If You Don't Mind Sharing; What is the age and souvenir allowance for your kiddos?

[deide71]

Yup, each kid gets a $50 gift card and anything else they earn and save. It is amazing what discriminating shoppers they become when they are spending their own $$!

 

[scoobygrl79]

Wow! I appreciate all who opened up and shared this private info about their budgeting practices. I find myself content to learn that I'm pretty spot on with most and I'm not a cheapskate nor over indulgent. Also, thanks to those who gave encouragement on dealing with my kids watching a shopping marathon. I will try my best but I'm sure Sept heat plus having to slow down for first timers plus watching their cousin score 4x the toys will equal a few bloodbaths, but like everyone says, I'll just remind them of their multi visits vs their cousin's ONE.

 

[swthrtpallanes]

On my next trip I am giving my DS 9 a $50 DC for him to get whatever he wants. He has been saving his coins for the Lego Store. I am guessing he will have about $100 between coins and birthday GC by the time we go so he should be fine. My other two are girls 5 and 2 so I am probable spending about $60 on both.

 

[pinkprincess30]

Our first trip we bought some items ahead...A stuffed character, Mickey tshirt sand some fun little things for the trip. At the parks we bought them each their ears and they each had a $50 gift card. We bought them snacks/candy/icecream and things while in the park separate from their souvenir fund. Our second trip they each had $50 again and we did get tshirts for the trip, autograph books and some very small stuffed characters again which we bought on discount before we ever got to the parks, and we allowed them one sweet treat per day, which we paid for. This trip is a budget trip and not a surprise so they are taking their own money. We will still provide one special snack per day (and bring some snacks from home too). None of our kids are souvenir-crazy. Usually one thing and they're good to go.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My MIL always gave each kid $100 for spending money each trip. We would help them budget $25 per park, with any unused being rolled over. We would let them look, but also promised to come back to get anything towards the end of the week, so they had time to think about a purchase.

For the most part, my kids have made very considered purchases. My younger DD loves pandas, so a stuffed panda from China was very loved and appreciated. My youngest was obsessed with Perry a few years back, he bought a pillow pet that he cherished. Funny story--my older son, now 19, saw the Pokemon cards in Japan, and insisted on spending all his money on them. I reminded him of the $25 per park plan, and that he could buy such cards at the local Target when he got home. No go--he wanted them he wanted them now. He spent every dime he had on those stupid cards. And within two days, regretted his purchase, because he had no money left for Tatooine Traders or the Pirates store. But, he was ~13 at the time--not a little kid--and he doesn't learn a lesson unless it's painful. And honestly, if he'd been content with the cards, I would have been fine, but I knew darn well he was going to be kicking himself later.

As to the cousin, I would prep your child ahead of time that, "this is Sarah's only trip, she'll have more spending money", so your child understands. If you go frequesntly, your kid doesn't need a Space Mountain t-shirt every trip, but it might make a nice memory for her cousin.

 

[cel_disney]

I needed a thread like this! Thanks for asking and for all of you that have replied!

We also have been to Disney more times than my children are old ...in 9 years, they have been 12 or 13 times I think.

On our April trip, my kids were given the opportunity to pick something fun to do that was special - my DS9 choose to rent a surrey bike and my DD5.5 choose to have a hair wrap put in her hair. The costs were 22$ and 40$ respectively.

Then both children were allowed to pick one thing to get (about 30$) at the end of the trip if they didn't whine!!

In the past, when DS was about 7 and we were traveling without a stroller we used to pay him $10/day if he walked everywhere without whining, but charged him $5 for every day that he whined and we had to rent a stroller. He earned about $80 on that trip and choose to spend some on a pin and save the rest in his bank! I didn't mind that at all!

As they get older - I definitely like the idea of giving them each a gift card to purchase their own 'snacks' - drinks and treats!!

For the OPs niece/cousin who is traveling for the first and possibly only time - I hope she enjoys more time experiencing the unique environment that is WDW than in gift shops! I can't imagine a $700 shopping spree - I just don't even think I could find that much to buy!

 

[DnA2010]

We've not done WDW yet with DD11 other than a day at MK after our Fantasy cruise last year, but on our last DL trip last fall we didn't give her money or a gift card- we just bought the couple of things she wanted- she isn't very into "things" so this wasn't hard. We ended up getting her a autograph book- more so because DH and I wanted to spark her interest in characters again, a shirt, and she chose to "make a light sabre" - it was pricey, but she loves it. She did have some money given to her by grandparents etc, which I think she may have kicked into the cost of her light sabre, but I'm not actually sure.

 

[mjkacmom]

I gave my 5 kids a $25 GSC and bought them each a tshirt.

 

[sweet-n-lowe]

Mine are 13, 10, & 6. They each get a $25 Disney gift card from me & $30 each from grandparents. The older 2 will also spend their own $$. I'd like to think they wouldn't spend close to $100 each but we go most years. I can't imagine giving them $600. I also pre-order trading pins, which is sort of their souvenirs.

 

[stayhomemom77]

When my kiddies were small, we allotted $50 for each of them. Grandma usually kicked in another $25 or $50 in the form of a gift card before the trip. That was about it. They each got a couple of things and were well satisfied.

When they started earning allowance (about age 7) they had to buy their own stuff. I always get an autograph book and pen each trip and that's it. We tell them as soon as we book any sort of trip or vacation and encourage them to save up for souvies. They often get cash from the grandparents for their birthdays...so they usually save that for trips too. Also, we have been know to gift them with cash or gift cards for birthdays and things like good report card rewards and whatnot. Santa and the Easter Bunny have been know to get in on the game before a trip as well. Basically, the amount they have each trip varies but they've always got a good $50 to $100 to work with as a minimum.

 

[kathy884]

I always budgeted $10 a day for souvenirs. When little where DS might spend all his money at once, he just got $10 per day and had to save up for bigger ticket items (I'd talk up -- save your money from today and tomorrow, and you can get that on Tuesday for example). When over that phase, I gave the money up front.

Unfortunately on one trip I remember relatives wrecked my budgeting lessons by letting DS pick things out and saying they wanted to get something for him. One time despite my giving an allowance, my aunt bought a gift for DS (his pick for around $30), my cousin bought a gift for DS (his pick) for around $30, and my parents gave DS ($100). So much for the $60 I gave him with hopes of teaching budgeting lessons and making wise choices with limited means.

Now DS is 20, has his own monies, and isn't as much into souvenirs, so we no longer fund souvenirs. Last trip, though, he got a refrigerator magnet (We collect these for every place we go) and a Mickey ears camera strap (He is a photographer with lots of cameras and lenses.)

 

[MinnieSweetheart]

My daughter is only 2, so she doesn't necessarily "shop" but we set aside about $50 for her. So far, she has gotten a stuffed toy on 2 trips and some books. We do, however, spend money before the trip on appliqué shirts and spinning light up toys ($3-$5 at target type stores). My friend also made her a special Cinderella before the trip.

Since we spend money BEFORE the trip, we spend less on the trip. All told, I probably spend about $100-$150 on each trip so far but that includes the cutesy shirts which are really for me. We also already have Minnie Ears for her and such which your niece wouldn't have. I just can't imagine how much utter useless crap she's going to come home with at $600.

 

[BLAZEY]

DD7 had $50.00. We gave her $25US and MIL (Her Nana) gave us each $25US. she could buy what she wanted we also bought her her ears (we do each trip).

 

[lorijohnhill]

My biggest problem is self-control. I go a little (OK, a lot) crazy when I get to Disneyland! My daughter has a $25 gift card she received for Christmas, and $25 cash from an Easter gift from my Grandmother. She will celebrate her birthday (turning 10) while we are there, and my mother will be with us, so she will probably get some gifts from her while we are there. Other than that, she gets whatever I can't stop myself from buying. LOL We usually have a packing error of some kind, so end up buying some piece of clothing or other.