports, H&M, Hollister, Primary, Pretty Little Thing and Oh Polly if she wants to splurge on a nice dress.

Ds is just 15, I give him £25 a month and my mum gives him the same. Thanks to lockdown his account is healthier than mine!!!

What chores does he/she do?

OP, £15 to £50 is a big increase! Perhaps set it a little lower initially and see how she goes? You can always adjust in a month or two. Does she have her own bank account with debit card?

Good point re chores.
Pocket money is given for chores such as cooking lunch/dinner, watering garden, hanging out washing etc.

[quote Rollergirl11]@reluctantbrit I don’t agree that most adult fashion is not appropriate for 13yr olds. DD is a size 6 now, therefore all of her clothes are from adult ranges and she never struggles to find appropriate clothing. She mostly shops in Top Shop, JD Sports, H&M, Hollister, Primary, Pretty Little Thing and Oh Polly if she wants to splurge on a nice dress.[/quote]
DD shops there as well and we just got several tops, hoodies and leggings. But if she would spend her own money we would see cropped tops, Bardot tops, animal print etc. Ok for the occasional one but not as wardrobe staple for several months.

DD is quite tall for her age and wears cup size D, lots of tops will fit her but won’t suit her. But I may be more conservative in my view.

OP, £15 to £50 is a big increase! Perhaps set it a little lower initially and see how she goes? You can always adjust in a month or two. Does she have her own bank account with debit card?

Yes she has a Lloyds 11-19 account with debit card which her money is paid into and she manages herself with buying bits online and from iTunes etc.

I know it's a big increase but my idea was to introduce a clothing allowance so she can think carefully before buying yet another top.

Chores - all my 3 dds are expected to help out generally, laying the table, unloading the dishwasher, putting their washing away, clearing up after dinner. I was thinking of docking some money if these are not done in a timely fashion!

DD 12 gets £100 into current account and £50 into savings account. It's mainly for clothes, makeup and going out with friends. When we're out together DH and I pay for anything she wants/needs.