16yr. old amount of allowance

Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
16yr. old amount of allowance
5
Sun, 02-18-2007 - 9:58pm

I was just wondering what other's gave their teenagers for "spending" money each week. DS is very busy with school, chorus, school play, and other performances so right now it is not possible for him to get a job. He will be getting one this summer to help pay for car insurance, etc. Taking into account that he doesn't have to pay for necessities, school lunch, clothing (he'd wear the same thing each day if I'd let him LOL) what do you think is reasonable for just spending money (movies, b-day presents...)? Thanks for your input.

Lisa

Avatar for ivillage_sista
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 02-19-2007 - 12:19am

I am not sure what the *going rate* is for allowance and I may be out of the norm but I dont do allowance here.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Mon, 02-19-2007 - 9:36am
I have a 16yo ds in somewhat the same position - he worked last summer and will work this summer but during the school year he is involved with some extra-curriculars and we want him to focus on his grades.
Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2007
Mon, 02-19-2007 - 10:03am

I've created a monster with allowance, so maybe you can benefit from my experience.


DD is seasonally employed so she is out of work from October thru March. During that time, she uses a small amount of savings from her job in addition to allowance. Here's what we do:


I pay for all necessities (clothing, school-related expenses, school lunches, haircuts). She pays for unneccessary things (manicures, dinner with friends, additional clothing, coffees, movies, etc.). For her to pay for these things while unemployed, I give her $20 per week and pay for her gas ($35 per week). I also pay for all car-related expensed, including insurance (and bought her car as well).


I am getting tired of footing this bill, so I required her to get a job until the time that her other job re-opens for the season. At that time, she can decide which job she prefers to get her thru the summer. Now that she is employed, I am cutting her off of the allowance and giving her one tank of gas per month (with the expectation that she will do an occaisional errand for me or drive her sister somewhere if needed). She's not real happy about this plan....but she has NO afterschool activities and I am tired of seeing her sit around, socialize and spend money.


HTH!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Fri, 02-23-2007 - 4:43pm
Well, here's a REALLY official answer for you...According to the Alberta government, a teenage foster child is required to recieve $9.63 allowance per week. Who the heck calculated this I'm not sure ....but it is supposed to cover incidentals, gifts, etc ;-) My own kids get $15/week (16 year old boy) and $10.00 (14 year old girl).
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-1998
Fri, 02-23-2007 - 4:50pm

My kids get an amount equal to half their age. So my 16yo gets $8/week, the 14yo gets $7, and the 10 yo gets $5. My 4yo doesn't get an allowance yet. The boys (the three oldest) often get additional money for larger jobs--shoveling snow, raking leaves, picking up windfall apples out of the backyard, and the 16yo also gets $10 whenever he mows the lawn. (Our next-door neighbor gives him $20 to mow his lawn.) They also get a few extra bucks slipped to them if they babysit their little sister. It's still way cheaper than what I'd have to pay an outside sitter, though.

when I was 16 (almost 30 years ago), my mom gave me $20 a week. For that, though, I made dinner almost every night, did the laundry, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bathroom, and took care of our dog.

ElizabethJ