I read an internet article yesterday about allowance.

It said that the average American kid gets $65/month (about $15/week), starting at age 8, and most have to do chores to "earn" their allowance. Some give monetary awards for grades. And, that generally these allowances only cover optional purchases, not necessities.

What are your thoughts?

What is a reasonable amount per WEEK?

What is a reasonable starting age?

Should chores be required for allowance, or are they a seperate issue? What kind of chores?

Should kids get financial rewards for doing well in school?

Should allowance cover necessities (say, a clothing or food allowance) or only "extras" (optional, non family entertainment & hobbies).

Please answer with ideals, even if this month/this year you can't afford to do what you would prefer.

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My kids don't get an allowance. Doesn't mean they never will, but it's not something we plan on doing. I didn't get an allowance, either. We already buy what they need and some of their wants, so they don't need money for anything. They can get a job if they want spending money. They don't need an allowance to learn about money, saving, giving, etc. because they already learn about that from us with the money we have.

If we did do an allowance, I think it would probably be $5-$10 a week at the most. A reasonable starting age would probably be when they become a teenager.

I think chores should be required, period. Not just for the allowance, but if you're going to give an allowance, the chores better at least be being done. I have a problem with giving a kid money, period, but I'm definitely not paying them for something they should already be doing, especially if they're not doing it. My kids already have chores and they do them without the expectation of a reward, so why change that, lol? I don't get paid to clean and neither will they. It's their "job", part of living in and contributing to our family. If I paid an allowance for chores, it would be for something they don't normally do that is extra/something difficult or time consuming.

I don't think I would give money for doing well in school. Maybe an occasional treat. But again, doing well in school is expected, just like chores, whether they get rewarded for it or not. They need to understand that it's their future they're working towards and that is their ultimate reward. Of course, a young kid won't understand that and I think going out for ice cream or watching a movie or some treat for doing well is a good thing. But I probably wouldn't just hand over money.

I wouldn't give my kids an allowance to cover necessities. We already provide those for them. If we gave an allowance, it would be for extras.

So yeah, you can call me a mean mom now.

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Mom to Christian (13), Saphira (10), Xavier (5), and Adrian (2).

We do allowance when our finances allow. My main reason for doing it is to teach them to tithe and give to missions. I was not taught this growing up and sometimes I have trouble remembering/wanting to do it. Right now we are doing $5 a week, but we have done as low as $1 a week. They are required to do chores. I have started giving penalties for needing to be told to take their plates to the kitchen after a meal, so they don't always get the whole $5. I was hoping their money being taken away would help them remember to take their stuff to the kitchen, but it is not working with my 2 youngest. (who are 11 and 8 so they should remember)

I can't imagine giving our children $15/wk, but that is probably be cause I have 4 so that would be $60/wk for us.
I do require that my kids ask before they spend their money. My oldest is really good at saving, but the younger 3 want to buy candy and toys they day they get it. So I guess I also use the allowance to teach them about managing their money.

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Michele

I've never done allowances for my kids. I don't think it's right to teach them that a "free handout" is a good thing. ;0) Chores at home pay for room and board. Starting a business brings in income. My older one recycled computers (got them free when they were old or broken and either sold or gave them away.) He also did yard work from about age 11 raking leaves, etc. for the elderly. My older daughter babysat. The younger two have opportunities to produce goods on the farm and sell them. I think encouraging work ethic and entrepreneurship are good things!

Their necessities are covered by me, and they always got some money on their birthdays so they could buy what they wanted or save it.

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When my dd was in elementary school she got a dollar a week, she did not need money , we provided everything.
anyone who is giving their 8 yr old child 15 a week, is out of their minds.
When she hit junior high it was her age, EX:14 for two weeks.
then 15 for two weeks, 16 for two weeks.
after that it was being paid for doing her chores plus helping me a lot with the yard work.
Like yesterday and today she weeded a large area of the back yard and front yard, a lot of hard work. She got 30 dollars plus her allowance, now that money goes towards her lunches at college and anything her college group does after church.

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We've viewed this in many ways over the years. Our kids have always been part of chores around the house, simply because we all live here and share family space. It also taught them how to do work around a home, as some day they all end up in their own home. We've paid allowances sometimes along with the work, sometimes not.

What we do now is give each of our dd's an amount each pay day that is their money to split between savings, tithing, and discretional spending. We do talk about how they want to spend their money, but they ultimately decide on what to spend it for - even if it all goes towards candy or whatever on any given time. This allows them to better determine what is a good way/better way to spend their money, save their money... Each purchase gives them more insight on priority, budgeting, short term/long term savings. 13 dd does have her Etsy shop/clay business that brings in extra income for her. 11 yo dd does not yet have an idea for an additional stream of income, so she works with what she gets.

We buy their necessities and much of their wants because we can, and continue to choose to. Sometimes we go to buy a need or want, and they stop us and say they want to use their own money. Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they want somethings and we choose not to purchase it at that time, or ever. They accept that as well, with good attitudes because they know we have reasons we do so, and if they really want it, they would spend their own money if they still have some. They also realize now, that sometimes they have to go without/delay getting something because they have spent their money and have nothing left at the moment. This seems to be working better than any other approach we have taken.

Real life applications that help them mature in their money management skills as they mature through life at home. Hopefully they will carry on into their adult lives what they are learning in the safety of their childhood home. I never had the opportunity growing up to do this, so I had to start the process when I was old enough to babysit outside of my home. Then it was sporadic and not always enough to take care of things I needed/wanted. We have an amount set aside within our budget that we refer to as "blow money" that is up to my discretion. Sometimes it buys fast food, sometimes clothing, sometimes chocolate. I can use it just for myself, or for whomever I want. It is nice to have some money that is not "needed" for something specific. It is freeing, fun, and there as long as the budget allows.

When my oldest was around 9, I started giving her a dollar at the end of the week, IF her assigned chore was done, every day, w/o me having to remind her. Her "job" was emptying out the dishwasher and filling it up with the dirty dishes, every day. Once my son was a little older, then I had them rotate...one would be in charge of the dishwasher while the other one did the laundry. They would each get a $1, again, if they did it all week w/o being reminded.

Now, my dd is 16 and has her own job at Little Caesars so now I don't pay her anything. She is still required to do her own laundry and clean the bathrooms, while my son is in charge of laundry, dishes, and just recently, my dh taught him how to use the riding lawn mower.

I don't pay my son anymore b/c he gets enough mad money from his birthday from various relatives and Christmas. We cover the basics, and once in a great while, we will splurge on a new outfit or something related, but it is rare.

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Not your last resort.

We've never done allowances here. We do sometimes offer up small jobs for an amount we can afford at the time. But weekly allowances we just can't afford at this time. Food on the table is a great allowance.

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