Pocket Money

[DavidUK]

What is a reasonable amount of pocket money for an 11 year old and a 6 year old?

[hectic]

I would have thought �5 for the 11yr old and �3 for the 6yr old

[dirtyharriet]

I have an 8 yr old who gets �2.50 and a 12 yr old who gets �5.

[thikasabrik]

As I pay weekly for brownies/cubs/music lessons/swimming club/sports clubs etc etc I limit my kids spending money to �2.50 for my 10 yr old and 50p for my 5 yr old

[Jessica2005]

I would say,

�2 for the 6 year old. They probably would only want sweets or maybe save up for a toy really.

�5, for the 11 year old.

[ICEMANSAV]

I would say for the 11 year old � 2 per day through the week and if any chores are done ( nothing back breaking ) then � 5 a day Sat and Sun. The 6 year old I would say � 0.50 a day and a teat at the weekend.

[FP]

ICEMANSAV.    We could never have afforded to pay out that much pocket money.  That works out at �20 per week for an eleven year old.   That's an awful lot of money out of  many household disposable incomes, especially if they have more than one child.   I would seriously like that amount of pocket money myself a week!

I seriously consider that to be too much, even if they do a few chores.    I suppose a lot of children get that sort of pocket money though. 

[FP]

I would say �5.00 per week pocket money is fine for an 11 year old, considering most children of this age also attending clubs etc. that parents pay for.

[magicdice]

ICEMANSAV will you be my parent?! i'm 17 and get �30 a MONTH! (my parents don't want me to have enough spare money to buy drugs!)

[ICEMANSAV]

I wouldn't let them spend that kind of money though FP it would encourage them to save ( I would encourage them to save!!). Then when they are old enough for something important like a computer, I could ask them to contribute their savings towards my own. It was the way that I was brought up and raised with maybe more pocket money but stricter guidelines on spending it!

[FP]

I can see what you are saying ICEMAN and see the benefits as well.  However, the majoirty of parents probably still couldn't afford �20.00 per week!  We could not have managed it under any circumstances!

[DavidUK]

Thanks for all the suggestions. There seems to be a concensus for �5 for the 11 year old, which is what he says everybody else gets!

It seems a lot to me in addition to swimming, football training, Ju Jitsu etc. It concerns me that kids "must have" too many things that just get left unused after the initial excitement. Is this why so many young adults end up with so much debt - they want everything but can't wait to take time to save up for it.

[FP]

I agree DavidUK.   Kids do seem to expect quite a lot these days, which I don't think bodes well for good money management in later life.  I must admit that on top of all the other things �5.00 is a lot.   From  11 my son was a boarder so all the clubs and things were at school and free.  His weekly pocket money allowance there was about �1.50 (6 years ago).   Please note he didn't go to a public school, just a state boarding school.

[spammylou]

I don't give mine any - they have to earn it by doing stuff around the house.

[kpfrisby]

well  i think they should each pay you �1 until they reach 12 then �1 for each year there after