Pocket Money for Kids – Yes or No, How Much, and Why?

From our recent poll on the Money Moppets website and Facebook page, we found that the average pocket money amount paid weekly is $8.34. And 64% of our readers are paying their children pocket money for doing jobs. 

Financial literacy in adults begins with the habits that children develop as their parents educate them about money management. One of the tools for this education can be pocket money.

Pros
If used correctly, pocket money can be a tool that helps a child learn how to handle her own money.

They can learn to plan their spending in such a way that they rarely come up short. They may make some mistakes along the way, but will learn how to make the kind of choices that fit into what they want. If the pocket money is at first a small amount to be used only for a few extra things the child wants, but then develops into a larger amount that covers their weekly expenses, they can learn not only money management, but also how to be responsible for their own well-being and independence. If a child’s pocket money is connected to household jobs, then they can learn the connection between work and pay. 

Cons
Not everyone agrees that children should receive regular pocket money.
Some people believe that children who receive unconditional pocket money not tied to jobs end up viewing money as an entitlement.

Children that receive pocket money in exchange for doing household jobs may make such a strong emotional connection between money and jobs that they end up expecting to be paid for every small thing they do. As a result, they do not develop the feeling they are part of a team/family.

How Much Pocket Money is the Right Amount?
According to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, it seems that most parents give pocket money in the following amounts.

When it comes to giving pocket money, parents have some very difficult decisions to make so that the system of receiving pocket money results in positive outcomes, like developing independence and responsibility, learning how to manage money and delayed gratification, and understanding the value of money.

What System of Giving Pocket Money Is Best?
There is no set right or wrong about one system of dealing with pocket money over another. How parents handle the issue of pocket money and educate their child about money management will determine whether the system they’ve chosen is right.

Pocket money for kids can be tied to household jobs. According to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, most pocket money is connected to jobs that the child does around the house. This system can help a child appreciate the value of money, but the parent must take care not to foster the notion that the child should be paid for every small help they give. If this system is not handled well, the parent can end up losing control of the child.

Pocket money can be tied to grades at school. This is another system that could backfire. Some children might be motivated to study hard in order to get a financial reward, but others might end up being overly stressed.

Pocket money can be connected to behaviour. There probably isn’t a parent in the country who has not been guilty of bribing a child for good behaviour. If done sporadically, it probably will not result in lasting harm, but if done on a regular basis, children might develop an attitude that they only have to be good when being paid.

Proceed with Caution
What works for your friends and their children might not work in your family. And what works with one of your children might not work with another. Evaluate each child and your current family situation, and proceed with caution.

---