How much Allowance do you give? - Page 3

[BunnySlippers]

Originally Posted by of2mindsmama

so i have learned to relax a bit about teaching 'value' and to just let her be a kid -- in the moment. "make the car move, mom! i'll give you my quarters when we get home." okay kiddo.

and does she when she get home? I think it would be interesting to know if she feels the ride, which is now over and done with, was worth still giving the money up for. I think you have done a fantastic job right there of teaching her 'value'.

[TheHealingRoomChir]

This is so helpful...

Does anyone have any recommendation for a kid's Bank? I don't really want a piggy bank per se.. but would love to have something that has some options for saving, spending and giving....

[AAK]

I don't give one yet. But when I do, it won't be tied to chores. Chores are part of life and part of being a family--we all pitch in.

Amy

[velochic]

I asked my dd about getting an allowance when she turned 6. Her reply was, "No, I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with money yet. Maybe when I'm 8." And that was the end of it. She really isn't, though, as she's just now getting the concept of denominations.

She helps around the house and occasionally does an extra-special chore to earn some money (weeding the garden, for example), but she just puts it in her bank. She never buys anything. Then again, we never buy her anything either. Deprived kid.

[BrooklynDoula]

My almost 6 year old has been getting $5 a week. he has to clean his room up (we help) and he has to be a cooperative member of the family.

[rubyeta]

my 9 year old gets $3 a week. not tied to chores, though he is really helpful.

[Ks Mama]

Great question.

Why do you want to start giving her an allowance? Has she been asking for things? Asking for money? I'm just wondering if giving money on a regular basis, "just because", to a child is the right thing to do? Maybe talking about the things she wants & why she wants them would be a better way to go? Talking to her about what money is, where it comes from, what its used for, how its earned, spent, saved, given, etc. Or asking her if she can think of ways to earn money - come up with ideas - lemonade stand, raking leaves for neighbors, washing dogs, watering neighbors plants while on vacation, etc.

My oldest is nearly 4, so an allowance hasn't come up yet. But I don't think I like the idea of just giving money.

I certainly don't think tying daily household chores to money is a good thing though. Doing chores around the house is part of living in the house & being part of the family. No one pays me to clean up my own messes. Same for my kids. I clean up because I like a clean environment - because its the best, most healthy way to live - mentally & physically.

If a child is of the age of wanting money (and understanding why), they are of the age to be entrepreneurial.

[Kelly Jene]

My kids have never gotten a regular allowance. They have approached me and said they would like to buy "X" and it costs "X" amount and can they do some extra things to earn some money. It's worked out really well for us. They are learning how to really earn and plan.

[transformed]

we are working on coming up with a system, I am just so darn torn about the "chores" thing! Our ds is 5 in July.

My ds would be SO motivated to help out if I tied it to chores, but I am also thinking "well, he lives here, he should help out for free" thing. :

I dont know where I stand on it yet. (Totally on the fence)

I dont want a 15 yr old who is demanding money for mowing the lawn, kwim?

He has a piggy bank, he finds money everywhere (including my purse) and saves up. then wants to bring the piggy bank everywhere we go so he can "shop." It annoys me to bring it with us though. LOL. One time I found a $20 I had lost in there!

so i am a whole lotta help. I am :

[heket]

Originally Posted by TheHealingRoomChir

This is so helpful...

Does anyone have any recommendation for a kid's Bank? I don't really want a piggy bank per se.. but would love to have something that has some options for saving, spending and giving....

I got dd a Money Savvy Pig off of eBay. It was about 1/2 the retail price. She loves that she gets to decide how she would like to distribute her money.

[lisac77]

My DS earns $5 a week by letting me sleep in for 2 hours on Sunday mornings. By doing this he is actually contributing to the family income (I make 30% extra for working Sunday night), so I felt he should get a cut of that! He usually blows it all on a toy the same day.

[chick]

Originally Posted by TrippyLongstocking

we have a very simple chore chart that little dude makes money with.
every chore is worth .50-1.00
and as he does them he checks them off and every week he gets the cash
sometimes we forget to use it for months though
but when we use it it works awesome

:

If she needs money for something, she'll do loads of jobs but most of the time she's not too fussed. She rings bells for weddings most weekends this time of year so earns money for doing that too.

[earthus76]

My 8 y.o gets 3 dollars a week and it is not tied to chores... she saves up her money for stuff I won't buy her. I like the idea of encouraging saving and giving (charity)....

[Princess ConsuelaB]

My six year old gets a $1-1.50 and the nine year old gets $2 a week. Our kids don't get an allowance because they do their chores, they do their chores because it's their part for the family and the allowance money they get is their "share" of the family money to do what they want with. They can blow it on candy if they want(knowing well how we feel about it) or use it to buy something else they want, or they can save it (right now they've agreed to pool their $$ and save up for an animal adoption at Defenders of Wildlife). I feel I give myself an "allowance" out of each paycheck so why should they not get one too.

[annethcz]

My kids get allowance every 2 weeks, on the same day that DH gets his paycheck. Allowance is not tied to chores, and the kids get $1 per year of age.

As for creating consumers, maybe we are doing that a little bit. But my kids have very definite wants- they have their own interests and things they want to buy. We don't watch much TV these days, but the kids hear about new toys and video games from their friends. I don't buy video games or toys for my kids, but they can save their money to buy those things if they wish. I've also found that it's good for my kids to understand how much things cost and to realize for themselves that regardless of how much money you have, you can't buy everything you want.

[Montessorimom8]

We give $1 per year, he gets paid every week, so Ds is 6 so he gets $6 a week. I don't really consider it too much since he likes to buy books - for instance today he bought one for almost $20, a nice reference nature type book. I do not tie it to chores but you should see the looks when I tell that to others!!

Three of the Six dollars goes into his spending money, one goes into college fund, one goes into investments and one goes into charity.

If he wants something over and above his allowance he can earn it from us by doing things. We're a team, and we all help each other out, so that's why I don't tie it to chores. But if he wants a little extra, I'll ask him to do something 'out of the ordinary' - Always something that is going to save ME time - and then I pay him a fair wage for it.

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by RubyWild

None. She doesn't see advertising, so she doesn't realize that she could shop. She understands about savings because that's where her birthday money etc. goes.

I never had an allowance and only had my own money when I started working. I can create a budget and stick to it, have done so for many years of my life, so I don't think there's any need for very young children to begin receiving money and going out to be little consumers.

:

DD is nearly 9 and DS is 7.5. We don't reward them with money, but instead use incentives. Breakfast in bed, new books, choosing movies for movie night, etc.

They've been doing chores since they were toddlers.