Should Your Child Get an Allowance?

shutterstock_350910953The age old question, it’s been discussed extensively between parents, grandparents, and of course, children.

Should your child receive a monetary allowance, and if so, how much, at what age, and for what?

We started at age 5 in our house, and it’s $5 per week. Even my oldest, who is 12, still earns just $5 per week. And it’s not a given, they have to do their weekly/daily chores to get the cash:

  • Keep their room tidy
  • Clean up dishes, toys and crafts after they’re finished with them
  • Help Daddy clean up after dinner (I cook, they clean)
  • Vacuum weekly
  • Do their own laundry (starts at age 10)

They can also earn more, if they do special jobs. For the longest time we were just using any amount we felt fair for random things, and we were never consistent. Until this app came along that helps us streamline all of it.

The TD Family Allowance App allows you to create profiles for each of your children, track their earnings as well as chores.

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The earning extra money features in the app are really great for kids to have a tangible relation to their chores. (It has really worked to motivate my girls!):

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It makes it easier to manage all around – both for them and for us.

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The app also motivates them to save up for something specific, a savings goal. I love this as it teaches them that not spending their weekly allowance will earn them something ‘bigger and better’ – something they really want.

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I am in love with this app, because quite honestly, without it I kept forgetting to give my girls their allowance, letting weeks at-at-time go by. They would often remind me but I wouldn’t have cash on me, or I’d forget how many weeks I owed them for, and so on. This keeps me accountable, and them motivated.

Some tips for starting allowance with your little one:

  1. Teach them they need to earn it, it’s not guaranteed.
  2. Start when you’re ready. My oldest started later (because she was first!) and my youngest started earlier because her sisters were earning so she wanted to as well.
  3. Give them some optional chores to earn more.
  4. The weekly dollar amount can also relate to their age: ie. 5 year old gets $5 and an 8 year old gets $8.
  5. Help them save a bit of their allowance each week, and not just blow it all on candy. (Contrary to what my daughters would say!)

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*Sponsored by TD Allowance App, all opinions are my own.
*Shutterstock image above, all others are app screen-captures.

 

 

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