Pocket money (merged)

littlereen

I don't have kids myself yet, but when I was a kid, pocket money didn't exist.
My parents didn't believe in financial reward for helping out around the house, they thought that we shouldn't be helping our parents just for some money, we should do it because it was part of working together as a family.
I got my first paper round at the age of 9! Did it with my mum 1.5 hours a week, from age 12 I bought all my non school clothes (except those bought at birthdays/xmas), and paid for all activities. Kids these days seem to get money handed out to them for nothing! I did feel hard done by at times back then but I realised its benefits once I reached adulthood!

cocolgooh

I got £2 a week pocket money until I was 11. Then I got £5 a week until I was sixteen. I had to spend that money on public transport to and from school (50p a day), any clothing I needed (including my school uniform), lunch at school (or, as was actually the case, I didn't eat lunch at all because I didn't have the money to do so) and phone top ups (and my mum insisted I put £5 a month on my phone at least so that I could always call her). As I'm sure you can see, this didn't cover a whole lot. I was 16 2 years ago. So it's not like it was a long time ago when money went a lot further or anything.

In order to get this pocket money, I had to keep my room tidy, wash up, dry up and put away every night, cook dinner most nights after school, do all my homework on time, not get less than A's at anything in school (or I lost 50p per subject I didn't get A's in for that week's assignment or whatever), look after the cats, look after the horse (mucking out the stable twice a day, mucking out the field, moving the field around, keeping the land free of ragwort, keeping the tack clean, all of that sort of thing), do all the dusting and hoovering and wash the clothing.

Personally, I think anyone who just gets given the money should have to cope with all of that for a few weeks. I'm not necessarily complaining. It did help me learn to budget. But given that I'm the only person in my household capable of working but now can't because I need to be here as a full time carer for my mother, I still don't have any money for myself at all. I dont think teenagers realise how lucky they are when they get pocket money, especially if they get it without having to help out.

pippy100

Hi everyone,
We have never paid our son pocket money but now he is reaching an age where he is wanting to do more and buy more things i'm not sure if it's time for him to earn pocket money.

We put away £10 a month(not alot i know) in his bank account which he does not touch, and we generally would buy his clothes etc when he needed them, which so far is never that often as he would wear them until they are too short and we are telling him he needs new clothes.

Personally i think we have got away lightly so far.
Christmas he got a contract phone which we pay for( so not completley without) and he always washes up, cleans he bedroom and irons his own clothes and cleans the chickens once a week.Takes the dog for a walk most days.
He does now sometimes gets £5 for mowing the lawn.
But i feel he needs a steady flow of money so he can learn to budget and save for things.
What do you guys think of the above and what do you give your children in the way of pocket money?
Thanks in advance.

onlyroz

By around that age I was given the full child benefit by my parents, on the understanding that I bought all my own clothes.

shellsuit

My 15yo gets £10 a week.

13 yo daughter gets the same.

martinthebandit

My kids (all three of them) used to get 1 pound a month for their age, so the 14 year old got 14, the 10 year old got 10 etc etc.

Seemed to save a lot of arguments and gave them an annual increase to look forward too.

Alikay

We were giving DS2 (now 17) £40 per month during his last year at school (age 15/16) and he had to pay for his mobile phone out of it. My mum would occasionally bung him a tenner to treat himself during the school holidays but that was about it.

scooby088

I think average pocket money for a 15 year old should be zero.

Threebabes

My £15 year old get £20 a month, we pay his £10 contract phone a month. He gets £1 x 3 days for chocolate/drink to go with packed lunch which he doesnt really need but takes, so thats £12 a month approx. Any outings cinema, swimming etc (not that he does either frequently) we pay for. We buy all his clothes, not that he really asks for anything. He seems to manage fine.

YORKSHIRELASS

I have a 12 year old and a 10 year old. They both have a pocket money account with a debit card which we pay £5 a month into. They also get £2 cash on a Friday which they can spend on whatever they want. So thats £13 a month. The deal is that they keep their bedrooms tidy, change their beds, do some dusting and are expecting to do other chores around the house as and when. If their bedrooms are a mess on a Thursday night they dont get their Friday allowance! They both also get a bit off their grandparents now and again.

I find its easier to pay them a set amount and allow them to manage it. I do try to be really strict about this. If we are out somewhere and they want a magazine or something then they pay for it themselves. I also expect them to save up for holidays so they have some spending money.