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Teenagers

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

Original poster

How much money do you give your teens?

79 replies

Lovesdogsandcats · 09/02/2009 22:26

Do they get weekly/monthly pocket money, if so how much.
And in the hols, do you give them extra?

Dd's (13) friends always seem to have a few quid each time they go out. Usually Sat/Sun and more in the holidays.. they spend it on bus/trains/drinks/lunch if they go round the shops, then more for the odd film/bowling if they go out at night.

Once the Christmas/birthday money runs out, this is hard to keep up.

So please, will you share your teen money stories

OP posts:
mamas12 · 10/02/2009 00:08

I am in same position as you but recently started giving pocketmoney for chores.
So far, dd14 an ds12 receive £1.00 per chore and after 4 weeks have recived £5.00 then £4.oo then £3.00 then back to £5.00.
I found it good for me as I'm not constantly putting my hand in my pocket. This way I know whats going out and they learn budgeting.
I may add that I do give extra when dd goes shopping with friends (for food) but not much honest.

mamas12 · 10/02/2009 00:08

Oh I forgot to mention the house is a lot tidier too!!!

christywhisty · 10/02/2009 00:56

Ds 13 has just had a raise to £15 a month. He also gets probably about £3 a week snack money. Doesn't go out by himself that much, but does a lot of activities after school.

DD 11 gets £12 a month plus money for going swimming/cinema/park with friends.

christywhisty · 10/02/2009 00:57

I forgot to say they can earn a bit extra for doing the leaves,cutting grass etc

mamas12 · 10/02/2009 01:08

Wow I come accross as mean . Christy what do they spend that miney on if you don't mind me asking.

mamas12 · 10/02/2009 01:11

Sorry I misread that as £15 a week sorry!

wabbit · 10/02/2009 01:12

dd, 17 gets £30 per week from her dad and £10 per week from my mum - I pay for any college stuff that she can't pay for, so I guess that's about another £20ish

this seems an awful lot - but bus money comes to nearly £20 per week [angry} and she doesn't qualify for free travel.

EMA hasn't come through yet

supersalstrawberry · 10/02/2009 01:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

christywhisty · 10/02/2009 01:23

DS is saving up for a laptop, he was quite generous with presents at christmas.He will buy the odd dvd or game.
We pay their money directly into bank accounts and the have solo cards, so need to go to the bank to get the cash out. DD has only just started getting money this way and she would spend it faster than she would get it otherwise. She tends to buy girly bits and pieces and wants to buy a game which will take her a few months to save up for.
DS goes to an activity straight from school on Thursday so he needs to pay for that and get himself something to eat on the way there. He also does outdoor activities on a saturday morning so he usually has a hot drink when he is finished.

MotherOfGirls · 10/02/2009 07:58

DD is 13 and at boarding school, so has few expenses in term time - mainly tuck shop. On her birthday we opened an Abbey account for her and started giving her £50 per month. This is for ALL non-essentials so phone, clothes, presents for friends etc. We are still waiting to see if this is enough.

The reason we gave her control of non-school uniform clothes was that I was constantly 'policing' her choices, which was stressful for both of us! She loves Jack Wills but now knows she has to buy most things at New Look if she is to be able to afford the occasional JW item. I do think she is understanding the value of money much better.

Original poster
Lovesdogsandcats · 10/02/2009 09:08

Its a bloody dear do, this having teens
Its almost a fiver to get in the cinema, and thats without popcorn!

The kids who have an endless flow of cash for this kind of thing, with popcorn at £3 and large drink same, wonder how the parents afford it.

Do the kids just put their hand out each time they leave the house and money is thrust at them?

OP posts:
wabbit · 10/02/2009 15:44

DD does thrust hand out each time she leaves the house... gets short thrift unless she's going to college and has spent up - she has to pay for all her food whilst out of house and travel is her biggest expense.

She pays for Gig tickets too

Tis a dear do though!! think she has more disposable income than me!

lisaofpalatine · 10/02/2009 15:45

mine earn it for chores, they do other things too

cory · 11/02/2009 11:09

Dd 12 has a 10 pound monthly allowance. But on top of this we pay for her school lunches, for basic clothes and for basic hygiene articles, such as cheap deo, shampoo and tampons. So it really is just for extras.

KingCanuteIAm · 11/02/2009 11:16

Mine earn for chores, 50p per job (ie stick a load of washing in/put washing into dryer) They seem to manage around £5/6 per week. They can earn more if they want to, they just have to work harder.

They have to pay for all make up, days out, cinema, snacks, phone top ups etc. I give them money for lunch if they go to town (£2/3 if they want an expensive lunch they add to it).

Yes it is expensive but they do work for it so I feel it is fair. I pay for basic clothes and shoes along with required items (sanitary wear, deo etc).

mumeeee · 11/02/2009 12:46

DD3 17 gets £30 a month. she pays for most things out of that but I pay all college expenses ( she has a free bus pass that helps), occansionly top up her mobile phone and pay towards somwe youth club trips.
She is at the moment looking for a part time job.

optimisticmumma · 11/02/2009 13:37

DS1 (16) gets £30 a month but that includes contribution to his phone, all socialising, and any 'designer' clothes he may crave!! He earns extra by babysitting etc. He has to save up during year to fund christmas pressies.
DD (13) gets £20
DS (12) gets £16
They also save a pound a week to put towards Christmas pressies.
DS2 is richest, followed by DD and DS1 is always broke!!!!Am just going to raid DS2s money box now to pay cleaner

optimisticmumma · 11/02/2009 13:38

Meant to add it works out cheaper by far to pay them a regular amount (I do a direct debit). They never get any extra.

mumblechum · 11/02/2009 13:51

DS (14) gets £70 a month, but pays for cinema/snacks out/games etc from that. I pay his taxis (£10 a week), after school activities & buy all his clothes.

He brings the coal and logs in.

If he needs any more money he knows he'll have to find a Saturday job.

brimfull · 11/02/2009 13:55

It is hard in the stage when they can't get a job.
DD has been babysitting for ages easily since 13/14 for us and others so got money from that.Our local council gives £40 a yr bus/taxi vouchers to 14-17yr olds .
We pay her £20 a month mobile contract.
She is now 17 and working 6hrs a week in waitrose so she basicaly funds things herself now ,which is a relief.

We always got dd to do extra chores for money,cleaning,babysitting,gardening etc.

Mumwhensdinnerready · 12/02/2009 15:50

£1.50 a week for my 13 year old son.

I'd give him more if he seemed to need it but we live in a small village with no shop. He doesn't "go out" to town or cinema unless with me. So not many spending opportunities. In fact his cash just mounts up unspent unless he buys a game.
I buy all his toiletries and clothes and pay for activities.
I guess it all depends on what they are expected to pay for themselves , and what freedom they have.
I've always avoided paying for chores as I want them to appreciate that household jobs need doing by someone in the family and both my boys are very willing to help.

mrspnut · 12/02/2009 15:56

Our DD1 (12) gets £60 a month, but out of that she has to pay for all her activities, her mobile phone, clothing apart from school uniform and any toiletries except san pro, shampoo and deodorant.

She also has to pay for bus fares and food when she's out. She's always broke after the first week or so of the month and spends the rest of it moaning about how unfair we are

noddyholder · 12/02/2009 16:02

My ds is 14 and gets £40 a month plus 10 on his phone.We buy all clothes toiletries etc

MarsLady · 12/02/2009 16:19

DS1 (16) £50 per month
DD1 (14) £30 per month
DD2 (10) £1 per week
DTs too young to realise money means anything

The older two have to pay for their own stuff including phone credit. I don't do overdrafts! lol

musicposy · 12/02/2009 18:22

DD (13) £25 a month plus she earns £4 a week (so another £16 ish a month) for helping me with some little ones I tutor.

She has to pay for clothes out of that - except for uniforms, underwear, coat (not that she considers she needs a coat, LOL)and footwear (although if she wants yet another pair of shoes she has to get them. She also pays for mobile phone (pay as you go), magazines, nintendo games etc and going out with friends.

We pay for trips out with us or family, and everything else.

It saves so much nagging! Mind you she did have a huge growth spurt recently and absolutely nothing fitted her (went from 9-10 to age 13-14 in about 3 months) so I have stocked her back up with some clothes - she couldn't have afforded it herself. The clothes allowance is great for when she wants yet another impractical party outfit, though!

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