Budget for the kids??

[carj]

Do any of you give your kids a set amount to spend on the trip?
My daughter will want something every day, even if that means it is something small. My son will "get it" that he can use a larger portion of his money to buy a bigger item.

I have some plans of things that I am buying them for sure but what about the things that they pick? They are 4 and 7, if that helps.

 

[xxWDWfreak]

My set amount would be $50.00.. How long are you staying, because if you are staying longer your kids budgets need to be bigger.
Enjoy!

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

My kids are young, so no opinions here.....just waiting for some responses for a future mental note.

 

[ScotsMinnie]

My DD has been putting money away if she has got any from birthdays and christmas and any chores she has done. She has got quite a lot saved up. We sat down together and she thought about what she would like to do with it. She has decided to do the Alice Tea Party and the Pirate Adventure at the Floridian and use some of her money for that. The rest we will split between all the days we are there. She understands that if she spends it all every day she may not be able to buy a big thing. Having said that I am sure we will end up buying most things for her!! Her little sister will be given some money in her little purse but as she will only just have turned 2 it means nothing to her really. All she cares about is that her purse jingles!!!!

Its good for them to have that little bit of freedom to buy something that they like the look of and appreciate how much things cost I think.
Lx

 

[The Lion King]

when we went last month, my children-including a niece had $60-$20 for each park basically. But they could spend it however they wanted. My ds bought 2 toys-Buzz Lightyear and a Power Ranger Jungle Fury costume-both of which he had been wanting prior to our trip.

I had them earn Disney Dollars for doing things around the house and then I made up the difference. I made all of us shirts so there was no need to buy shirts when we got there.

They bought some stuff that I thought was "junk" but it was their money and when it was gone-it.was.gone.

 

[holly7347]

I'm really going to try and avoid as much shopping as possible. We just have more stuff already than we have room for. But they both just had b-days in March and they got $80 each. So I am thinking of giving them a max of $100 each. My DD's are just 5 and 3 though so I am not just going to say you have $100 to spend on what ever you want. They both got a My Little Pony for their b-day so I was thinking of doing the DTD thing where you can get a box and fill it with as many accessories as possible. They both seem to be into stuffed animals quite a bit so also maybe a stuffed animal each and a shirt. But I am really not wanting to buy lots of toys.

 

[Magic Mom]

My kids each get 35.00 from Dh and me (LOL is that right gramatically...I think it is, but it doesn't sound right). Plus, thay also have the opportunity to earn and save money prior to the trip. 35 doesn't sound like a lot, but they really don't need anything, and as cool as all that stuff is at the parks, most of it ends up not being used.

 

[CrazyDisneyMommy1]

We have our kids save up each time. By the time we go for our summer trip they will have about $150.00 each. They will be DD 10, DS 8. We are going for two weeks. I ask them to usually buy one item of clothing and two pins, the rest is pretty much up to them. This is just their spending money, we pay for all the food, treats (pop, ice cream)...etc. They are old enough to know that once it is gone, it is gone. We will go to each park twice and try and have the first time to each park a look around day for them and then when we go back the second time they can buy it then if they still want it.

 

[DisneyMOM09]

We set up a special chore chart with certain chores for my DD 8 to earn money for. All of the money she earns will be given to her at Disney for her souveniers. Depending on how much she earns DH and I will match it! Our DD22 mnths will just be given a souvenier or two. We don't have a certain amount set for DD 22 mnths because I am thinking we will just buy her one or two of her "I wants" and that will be it. We have a Disney outlet here so throughout the year I am stocking up on disney shirts (which they will recieve for Christmas)so we won't need to buy shirts. Plan on getting DH and I a few to wear also and our DD 21 will also recieve one or two for Christmas also.

 

[lovesdumbo]

We take one family trip a year which is enough for DH. Then I take a few more trips-with one child at a time. The kids get $25 to spend on a trip and if they stay home I bring them home something in that price range unless I bring home a T and then I spend a bit more as I like the tie die ones and they are so expensive.

The limit makes them really think about what they really want.

The kids are 8, 7, and 5.

 

[carj]

This will be our first trip and we are surprising them. We leave June 22 and we will probably tell them right before the last day of school, which is June 4th.

I like the idea of them earning money for some of the things themselves. They are not going to expect to get a ton of stuff but honestly there are things that I want to buy for them there! I am the one who is going to have to control myself.

I have already bought t-shirts and a little Minnie and a little Mickey. (That is what they are going to ge the day that we tell them!)

I will have to think about what will work for us. I think that having earned the money for their 1 bigger item is a good idea. The more they work, the more money they will have! They will really only have a couple of weeks to earn their money but I think that we can still make that work.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Do any of you give your kids a set amount to spend on the trip?
My daughter will want something every day, even if that means it is something small. My son will "get it" that he can use a larger portion of his money to buy a bigger item.

I have some plans of things that I am buying them for sure but what about the things that they pick? They are 4 and 7, if that helps.

Since the age of 5 my son has had a budget for the entire trip- and our rule is that no shopping is don on the first day. We admire things and window shop but aside from pressed pennies the buying just doesn't happen at the beginning. This teaches him to shop around, make careful choices and drastically reduces the impluse buying of junk.

 

[dzorn]

Mine budget for themselves. I do not usually buy them souv. For Chiristmas, birthdays and other holidays I get each a few disney dollars or cash for their banks. They have locked banks and anything in there they can spend on vacation. They love the easter bunny and the tooth fairy giving disney dollars. BTW did you know Tink lets the tooth fairy know when we have a big trip planned.

Many vacations they will come home with lots of money, knowing it is their money they are spending makes them conserve. Now that we have DVC they also know when we are coming back.

I usually buy at least one t-shirt before the trip so we can match, so they feel no need to buy them. I always have glo necklaces and will usually let them pick out a new wash cloth.

When we were at DTD dd picked out a backscratcher and that was all she wanted.

Denise in MI