allowance/chores for 9 and 5 yr old

[BigL]

What do y'all do?

Want to build a chore list for the kids where they get paid something like 25 cents for each thing they do. Looking for a few ideas

Going to have them put 10% back for charity and 10% back for saving. The rest they can save/spend as they wish.

[JCG]

My boy takes out the trash, makes his bed, takes out the dog and mows my snl's lawn.

[Rubi513]

Chores for free, but all A's on a report card gets 25 bucks.

[Shane]

There are lots of good ways to teach kids responsibility, work, money management, etc. Here's what we did...

Household chores like cleaning bedroom, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom and the like were never "jobs" that anybody got paid for. That's just stuff you do because you live here. It's expected, not paid for. We had (and still have and use) charts that who is responsible for the various household chores this week. We have 4 different charts, rotating chores among all 4 of us. We rotate every week. Everybody has more than one responsibility each week, and we all get one week's worth of each chore every 4 weeks. It has worked very well for years. My kids are 19 and 16 now. We started it at least 10 years ago.

For money, we started giving the kids a small allowance when they were old enough to start to understand what money is - probably age 6 or 8. I started out giving them $20 in dollar bills every month. It needs to be cash so it can be visual and tangible. As soon as I gave the kids their $20, I would have them set at least 10% ($2) aside to tithe at church. Sometimes they chose to give more, but we always made sure they gave at least 10% immediately - not waiting until the end of the month to see if any was left.

Then I would make sure that they immediately put at least 10% (another $2) into their savings. We made boxes to save cash in. Whatever they put in their savings I would match. Sometimes they would put in more than 10%, and I would match whatever it was. Then I would toss in a handful of change or a couple more dollars or whatever as "interest". I never did exact calculations. I just wanted them to visually see how saving money pays. These "savings accounts" were off limits for spending.

Then they got to spend whatever money they had left however they wanted to. Sometimes they would save up to buy something big, and sometimes they would run out and blow it within 24 hours. Many times they would blow their money on stupid purchases, things that would break quickly, and the like. I never told them not to. I wanted them to suffer the pain of dumb decisions with money on these small things. But, no matter what, once they spent their money they didn't get any more until next month.

Then when they got old enough to do yard work (10-12 yrs old), I fired my lawn guy and turned it over to the kids. I paid them the same $40 I was paying the yard guy. I told them it was their business. They would have to buy gas for the mower and weedeater string and such. Also, whenever they got paid, they were expected to tithe and to save at least 10% (which was matched). They would split the money whenever they split the work. Sometimes one of them would feel lazy and choose not to help, so the one that did all the work got all the money that trip.

This ended up working better than I figured it would. My kids never came and just asked me for money. If they wanted extra money for something, they would come and ask us if we had any extra jobs they could do. They would paint the house, clean the garage, clean my office or whatever we wanted done, and we'd pay them for it. They'd tithe and save, and then they'd spend whatever was left however they wanted to. As they started getting a little more money to work with, they got to learn what it's like to make both good and bad decisions with larger amounts of money. The dumb decisions started to hurt a lot more, especially after they'd worked so hard to earn the money.

All the while, they have always been expected to keep up with their household chores. We still have to remind them sometimes, and they both let their rooms get pretty messy quite often. Teenagers.... But they're both making mostly wise decisions with their money now. They really think things through before they make purchases these days. So far so good. I'll tell you in another 20 years or so if we managed to teach them anything that was lasting or not.

[brianlg31]

^^^that is awesome!!!

[Rubi513]

There are lots of good ways to teach kids responsibility, work, money management, etc. Here's what we did...

Household chores like cleaning bedroom, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom and the like were never "jobs" that anybody got paid for. That's just stuff you do because you live here. It's expected, not paid for. We had (and still have and use) charts that who is responsible for the various household chores this week. We have 4 different charts, rotating chores among all 4 of us. We rotate every week. Everybody has more than one responsibility each week, and we all get one week's worth of each chore every 4 weeks. It has worked very well for years. My kids are 19 and 16 now. We started it at least 10 years ago.

For money, we started giving the kids a small allowance when they were old enough to start to understand what money is - probably age 6 or 8. I started out giving them $20 in dollar bills every month. It needs to be cash so it can be visual and tangible. As soon as I gave the kids their $20, I would have them set at least 10% ($2) aside to tithe at church. Sometimes they chose to give more, but we always made sure they gave at least 10% immediately - not waiting until the end of the month to see if any was left.

Then I would make sure that they immediately put at least 10% (another $2) into their savings. We made boxes to save cash in. Whatever they put in their savings I would match. Sometimes they would put in more than 10%, and I would match whatever it was. Then I would toss in a handful of change or a couple more dollars or whatever as "interest". I never did exact calculations. I just wanted them to visually see how saving money pays. These "savings accounts" were off limits for spending.

Then they got to spend whatever money they had left however they wanted to. Sometimes they would save up to buy something big, and sometimes they would run out and blow it within 24 hours. Many times they would blow their money on stupid purchases, things that would break quickly, and the like. I never told them not to. I wanted them to suffer the pain of dumb decisions with money on these small things. But, no matter what, once they spent their money they didn't get any more until next month.

Then when they got old enough to do yard work (10-12 yrs old), I fired my lawn guy and turned it over to the kids. I paid them the same $40 I was paying the yard guy. I told them it was their business. They would have to buy gas for the mower and weedeater string and such. Also, whenever they got paid, they were expected to tithe and to save at least 10% (which was matched). They would split the money whenever they split the work. Sometimes one of them would feel lazy and choose not to help, so the one that did all the work got all the money that trip.

This ended up working better than I figured it would. My kids never came and just asked me for money. If they wanted extra money for something, they would come and ask us if we had any extra jobs they could do. They would paint the house, clean the garage, clean my office or whatever we wanted done, and we'd pay them for it. They'd tithe and save, and then they'd spend whatever was left however they wanted to. As they started getting a little more money to work with, they got to learn what it's like to make both good and bad decisions with larger amounts of money. The dumb decisions started to hurt a lot more, especially after they'd worked so hard to earn the money.

All the while, they have always been expected to keep up with their household chores. We still have to remind them sometimes, and they both let their rooms get pretty messy quite often. Teenagers.... But they're both making mostly wise decisions with their money now. They really think things through before they make purchases these days. So far so good. I'll tell you in another 20 years or so if we managed to teach them anything that was lasting or not.

I like it!

[tigerscowboy]

There are lots of good ways to teach kids responsibility, work, money management, etc. Here's what we did...

Household chores like cleaning bedroom, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom and the like were never "jobs" that anybody got paid for. That's just stuff you do because you live here. It's expected, not paid for. We had (and still have and use) charts that who is responsible for the various household chores this week. We have 4 different charts, rotating chores among all 4 of us. We rotate every week. Everybody has more than one responsibility each week, and we all get one week's worth of each chore every 4 weeks. It has worked very well for years. My kids are 19 and 16 now. We started it at least 10 years ago.

For money, we started giving the kids a small allowance when they were old enough to start to understand what money is - probably age 6 or 8. I started out giving them $20 in dollar bills every month. It needs to be cash so it can be visual and tangible. As soon as I gave the kids their $20, I would have them set at least 10% ($2) aside to tithe at church. Sometimes they chose to give more, but we always made sure they gave at least 10% immediately - not waiting until the end of the month to see if any was left.

Then I would make sure that they immediately put at least 10% (another $2) into their savings. We made boxes to save cash in. Whatever they put in their savings I would match. Sometimes they would put in more than 10%, and I would match whatever it was. Then I would toss in a handful of change or a couple more dollars or whatever as "interest". I never did exact calculations. I just wanted them to visually see how saving money pays. These "savings accounts" were off limits for spending.

Then they got to spend whatever money they had left however they wanted to. Sometimes they would save up to buy something big, and sometimes they would run out and blow it within 24 hours. Many times they would blow their money on stupid purchases, things that would break quickly, and the like. I never told them not to. I wanted them to suffer the pain of dumb decisions with money on these small things. But, no matter what, once they spent their money they didn't get any more until next month.

Then when they got old enough to do yard work (10-12 yrs old), I fired my lawn guy and turned it over to the kids. I paid them the same $40 I was paying the yard guy. I told them it was their business. They would have to buy gas for the mower and weedeater string and such. Also, whenever they got paid, they were expected to tithe and to save at least 10% (which was matched). They would split the money whenever they split the work. Sometimes one of them would feel lazy and choose not to help, so the one that did all the work got all the money that trip.

This ended up working better than I figured it would. My kids never came and just asked me for money. If they wanted extra money for something, they would come and ask us if we had any extra jobs they could do. They would paint the house, clean the garage, clean my office or whatever we wanted done, and we'd pay them for it. They'd tithe and save, and then they'd spend whatever was left however they wanted to. As they started getting a little more money to work with, they got to learn what it's like to make both good and bad decisions with larger amounts of money. The dumb decisions started to hurt a lot more, especially after they'd worked so hard to earn the money.

All the while, they have always been expected to keep up with their household chores. We still have to remind them sometimes, and they both let their rooms get pretty messy quite often. Teenagers.... But they're both making mostly wise decisions with their money now. They really think things through before they make purchases these days. So far so good. I'll tell you in another 20 years or so if we managed to teach them anything that was lasting or not.

In complete support of that. To share, my Sis and I could not sit at the breakfast table until dressed (no pajamas) and our beds were made. No money for that.

At the dinner table, always washed up and wearing a clean shirt. Not brand new, but nothing dirty and sweaty. It was manners and proper.

Friends thought it was mean. Today I understand the foundation he was building.

.02

[TXBlkCld]

There are lots of good ways to teach kids responsibility, work, money management, etc. Here's what we did...

Household chores like cleaning bedroom, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom and the like were never "jobs" that anybody got paid for. That's just stuff you do because you live here. It's expected, not paid for. We had (and still have and use) charts that who is responsible for the various household chores this week. We have 4 different charts, rotating chores among all 4 of us. We rotate every week. Everybody has more than one responsibility each week, and we all get one week's worth of each chore every 4 weeks. It has worked very well for years. My kids are 19 and 16 now. We started it at least 10 years ago.

For money, we started giving the kids a small allowance when they were old enough to start to understand what money is - probably age 6 or 8. I started out giving them $20 in dollar bills every month. It needs to be cash so it can be visual and tangible. As soon as I gave the kids their $20, I would have them set at least 10% ($2) aside to tithe at church. Sometimes they chose to give more, but we always made sure they gave at least 10% immediately - not waiting until the end of the month to see if any was left.

Then I would make sure that they immediately put at least 10% (another $2) into their savings. We made boxes to save cash in. Whatever they put in their savings I would match. Sometimes they would put in more than 10%, and I would match whatever it was. Then I would toss in a handful of change or a couple more dollars or whatever as "interest". I never did exact calculations. I just wanted them to visually see how saving money pays. These "savings accounts" were off limits for spending.

Then they got to spend whatever money they had left however they wanted to. Sometimes they would save up to buy something big, and sometimes they would run out and blow it within 24 hours. Many times they would blow their money on stupid purchases, things that would break quickly, and the like. I never told them not to. I wanted them to suffer the pain of dumb decisions with money on these small things. But, no matter what, once they spent their money they didn't get any more until next month.

Then when they got old enough to do yard work (10-12 yrs old), I fired my lawn guy and turned it over to the kids. I paid them the same $40 I was paying the yard guy. I told them it was their business. They would have to buy gas for the mower and weedeater string and such. Also, whenever they got paid, they were expected to tithe and to save at least 10% (which was matched). They would split the money whenever they split the work. Sometimes one of them would feel lazy and choose not to help, so the one that did all the work got all the money that trip.

This ended up working better than I figured it would. My kids never came and just asked me for money. If they wanted extra money for something, they would come and ask us if we had any extra jobs they could do. They would paint the house, clean the garage, clean my office or whatever we wanted done, and we'd pay them for it. They'd tithe and save, and then they'd spend whatever was left however they wanted to. As they started getting a little more money to work with, they got to learn what it's like to make both good and bad decisions with larger amounts of money. The dumb decisions started to hurt a lot more, especially after they'd worked so hard to earn the money.

All the while, they have always been expected to keep up with their household chores. We still have to remind them sometimes, and they both let their rooms get pretty messy quite often. Teenagers.... But they're both making mostly wise decisions with their money now. They really think things through before they make purchases these days. So far so good. I'll tell you in another 20 years or so if we managed to teach them anything that was lasting or not.

This here ^^^ is wisdom. But I've come to expect nothing less from Shane.

[Will_903]

In our house we differentiate between chores and jobs. We all have chores around the house that keep this gravy train on the tracks. But we try to give our daughter a job so she can earn money. Gathering laundry cleaning her room and helping to clean the house = chores. Dog poop and carrying branches= job. She is a seven year old girl to put some perspective on it.

[woody7121]

Chores for free, but all A's on a report card gets 25 bucks.

This is what we did for our kids, but gave an extra 100.00 for straight A's.

[AntlerCollector]

Allowance and Chores:

I allow them to live if they do their chores!

[Electrican]

In our house we differentiate between chores and jobs. We all have chores around the house that keep this gravy train on the tracks. But we try to give our daughter a job so she can earn money. Gathering laundry cleaning her room and helping to clean the house = chores. Dog poop and carrying branches= job. She is a seven year old girl to put some perspective on it.

This is what we do as well. No pay for good grades in school. It's expected!

[Death from Above]

Supper, cell phone, clothes, shoes, ride to school...

I was raised a little different, if you are old enough to help out then get at it the roof over your head and full belly are thanks enough.

With that said...I still spoil my kids

[Froggy]

I grew up in the 50's and 60's when no one had much money. I recall me and my three brothers bugging Dad for an allowance like the other kids got.

His response " Okay you each get $1.00/week. Dinner tonight is $2.50.

Never asked for an allowance again.

[glen]

I must be mean. My boys handle all the trash keeping the floors clean and washing dishes and I give them a place to live and feed them. For spending money they can sell firewood and do euro mounts for people