https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:58:56 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899627 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 18:05:33 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 899627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never got an allowance, but was expected to get a part time job when I was 16. My husband had an allowance.</p> <p>We're torn on the issue. I'm against an allowance, and my husband is pro-allowance. We have a family friend who gives his children an allowance for household chores that he'd hire someone to do -- like lawn care and pool maintemence, but not emptying the dishwasher. I think that's a great compromise, and something we may adopt in the future! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899592 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:31:14 +0000 Lindsay05 899592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never got an allowance but I got money when I asked for it (small amounts of course). We will probably do the same but regular chores will need to be kept up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899581 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:26:50 +0000 Mrs. Pen 899581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meganmp: I really, really like this!!! I will have to run it by DH and see what he thinks. I wish my parents had worked on teaching my budgeting a little better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899560 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:12:38 +0000 Bookish 899560@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@meganmp: That's smart! I really like that idea... I think that would definitely teach budgeting! </p> <p>DH and I were just talking about allowances last night. He never got one, and it irritated him because it meant he went without a lot of stuff he wanted, since his parents wouldn't buy it either. I got one, and frankly was a bit spoiled. I want to balance it as 'here's some money, we want to teach you how to handle it properly' but not frame it as a reward for doing chores, because I expect those to get done regardless. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899559 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:12:22 +0000 DigAPony 899559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: Yes! I can remember buying a few things with my little savings that didn't turn out to be worth it, and it definitely taught me to be choosy with my purchases. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899536 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:02:27 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 899536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Several years ago I read about a family who gave their children allowance, but kept control on how the money was used. The kids' money was split into a Spend Now, Save Later, and Tithe categories. The percentage splits were agreed by the parents and kids. </p> <p>I think 1st grade, age 6 or 7, is a good age to start allowances. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899533 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 17:01:17 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 899533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not sure yet.. Growing up we were supposed to get $5 a week and my parents always forgot or just didn't give it to us!! Whatever we do, it won't be that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899520 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:57:41 +0000 meganmp 899520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was an older kid (this started at 13) my parents would give us a set amount ($100) every month. It seemed like a HUGE amount of money at first, BUT we had to buy all of our stuff- clothes, toiletries such as shampoo/conditioner, makeup, shoes, gifts for others, gas money to things we wanted to go to that my parents weren't going to and was way out of the way, and all extra stuff that we may have wanted (a special food that my mom didn't buy or something like that). My mom said she knew it worked when she saw me at Fred Meyer- apparently, I picked a shampoo off the shelf, checked the price, then put it back and got a cheaper one. When my kids are older, I think we'll do something like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899508 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:53:24 +0000 wonderstruck 899508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DigAPony: I agree about it being a good teaching tool around savings, I can remember as a kid having to debate whether I really wanted to buy that candy bar or whatever with my allowance because I was saving for something bigger. I think that's an important thing for kids to have some experience with. We really haven't discussed amounts or chores or anything, but I'm sure we'll do some sort of allowance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899503 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:51:32 +0000 Mrs. Pen 899503@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't discussed it much but neither DH or I had allowances.</p> <p>I think what we will do is assign standard chores like unloading/loading the dishwasher, cleaning their room etc for which there are no compensations. But our kids will have the option to work extra "bigger" chores that aren't normally assigned that will be compensated a set amount if they want to earn money.</p> <p>Of course all their needs will be met and I will be more than happy to supply them with a set amount of fun money for going out with their friends each month. But anything extra they will have to earn. If they want an $80 pair of jeans, they have to raise that money on their own. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899465 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:38:58 +0000 DigAPony 899465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll give my kids an allowance--I think it's a good way to teach kids how to save for something they want. Like some other PPs have said, in our house allowance won't be tied to chores, as chores are something that should be done without the expectation of a monetary reward--they're just something we all have to do. I will take away allowance as part of a punishment if necessary.</p> <p>I'm not sure when allowance will start...I remember getting like a dollar a week when I was still pretty little and it was such a big deal to me! The amount slowly went up and I would save for months to buy things. I would never dictate what my kids are allowed to buy with their allowance--that kind of defeats the purpose of teaching them about how to use money, what purchases are "worth it," etc. Their allowance will be totally separate from me buying them necessary clothes/gifts for other people/etc. When I was little I used my allowance to buy toys and accessories from Claire's--basically any fun extras, as my parents never bought me that kind of stuff except for my birthday and Christmas.</p> <p>I guess the amount we give will all depend on how many kids we have and what our financial situation is like as they get older. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899443 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:32:57 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 899443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know what I'll do when the time comes, but I know they will have chores that they are expected/required to do as a part of the family that has nothing to do with allowance. </p> <p>I think I will try to teach them money management skills with money they receive as gifts. I don't see us providing a weekly allowance. </p> <p>I think we will plan on providing them with clothes and experiences as we feel they are necessary. If they want something above or beyond that, they will have to pay for it themselves. </p> <p>They will also be encouraged to get a job if they want additional spending money. The job could be doing something for us above and beyond their expected chores, or mowing the lawn for neighbors, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899437 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:30:07 +0000 MSBartlett 899437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't plan on giving our kids an allowance for chores around the house. However, I do like the idea of giving 'larger projects' that we would not necessarily have asked them to do that they can do to earn money. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899421 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:23:08 +0000 runsyellowlites 899421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not okay for allowances for chores... *we* are a family &amp; *we* take care of our home. Noone gets paid when they grow up to do their own dishes or take out the trash so why would I teach my kids that by doing those things they get monetary reward?..</p> <p>There have been a couple times we've given G a $ reward for going above &amp; beyond in cleaning our car (vacuuming, etc) and we will let him start earning money mowing the lawn (after he pays off a debt of some windows he broke womp womp), but the normal day to day house stuff?.. nope!</p> <p>I do know there was a bee over on WB that had a system I REALLY liked! Her kids earned "money" for doing chores but it went to paying their "bills" (the amenities like cable, internet, &amp; phone usage). The would "work" by doing chores adding so much "money" and then they would sit down &amp; delegate their earnings to pay their "bills" IF they hadn't earned enough to pay then they would lose the privilege (get turned off) until they had done extra to earn the extra funds needed.</p> <p>I thought it was fantastic but I never got anymore more detail than that...... DH and I should sit down &amp; do something like that for G's game/tv/youtube time! hmmmmmm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899396 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:09:17 +0000 Anagram 899396@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the idea of getting paid for certain set chores, rather than an allowance that a kid gets for no reason. That's what we had growing up--but then again, doing the chores wasn't optional. We had to do it anyway, but then my parents were "nice" and would pay us a set amount each week. They started in 6th grade and opened a checking account for me, where my mom would deposit the money (I want to say....$15 a week) for cleaning our Day Care's bathrooms every week day (5 x a week).</p> <p>But that money had strict rules. I wasn't allowed to use it for just anything--we had to run it by our parents. But we could use it for Christmas presents for family members, etc. And mom and dad would still use their own money for our necessary things--like clothes shopping, shoes, etc. </p> <p>When I got old enough to have real spending habits (about 16 years old in HS), I also got a job at a restaurant. At that point, I had to pay for everything fun like movie tickets, gas money, going out to eat with my friends, etc. And I had to save money for college. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899305 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:39:06 +0000 heffalump 899305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also never got an allowance...... and I think I turned out ok :) I'm not against them though, it's something DH and I will have to discuss when the time comes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899302 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:38:29 +0000 autumnlove 899302@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, they will get one but the details are unknown right now! Maybe around 10? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899301 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:37:49 +0000 Mrsbells 899301@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I will give an allowance but it won't be earned. I dont want them to think they have to be paid for chores. I expect them to do their chores and that wont be related to any weekly allowance they get </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/whats-your-take-on-allowance#post-899295 Mon, 01 Jul 2013 15:36:11 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 899295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is this something you will do with your children? What would be your goal if your kids received an allowance? When will you start? How much? How often? Will they have to earn their allowance or will it be a gift (given)? Can they earn more or make bonuses? Will you dictate how it is spent or saved? Will you use allowance as a form of behavior control or punishment? Will you borrow from your kids? Will you make your kids allowance cover their field trips, extra activities or clothes, bday or holiday gifts for you etc?</p> <p>There's so much involved that we may skip allowances (we didn't have them anyway) and just give or kids money when they need it. My mom taught me financial responsibility in other ways. </p>