[Nosmas]

Can you share on what works for you and your family regarding pocket money for older children. What chores, does this impact amount of money, amount of money etc. My children are DD15 (doesnt have a regular part time job yet but is looking) DD13 and DS9. Mainly interested for the girls as they go out socially a lot more and want more stuff (clothes etc.)
I plan on having something in place for the new year, so please share what has or hasnt worked for you.

[msro82]

Someone recommended to me $1 for each year of their age - so for your 15 year old that would be $15. This is to be spent on what they want eg. Instead of hearing nagging when they want something from the shops they have to spend their own money.

My DD is 5 and gets $5 a week. She has chores to do and if she doesn't do them she is punished (privileges removed) we don't remove the money though.

Household chores have to be done and you will find if they don't need money that particular week they simply may choose not to do their chores - if the pocket money is tied into it.

If she wants extra money for something then I might find additional chores for her to do and set an expectation.

[Charri36]

I have one that's just turned 16, he gets about $20-$30 per week. He doesn't have to do much, keep his lounge room and bed room clean, unload dishwasher.
At that age, to me personally, pocket money is more about co existing in a positive manner with other people in the house, including meeting our expectations of - letting me know via phone on where you are, keeping in contact with me if running late home - hey, let me know and you won't be in trouble! ha!

Learning to deal with others in a nice manner when annoyed at something else. - It's more linked to attitude than chores.

$15 for a 15y/o is nothing, so you might need a bit more. I was taught early on to make it more a day rate type thing, so punishment shouldn't take away the whole given amount, kind of like, break the rules, you lose the money for that day, it keeps hope for the other days. - this works!

I pay for his phone, the pocket money is really entertainment for weekends and mid week. Some weeks if he's been really good, I'll give him a bonus, like in the School holidays, like give him money for concert tickets to bands ( $40) money to buy merch from the show. - The thing is to find what they like and blackmail them on the sly!

[choccy2]

My dd 15 also doesn't yet have a part time job but is looking at this in January.
She gets $10 a week regular pocket money, but I fund her phone credit ( $30 a month) and generally give her extra money for special events.

She has to do the dishes 5 nights a week ( I work full time and don't get home until after 6pm), do washing and hang out as needed, take out the garbage (shared with her sister) and put the bins out as well as any ad hoc duties that come up.

dd 11 gets $5 at the moment and she has to assist with the rubbish/ take out bins, set table as needed and generally keep their tv area tidy.

We are a one income. single parent family.

This post has been edited by choccy2: 30/12/2012, 12:50 PM

[FrogIsAFrogIsAFr...]

For our 7 and 11 year olds - we do $7 and $11. It is dependent upon 4 chores that they have to do once a week. They each chose the 4 chores for themselves.

DS (11) dries the dishes one day a week, he sorts his laundry, he vacuums the rumpus room and takes out the rubbish.

DD (7) washes the dishes once a week, vacuums the rug in the lounge room, sorts her laundry and mops a small area by the front door.

I find that since allocating a set amount of chores, they both offer to do more through the week. I don't know why?!


As a little aside - I often don't have the cash on hand to pay them, so I put it up as IOUs. I am thinking of setting up bank accounts for them and paying directly in on a Sunday night, then having them sent statements monthly. Does anyone have any ideas on this? I hope it might help them stop impulse buying if they don't have the cash in their hands, but will encourage saving. It will also ensure I pay them on time!

[Nosmas]

My dd 15 also doesn't yet have a part time job but is looking at this in January.
She gets $10 a week regular pocket money, but I fund her phone credit ( $30 a month) and generally give her extra money for special events.

This is close to what we do. I am finding though the extras for when they go out here and there are starting to really add up (i.e Sizzler and a movie = $50)

I really liked Charri's view a really interesting perspective:.
At that age, to me personally, pocket money is more about co existing in a positive manner with other people in the house, including meeting our expectations of - letting me know via phone on where you are, keeping in contact with me if running late home - hey, let me know and you won't be in trouble! ha!

Also the part if you link it to chores, they might not do them that week because of not needing the dollars.
Interesting.

[i-candi]

Do don't attach chores to pocket money. Chores are expected in our house.

DS gets $10 per school week as long as there are no red stamps in his diary for behaviour/no homework (well any red stamp I assume).

He doesn't get money on holidays.

DD 10 doesn't get pocket money.

They have what the need/want within reason. My kids do get money for birthdays and Christmas from my parents because they live so far away. So far they are good at saving their money.

[JustBeige]

We dont attach household living jobs to money here either.

They have to learn to live with family or others, so that includes cleaning up after themselves and general cleaning; washing etc.

They get paid when they do one of mine or DH's jobs.

DS (who I swear has no sense of smell) will pick up the dog poo and gets paid per bag. $1 per bag.

DD gets paid per basket of folding she does. 50c per basket. This isnt dependant on how much is in each basket either, so she is often lucky enough to get 50c for folding 4 things.

If they have something coming up that they want 'extra' for, then they negotiate to wash the car; dog; windows, or weed the gardens etc. They definitely do get paid more for this.

I suspect that over this year now that HS is here this will need to be renegotiated.

[snuffles]

Wow these amounts are much more than mine, I must be stingy!

We give a $ amount for once a week tidy of rooms and living areas, which depends on how thoroughly the job is done. The max they can get is $4. But if I'm picking large bits of rubbish, bits of lego etc off the floor as I go around with the vacuum cleaner, it's less.

They also get $2 for putting their 'best effort' into their swimming lessons. This was instituted because the two boys were in the same class for a while and kept mucking around. We want them to learn to swim. They were very unimpressed when DD got $2 for swimming well and they got nothing. The very next week they were back into it and we haven't had an issue since.

So I suppose if they do everything properly they get $6 (they are 6, 7 and 9) but in reality they usually get $2-$3.

And they spend it at the canteen *sigh*.

[Kat5]

Wow...I feel stingy! lol.

Our kids are expected to do a certain amount of chores per week as part of their contribution to running the house. I couldn't fathom paying them just to make their own bed or keep their own rooms tidy :S. Their other 'expected' chores would be- help make their lunches, do the breakfast dishes, fold their laundry & put it away.

They also have an optional chore chart. I have different jobs on magnets with a monetary amount attached. If they do their regular jobs, they can do optional chores for money- these are things that are not expected of them eg- wipe down bathroom sink, wipe over kitchen cupboards, vacuum lounge & hallway etc. Each job has a different amount. Our 10 year old & 6 year old earn on average $2-3 a week...sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the 'extra' stuff they do.