Kids spending money.

[amberjean15]

We'll be in Disney in exactly 1 month from today (yay!!!) I'm trying to decide how much spending money to budget for our kids ages 11,8,6,5,2. I was thinking $100 each that they can spend on whatever their little hearts desire anything over that Daddy and I will have to agree to buy them. Obviously we are paying for all food/drinks ect. We are doing tinker bell gifts everyday as well and we'll be there for 10 days.

 

[sharona]

I would probably give less $ based on age. 11 = $100, 8 = $80, 6 = $60...

 

[Figmentmommy]

We'll be in Disney in exactly 1 month from today (yay!!!) I'm trying to decide how much spending money to budget for our kids ages 11,8,6,5,2. I was thinking $100 each that they can spend on whatever their little hearts desire anything over that Daddy and I will have to agree to buy them. Obviously we are paying for all food/drinks ect. We are doing tinker bell gifts everyday as well and we'll be there for 10 days.

We have 2 children 2 years apart in age. We've always kept the amounts pretty much equal. Our boys always took some money from their piggy banks- usually $30-40 and then they would be given $20 or so each from my mother for spending - and an extra $20 from my sister who likes to be known as the favorite aunt! We would also cash in our change jar for some extra bucks. We would then buy them a shirt/hat and a couple of little things from us. So your $100 per child sounds good and generous! I think it's a fair estimate of what each of our children spend per trip - they just get it from a variety of sources!
Have a great trip!

 

[spartankid34]

I would probably give less $ based on age. 11 = $100, 8 = $80, 6 = $60...

I would maybe agree with this for $$ in a birthday card, but I wouldn't give anyone less based on their age for a vacation. Just my personal opinion.

I am planning to gift a $50 gift card to my nieces/nephew for Christmas, and another $50 on the day of the trip, so $100 sounds about right.

I think this is up to what your budget can handle

 

[Flynnismine]

I'm probably in the minority here but I'd also do a sliding scale based on the childs age. $10 for every year with a $100 max. So spend $10 on the 1 yr old, $20 on the 2 yr old, the 5 yr old would get $50, 6 yr old $60, 8 yr old $80, and the 11 yr old would get $100. You could order Disney gift cards with each childs set dollar amnt loaded (get different cards with their favorite character on the front and write their name on the back to keep them all straight) and there wouldn't be any argument over who's is who's.

P.S.
I hope my 6 yr old DD doesn't get wind of this, she'll never vote me parent of the year again, well maybe she'd vote me mean parent of the year, LOL If she wants spending money for our Disney trip in October, I told her to save her allowance. I also suggested she asked for Disney gift cards for her Birthday instead of toys or clothes. She wasn't to excited to get the gift cards but I guarantee she'll be happy to spend them at Disney in a few months

 

[MrsHull]

On our last trip, we allowed $40 per child per day. We spent 6 days in the parks. It was WAY too much.

This year, we are giving them each a budget of $25 per day, aside from the shirts and hats that we will purchase. I think the grandparents might throw in a little extra, too, as an early Christmas present.

You have to set your budget based on what you can afford AND the amount of stuff you want to lug back home.

 

[GatorMama]

I've made mine earn it for a year. They'll probably end up with about $75ish. Plus money from grandparents. And we have tinkerbell gifts too. Pajamas, stuffed animals, pins, candy...

 

[amberjean15]

it's a surprise trip so we haven't been able to have them save their own money this time around. But they (we) have been saving all change for about a year now that we will divide between them for spending money as well.

 

[GatorMama]

We agreed on some things we will pay for. We will buy Mickey ears and an autograph book for each. Possibly a pin. Toys will come from their own money. Some snacks may too.

 

[Mamato2cutekiddos]

Great question- we are doing the same for our kiddos. My kids are 6 and 4 (7 and 5 by trip time) and we have planned for a $100 disney gift card each. They can spend it on whatever they want (toys, treats etc). When it's gone, it's gone. Mama and Daddy will buy them each a tshirt, ears, pins (my son's first year so he will get a starter pack with lanyard) and autograph book and that's it (food too obviously). Any special purchases above and beyond those will be decided upon by my husband and I.

 

[Mamato2cutekiddos]

Oh and what are tinkerbell gifts?

 

[Mousemommy1]

We do $50/each and we make them wait until the last day to buy what they want so they've had the chance to see everything and BE SURE it's what they want.

 

[GatorMama]

Oh and what are tinkerbell gifts?

Surprises that tinkerbell leaves, a la Santa or the Easter Bunny

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We also get each of our kids a $50 Disney giftcard and think that's a reasonable amount, even for the older ones. DH and I tell our kids that they have the choice of adding onto the preset giftcard amount we get them with their own allowance savings if they choose. We let each of our kids purchase something towards the beginning of the trip and then again on our last day which worked out well to keep the peace with my crew. I also get them stuff like autograph books, Disney lanyards, new sunglasses, small misting fans, character t-shirts, etc. before a trip. Our local Walgreens has a nice variety of Disney gift card designs in addition to the most commonly found one with Mickey on it.

 

[Figmentmommy]

it's a surprise trip so we haven't been able to have them save their own money this time around. But they (we) have been saving all change for about a year now that we will divide between them for spending money as well.

This is exactly what we did for our trip last December. We surprised our boys the night before we left. We cashed in our change and split it equally between them for souvenir money. It was about $45 each and we added Grandma money and Aunt money to it. Wound up being about $100 each total for the week. Plus we bought them a shirt/hat and a few smaller things.

 

[amberjean15]

I have shirts for them for most days (the matching shirts I made lol), misting fans, a small stuffed animal, princess dress for each girl on BBB day and pirate gear for the boys on Pirate League day, bathing suits for the pool day, glow stuff for the fireworks nights. A family member told me that $50 each was being cheap... lol I have FIVE kids and they only need so much stuff. Thank you everyone you made me feel much better about setting a limit on the spending money.

 

[jerseygirl82]

I've put aside over $100 in birthday and piggy bank money my dd has been gifted or saved this year. We are DVC and regular Disney visitors so I anticipate that we will come home with money leftover to save for next time. I wouldn't do the sliding scale as I don't think that is fair, but I think you could easily get away with $50 for each child.

 

[DisneyBabies]

We have 2 kids going this time; 11 and 9. We are getting them $50 gift cards and DGM may get them one as well, but that is more than enough.

We will buy a t-shirt, hat, and one Starbucks drink (no coffee obviously). Anything else is on them and once their money is gone, it's gone; no exceptions.

Limiting their money also limits the toys that will be brought home, played with for two months and ignored before being rescued and sent to a thrift store for a new life.

As far as the sliding scale, the 1 year old is the most likely to want a toy and there aren't that many toys for $10, so I wouldn't go that route.

 

[scoobygrl79]

We also get each of our kids a $50 Disney giftcard and think that's a reasonable amount, even for the older ones. DH and I tell our kids that they have the choice of adding onto the preset giftcard amount we get them with their own allowance savings if they choose. We let each of our kids purchase something towards the beginning of the trip and then again on our last day which worked out well to keep the peace with my crew. I also get them stuff like autograph books, Disney lanyards, new sunglasses, small misting fans, character t-shirts, etc. before a trip. Our local Walgreens has a nice variety of Disney gift card designs in addition to the most commonly found one with Mickey on it.

The little bit upfront and the little bit towards the end is great advice...I can't tell you the bloodbaths that go on in my family because kid X changed her mind and saw something better...or kid Y tries to tell me he chose his gift because kid Z bullied/pressured him into getting something SHE liked and now he wants a "second chance"..........I think this would eliminate a little bit of the drama...

 

[theduhaimes]

We are also going towards the end of August. We decided in May to have them earn their spending money by helping out around the house. Every time they help out with chores, they earn rocks. The day before we leave, they get to cash their rocks in for $1 each. It has worked great. They have been more helpful than usual this summer and they have earned about what I would have given them anyway (around $75 each). My kids are 12, 9 and 6.