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Teenagers

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

When did you stop giving pocket money to your teenagers?

4 replies

AlphabetSpaghettiandToast · 27/05/2026 07:18

At what age will you stop giving pocket money? I stopped it at 18 with my son as he was about to go to university and had a part time job at Morrisons (he has always been very sensible with money throughout his uni years). I felt that he was (a) legally an adult and (b) he was getting free food and accommodation etc. He stayed at home while at university so that saved money too. He also had money from his endowment, that matured on his 18th birthday, that he used to buy his first car.

My daughter is 18 next month. Has no concept of the value of money and likes to live the good life! I’m worried about her in terms of money. I had planned on stopping her pocket money at 18. Her endowment money will go into her account next month - I know she won’t be sensible with it. She has shown no interest in driving lessons. She has firmed Durham University and York as her insurance. We live in between both so she could actually stay at home. She wants to live at university (fair enough). No interest in a part time job, not even over the summer.

Just wondering if I should continue to give her pocket money after 18. £100 a month plus I pay for her phone. I was thinking of stopping it as she starts university. I know a woman in her 40’s who still gets pocket money from her parents (she has a full time job at band 6 in the NHS)!!

OP posts:
Beamur · 27/05/2026 07:27

As you have 2 children the fair answer is to do the same as you did for your son.
There's no pressure on her to develop better money management if she's got a passive income by doing nothing.
Stopping her pocket money will probably mean she'll just burn through the endowment faster.

Allmarbleslost · 27/05/2026 07:28

If you stopped her brothers at 18 then yes of corse you do the same for your daughter. Will she get the full maintenance loan when she goes to uni? If not she will need support with living expenses when she goes.

Beamur · 27/05/2026 07:29

But I would suggest that comparison between your children can be a bit of a self fulfilling prophesy. You seem to have your son pegged as the sensible one and your daughter as the feckless one.

QuillBill · 27/05/2026 07:36

We stopped when they went to university as we were giving them £500 a month for that. So not as soon as they were eighteen because they were doing their A levels then.

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