Home

Back to Archive

Problems, Plans, and Opinion Polls

April 1999 Question

May Question
Quiz: Do you give your 8-12 year old an allowance?
Results: 20 respondents, 65% said "yes", 35% said "no".

Question: How much is the right amount for an allowance?
Answers:


My son is 9 years old, sometimes he makes me feel like I'm 90! Other times like I'm the baby and know nothing! I love him with all my heart and soul but often I don't understand him at all, are you relating yet?!

Like this allowance thing; he always wants more. Well don't we all?! I'd love a pay raise just for being on the planet, but it doesn't often work like that. Many of us SAHM's have had the allowance talk and we don't always agree, that's for sure. Here's how it works in our house.

  1. My son gets $2 a week just to spend, it is not related to chores. (He can earn a couple of extra $$ for shoveling the driveway or washing the car but that's about it.) He does his chores because he lives here.
  2. We will never take this away, we don't use it against him as a punitive measure.
  3. He can pretty much spend it on what ever he wants. We still pay for everything else as a family: movies, popcorn, pizza, you name it. His money is for comics, hockey cards and other things on his 'want right now and can't live without' list. With such a small allowance, he is learning to save and budget, although it still burns a hole in his pocket. Well, he is only 9.

We give our 9 year old daughter $2.50 per week. We don't believe in taking away her allowance as a form of punishment. She can also spend this money on whatever she wants, not always with mom's blessing! She has to keep her room clean and help out with other odd tasks such as straightening out videos, nintendo games, setting or clearing the table, etc. For other jobs, such as dusting or she gets extra, usually 50 cents.

Julie
Saskatchewan, Canada


I dont give my 8 year old an allowance right now, but have in the past. I will start to give her one again, and i think the sum of 2 dollars a week is plenty, especially if you pay for all other family activities.

Bonnie, Canada.