Hellobee Boards Topic: Did you get an allowance growing up?

Hellobee Boards Topic: Did you get an allowance growing up? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 22 May 2026 19:00:25 +0000 snowjewelz on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2486115 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 09:40:34 +0000 snowjewelz 2486115@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I did not! And without it they still instilled in me the importance to save, be responsible, etc. looch on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485977 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 07:10:26 +0000 looch 2485977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No, I never got an allowance. I tried to lobby for one, but my parents were firm. I had chores to do (primarily drying the dishes, which i hated) but I was never paid for them. I know a lot of people say that having an allowance helps to teach the basics of money and budgeting, but I did just fine without one. I learned about money management from my father via his change bowl, my plastic piggy bank and a passbook (haha, so dating myself in this post). youboots on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485752 Sun, 06 Mar 2016 18:23:39 +0000 youboots 2485752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Nope but I always worked. From 12 on. They covered the basics though plus my cell phone and car insurance. Finfan on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485749 Sun, 06 Mar 2016 18:19:03 +0000 Finfan 2485749@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes $40 a month: $10 to save, $10 to give away to a charity of our choice, and $20 to spend. LovelyPlum on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485643 Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:43:57 +0000 LovelyPlum 2485643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @pinkcupcake: my mom would do something like that once we got to HS-give us a $20 for lunch for the week, when we knew it would only be $10. That we got to use for coffee or whatever on the weekends. LovelyPlum on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485642 Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:42:54 +0000 LovelyPlum 2485642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No allowance, because chores were an expectation as part of a member of the house, not something we earned money for. My parents would buy us what we needed and toys, etc for birthdays and holidays. We were allowed to spend birthday money as we wanted, and we'd occasionally get some spending money if we went to the movies or the mall, etc. Once we were old enough to babysit/get a job, then we could save or spend that money as we saw fit. But if we spent it, and then we later wanted something, my mom had no issue saying no, because we had chosen to spend our earned money elsewhere. We're not going to do an allowance, but I do like the idea of teaching DD how to save. Maybe earn stickers on a rewards chart, or something, I'm not sure. But she's going to wipe down the toilet because we all help take care of the house we live in, not because she wants a toy. brownepiano on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485627 Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:06:32 +0000 brownepiano 2485627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We got allowance tied to doing chores. I think it was about $5 a week total. If we did our chores without asking we'd get extra, if we didn't, we'd get some taken away. We haven't really decided what we are going to do. I like the idea of expecting basic chores done with no compensation but maybe letting the kids bid for extra chores if they want spending money. I suppose it will depend on how tight finances are when we get there. Umbreon on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485424 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 23:20:25 +0000 Umbreon 2485424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Nope. I got paid now and then if i helped with something big but never got a regular allowance. DH didn't get an allowance either so I doubt we'll do it for our kids. DH and I are big savers with money so I don't feel like allowances are that necessary for learning good habits. Mrs. D on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485353 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 20:44:11 +0000 Mrs. D 2485353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ $2 a week, doesn't like like much, but it was a lot then! hb3233 on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485347 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 20:35:35 +0000 hb3233 2485347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I got 50 cents a week. My mom would always tell me how much it was because she only got a dime as a kid. Then at some point my grandma explained inflation to me and how much more you could buy with the same amount of money when my mom was a kid, and I definitely felt ripped off! My parents did it to try to teach us savings habits, and made us put it in a piggy bank and save it for a college. At 50 cents a week, you can imagine that this made a huge dent in the college bill by the time that came around :wink: 808love on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485345 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 20:33:33 +0000 808love 2485345@https://boards.hellobee.com/ In high school I remember my mom sitting me down and showing me her budget and having me choose if I wanted allowance or she just buy things for me when it came up. Our little talk made me realize how very little we had for anything beyond the basics, understood discretionary vs. need and that I 'might get' more than allowance if she bought it for me. It sorta made me understand budgeting anyway because I didn't ask for a lot after that and money in that I always made sure I had 'emergency' savings in college. I think it helped me see that I will be in control of my $ even though I chose to avoid that responsibility in high school. My brother didn't get the same education from my mom. He just got the WE ARE BROKE speech from my mom and he still has anxiety about spending every dollar. And he married UP. Tanjowen on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485341 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 20:19:34 +0000 Tanjowen 2485341@https://boards.hellobee.com/ The only time we ever did was when my Mom was pregnant and recovering from the birth of my little brother (he was an oops when I was 6 years old - they thought they were done!). My siblings and I were paid to help out with extra chores and cleaning beyond our normal chores. Other than that, we never had one. My DH had one since age 4, and we don't really agree on how to implement one for LO yet. I struggle with the idea of giving money for things you are expected to do - chores, do homework, etc. We're still working on it. LilSprinkles on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485333 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 19:54:42 +0000 LilSprinkles 2485333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We never got allowance, but if we asked, we my parents would usually give us money for what we wanted/needed. We never abused that system though. pinkcupcake on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485315 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 19:28:05 +0000 pinkcupcake 2485315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes, I think they gave me $5 a week in middle school and $20 a week in HS. $10 of it was for lunch for school and the other $10 I could spend as I pleased. Usually it was on a movie and lunch at the mall on the weekends :P Miss Ariel on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485301 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 19:06:01 +0000 Miss Ariel 2485301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ When I was in high school I had a visa buxx card. It was basically like a visa gift card but you could transfer money towards it. I think my mom gave me $15 twice a month, maybe? LatteLove on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485255 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 16:31:37 +0000 LatteLove 2485255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ We got between $1-5 a week depending on age and were required to give 10% to church and 10-50% to savings and could keep the rest. We had regular chores and could earn extra money for extra chores. I definitely won't tie chores to an allowance for my kids - to me they are very separate. You do chores because you belong to a family, and you receive an allowance to learn how to manage $. stiletto_mom on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485236 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 15:49:45 +0000 stiletto_mom 2485236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No. I never heard of an "allowance" until I read it in a Babysitter's Club book. I asked my mother and she refused. We were living far under the poverty line and she was a single mom, so I can see why she decided against it. It also wasn't a practice in my culture and was more of a "western" tradition. I carried a lot of resentment about not getting an allowance and being like everyone else. My husband also did not get an allowance, but that's because he got money whenever he asked for it. I don't know what we would do with our own kids. It's something my husband and I will have to talk about. I'm leaning more towards "no". There are other ways to teach about money than the traditional allowance model and I'll be looking for something more meaningful and effective. Bluemasonjar on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485189 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 14:23:56 +0000 Bluemasonjar 2485189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No allowance. I was expected to do chores around the house and watch my brothers. If I needed something my parents bought it but money was pretty tight so not a lot of extras. sapphire on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485180 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 14:17:35 +0000 sapphire 2485180@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I think I was in junior high when my dad started giving me $10 per week. I was the only kid at home from ages 7-18 though and my parents bought me most things I wanted do it was t strictly necessary. Nice when I started hanging out with friends though at the mall, bowling alley, etc. DesertDreams88 on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485117 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:18:31 +0000 DesertDreams88 2485117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes, I got an allowance that was $1-$3 in the elementary school years and then ages 10 thru 16 it was tied to my age. It was somewhat depending on chores but I wasn't very good about doing them but my parents would still give me my allowance if I did most of them. They would also, rarely, offer me special jobs for extra money, like washing the car, raking the leaves, or other specific yard work. I wish my allowance had been a little bit bigger so that my parents coukd reinforce the idea of saving. I blew my allowance every single week on the movies, clothes, and makeup. I didn't really save any money until my early teen years, and that was completely initiated by myself, by my own choice. Mrs Panda on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485072 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 10:21:24 +0000 Mrs Panda 2485072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @mrbee: yes, definitely! I would consider taking the same approach with my own kids when they're older! Bao on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485031 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 08:45:07 +0000 Bao 2485031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Nope, no allowance. I had no savings set up for me either. yin on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2485022 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 08:15:59 +0000 yin 2485022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No allowance. I was just expected to do chores and help out. Any money I did receive (gifts, tooth fairy money, tips, etc) were given back to my parents to "save" for us. mrbee on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2484961 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 03:21:16 +0000 mrbee 2484961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs Panda: So interesting!! Did it teach you to budget? Meowkers on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2484950 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 01:02:17 +0000 Meowkers 2484950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Nope. My parents always said we didn't need an allowance because they would buy us whatever we wanted. But i really think it would have been valuable to developing good money management skills. Mrs.KMM on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2484949 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 00:50:10 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2484949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes - we got our age in $ (not tied to chores. We did chores because we were responsible members of the family and it was expected). We had to save at least half (but we usually saved more). I thought it was a great system! Mrs Panda on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2484947 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 00:17:53 +0000 Mrs Panda 2484947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Yes, I got $2 a week for awhile too! Then when I got older, in junior high maybe, my mom switched to giving me the whole thing once at the beginning of the year, as a way to teach me to budget. mrbee on "Did you get an allowance growing up?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-get-an-allowance-growing-up-1#post-2484931 Fri, 04 Mar 2016 23:07:46 +0000 mrbee 2484931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ As a followup to a recent thread about allowances... did you get an allowance growing up? Did you feel like the allowance system your parents set up (or didn't set up) was a good one? When I was a kid, I got $2 a week for a while - until we hit some financial difficulties and the allowance stopped. I remember really looking forward to receiving my allowance, and dreaming about how I would spend my money when I had saved enough to buy something! My allowance wasn't explicitly in exchange for doing chores, but it was expected that I do chores anyway. I think it was a good system in that it wasn't a lot of money, and it taught me to save for the future.