Too Old???

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2007
Too Old???
5
Sun, 04-29-2007 - 11:40pm
My DH wants to start giving my DS allowance. (We have not given him allowance in the past, because we honestly could not and can not afford it). My DS will be 15 soon and getting a summer job. What age is too "old" to give allowance? Is it fair to give DS allowance if he is working (outside the house) too? I think that (1. because we are really $ streched right now, and 2. because he will be earning his own money) that we should'nt give him allowance. My DH disagrees. Also, what are the opinions of: if we give allowance what is fair $ wise and for what? (ie: extra chores etc...)Any response would help.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-1999
In reply to: shutoutmom2007
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 7:50am
Giving him an allowance until he gets his first $$ from his summer job isn't such a bad idea - we gave all our kids allowances until they got jobs, and they had to get all their "wants" out of that allowance. It helps them learn to manage $$ and live within their means. As far as how much - I've seen everything from $15-50 a week on this board... do what you can afford.
Rose
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
In reply to: shutoutmom2007
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 8:17am

We will give an allowance until such a time as ds is able to afford to meet his needs on his own by way of a real part time job (beyond the occasional yard work job). If your ds is getting a summer job, then he doesn't need an allowance, he needs to learn to save and plan for times when he isn't working.

As far as chores are concerned. We don't attatch allowance to chores. It's simply money we "allow" our son to have for the purpose of learning to manage money. However he's repsonsible for all his own expenses and we don't give him money to do stuff since he has an allowance for that.

JMO
stacy

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-1998
In reply to: shutoutmom2007
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 9:08am

My kids get an allowance equal to half their age, so DS16 gets $8 per week, DS14 gets $7 per week, and DS11 gets $5 per week. DS16 also gets $10 each time he mows the lawn. The other boys get extra (in varying amounts) for 'above and beyond' chores (raking, picking up apples, watching their sister for longer than an hour).

EJ

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-1999
In reply to: shutoutmom2007
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 12:33pm
After DD started working, I didn't really give her an allowance any more, although I did pay for school lunches. Since she buys way too many clothes, she has to buy them, but if she really needs something, I will buy it, esp. if it's something expensive like a new winter coat. If kids do extra chores around the house, then I would give them some extra money. We would pay DSD $20 for mowing the lawn.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2007
In reply to: shutoutmom2007
Mon, 04-30-2007 - 12:38pm
Thanks to everyone who replied! I guess my DH is in for a fight!LOL