Disneyland Allowance for kids

[marcemc]

We usually give the boys some money of their own to spend at Disney.

Last year we gave them $5 each and DS4 bought mickey lollipops and DS7 lost it sometime between the hotel room and the park

Considering we buy them souveniers and we always make a stop at the lego store I still think $5 is good. DH says you can't buy anything at DLR for that amount, the kids are older now and DS7 has proven himself to be more responsible. He is considering $20.

Am I just being plain cheap with my kids?

 

[Funball]

ok, don't take this the wrong way . but give them a penny and tell them to spend it wisely! just kidding, no $5 seems reasonable, they can get a pencil or a pen or one of this magic towels that expands in water!

 

[caimakale]

I would have to agree with your DH, $5 doesn't seem like it would go very far at DL. I think $20 sounds more reasonable.

 

[Funball]

u know if you allow to much money for a kid then they think that money grows on trees and they can get a certian amount anytime, you need to start at a reasonable amount, i just think that $20 is WAY to much, but then there is always room to negotiate, if they wanted to buy a stuffed nemo that cost more then $5 so then maybe let them do that,but then make *that* nemo the only souvenier they get other then happy memories and a kick butt day!!

 

[skiingfast]

why don't you find some middle road. How about tell them 5 dollars a day? This way they can spend it on little things or save it until the last day and have $15 or $20.

 

[MomToOne]

Kids need to learn to handle money. I started given my daughter an allowance when she was 5 (a few bucks a week), and pretty much stopped buying anything myself except for Christmas and her birthday. It really helped stop her constant "gimme"s in the store - it's amazing when it's HER money she is spending, she suddenly doesn't find certain junk as necessary! She also turned out to quickly get the concept of saving, and is pretty good at it - I think if you start out early that way, it's easier.

I would have made my daughter earn the money, but since you are so close to your trip, that probably isn't possible. I personally would give them more than $20, but not buy them anything at all outside of that, at least for your 7 year old. Make him decide what is and isn't worth the money to him. I bet you you'd be amazed at how well he can handle it.

I have now stopped the allowance for DD10, only because her aunt throws money at her like candy. She'll be going down with $80 that she's saved from her last visit with her aunt. I don't expect her to spend all of it though.

PS If your child is prone to losing cash, don't actually give them the money to hold. Give them a wallet with the cash, but keep the wallet in your bag. Give them the wallet as they need to pay, but then get it back from them. Kids are kids after all, and tend to leave stuff behind without realizing it!

 

[marcemc]

why don't you find some middle road. How about tell them 5 dollars a day? This way they can spend it on little things or save it until the last day and have $15 or $20.

We will be there 6 days, that would total $30.

Maybe we can agree on $10 and me not prostesting if they want to spend them on something like a one day balloon.

 

[PrincessMaleficent]

Honestly I would give them $5 a day and they can spend it that way they can buy a bunch of little thigns or save adn get a big thing. I also would not purchase them any other souvenier.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

Kids need to learn to handle money. I started given my daughter an allowance when she was 5 (a few bucks a week), and pretty much stopped buying anything myself except for Christmas and her birthday. It really helped stop her constant "gimme"s in the store - it's amazing when it's HER money she is spending, she suddenly doesn't find certain junk as necessary! She also turned out to quickly get the concept of saving, and is pretty good at it - I think if you start out early that way, it's easier.

I would have made my daughter earn the money, but since you are so close to your trip, that probably isn't possible. I personally would give them more than $20, but not buy them anything at all outside of that, at least for your 7 year old. Make him decide what is and isn't worth the money to him. I bet you you'd be amazed at how well he can handle it.

This is what we do with our 6 yr old, but she's saving her allowance for Disneyland so we still get the "I wants"

I agree that $5 for the whole trip might be too little for them to get anything worthwhile. I like the idea of $5 a day and if they save it they can have a bigger thing or they can spend it each day on something small.

I also love the idea of working for the money, get them to start pulling those weeds!!

 

[marcemc]

I also love the idea of working for the money, get them to start pulling those weeds!!

They do this at home and we pay them per week and put it in the piggy bank.

This trip is a surprise, they have no idea we're going.

 

[mom4princesses]

We have our children earn their Disney money. About 4 months before a trip we put $$ amounts on chores that need to be done (above the ones they are required to do without pay). So if they change the baby's diaper they get .25, if its poppy they get .50, they do their own laundry but if they help with mine they get $1 per load done from finish to end..... I think you get the idea. So what ever they earn is what they have to spend no more no less. Since they earned it I let them buy what ever they want. I did notice that they are not willing to just buy anything and are more aware of the cost.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

They do this at home and we pay them per week and put it in the piggy bank.

This trip is a surprise, they have no idea we're going.

Oh wow, what a great suprise!! In that case I'd say just go with the $5 a day (unless its a big trip, then maybe $10-20 for the whole time)

 

[marcemc]

Oh wow, what a great suprise!! In that case I'd say just go with the $5 a day (unless its a big trip, then maybe $10-20 for the whole time)

I think you guys are right, I should consider a lump sum and have them tour some stores before they reach a decision on how to spend it.

We have our children earn their Disney money. About 4 months before a trip we put $$ amounts on chores that need to be done (above the ones they are required to do without pay). So if they change the baby's diaper they get .25, if its poppy they get .50, they do their own laundry but if they help with mine they get $1 per load done from finish to end..... I think you get the idea. So what ever they earn is what they have to spend no more no less. Since they earned it I let them buy what ever they want. I did notice that they are not willing to just buy anything and are more aware of the cost.

This is such a cute idea, you upgrade the pay if the diaper is soiled.
$0.50 well spent!!

 

[luvgoing2disney]

Every family is different, and we only had one child. When he was younger of course, we just bought things for him. At about age 10 I started giving him $10.00/day. We now give him $15.00/day and he can buy whatever he likes, save it to make one purchase, or just bring home whatever remains.

 

[CrazyDuck]

What we do is we have a big piggy bank that my DD6 and DS4 use to collect coins and dollars they find lying around the house. Then the weekend before we go we'll go and count and roll the coins, and whatever they end up with is their souvenir money. In 2008 my DD6 was doing this by herself (DD4 was too youn at the time), and she had about $350 to spend on souvenirs. We changed out about $200 to Disney dollars which she carried with her in the parks. I was surprised at how frugal she became with her money. At the end of the week she barely used all the Disney Dollars!

 

[MomToOne]

This is what we do with our 6 yr old, but she's saving her allowance for Disneyland so we still get the "I wants"

Yeah, it still takes some resolve and patience on the part of the parent

I just got really good at repeating "Is it more important to you than <insert whatever she is saving for here>? If so, then buy it. But you are using YOUR money. Remember, Evil Mom carries the wallet". (Evil Mom is my other personna, created when my daughter kept saying how "mean" I was constantly about such things. I love Evil Mom - she takes the blame for all sorts of things!)

Then DD10 gives me the stink eye, but usually thinks about it for a minute then moves on.

 

[marcemc]

Yeah, it still takes some resolve and patience on the part of the parent

I just got really good at repeating "Is it more important to you than <insert whatever she is saving for here>? If so, then buy it. But you are using YOUR money. Remember, Evil Mom carries the wallet". (Evil Mom is my other personna, created when my daughter kept saying how "mean" I was constantly about such things. I love Evil Mom - she takes the blame for all sorts of things!)

Then DD10 gives me the stink eye, but usually thinks about it for a minute then moves on.

I am going to have to steal your evil mom idea

Great ideas from all of you guys, certainly appreciate it!

 

[Funball]

Yeah see unlike all of you. I am not a parent but I nieces and nephews and I have seen how they “work” my brothers and seriously when it comes to money with kids they need a foundation... a basis to start like doing chores to earn that money,because they also need to see the value of where that dollar is going and that they can’t just get anything they want anytime they want…but if you think giving them $20 will work, I like skiing fast idea to give it in denominations this way won’t loose it….

 

[MulanFan]

We got a $25 gift card when we booked our vaca, and we gave that to her as an allowance. She also brought her spending money (about $26) that she can use to get anything she wants. We also got her other souvenirs.

Her savings is from the change she collects around the house and the bottom of my purse.

 

[Funball]

We got a $25 gift card when we booked our vaca, and we gave that to her as an allowance. She also brought her spending money (about $26) that she can use to get anything she wants. We also got her other souvenirs.

Her savings is from the change she collects around the house and the bottom of my purse.

she can come clean my purse out if she wants! i got alotta change at the bottom..