How much do you give or allow for souvenirs for tweens and teens?

[Goofy'slady]

I'm trying to get an age appropriate amount for spending/souvenirs for our upcoming August trip to Disney.

In the past I've always just bought the girls whatever they wanted - within reason and never gave it a second thought. This year I'd like to give each of them an amount and let them make their own purchases hopefully continuing to teach them important lessons about money like I'm doing at home.
By the time this vacation arrives my girls will be 17 and 10. We are on the dining plan so food purchases are not really a factor. So I was thinking for the older one 100 and for my youngest 60???

So how much to you budget for your kids during vacation? Also, should I buy them Disney gift cards or Visa gift cards that way if there is any left over they are not limited to Disney purchases?

 

[StitchBuddy]

Well, we always just gave our DD $25 and she could add her own money if there was something she wanted above that amount. But, we would always have a garage sale or something before and whatever she sold of hers, she kept that money. Really did help her clean out her room. LOL!

 

[pookybean]

i give $10 a day, but all together on a gift card. So if we are going for 7 days they get $70. Anything else comes from them, like from birthday gifts or any work they have done (some babysitting or lawn mowing). I found that they made much more thoughtful purchases when they had a lump sum like that. one time my son wanted a video game so whatever was left on the disney gift card i bough back from him when we got home.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I always told my kids they could charge up to 100.00 and anything after that they would be paying from their allowance.

My son was always way under and my DD always spent right around 100.00. I didn't give them anything - just let them charge and I would check on the charges every couple of days or when they were little, I charged it for them and kept track of it.

 

[kathy884]

I do $100 per trip, and once DS was in the later years of grade school that worked, as he knew what budget he had and would work with that. When DS was little, I would just give him $10 per day and try to encourage him to save up the money if he saw something bigger he'd like and come back for it later in the trip. As a little guy though he was very tempted by all the cool $10 and $20 things, so rarely saved. That improved with getting older though. // I also let DS keep whatever he doesn't spend to discourage buying just to be buying. They do though have some pretty nice souvenirs. Last time DS bought a mouse ears camera strap and a really cute Mickey cell phone case. They are very classic and pretty cool IMHO.

 

[LoverDisney]

I give my 13 and 10 year old a $50 gift card. They can use their own money if they want to buy something more expensive than the amount on the gift card.

 

[wishesuponastar]

I would give my children the same amount. When we went last time our girls were 10 and 6 and they bought something for $25 each. Now they are 17 and 13 and we would give $50 each. But we are always on a tight budget so take that into consideration .

 

[Neesy228]

When they were little we told them that they could pick "one favorite thing" to purchase and didn't assign a dollar amount. It always ended up being a stuffed animal or a Star Wars gun/light saber.
As they have gotten older, we give them a budget before we leave and tell them anything above that amount is their responsibility. For a week long trip, they have $50 for their own personal souvenirs. Some times they spend it, sometimes they don't, but they rarely add their own money!

 

[Kbee]

My kids all get the same amount, last trip it was $50. They were free to bring their own money if they wanted to spend anything above that. At the time their ages were, 10,13 and 16.

 

[dianna_nc]

My boys, 14 and 12 on this trip, will also get $50 each from us and they will have to spend their money if they want something more. They have some cash from holidays and lawn mowing. We may try to do a yard sale before we go and anything of theirs that they sell will be their money too.

 

[Alexle2007]

I might have to try this on our upcoming Disney cruise. Although DS being an only child might be able to pull my heart strings enough that I end up buying things for him and he comes out ahead

 

[Jaime4004]

I'd definitely give the same amount. You're all way nicer than me, it's usually a $20 gift card each (mine are currently 7, 9 and 11). But they have plenty of notice that we're going, in order to save. And I also double whatever they earn for their allowance the month before we go... They buy less crap when it's their own $$

 

[Goofy'slady]

Thanks for the responses. I don't know how keen I am about giving my girls the exact same amount but that's something to consider. For the last year I have been trying to get my girls to be more conscience of money and money matters. My younger one always wants to save her money for later purchases and my older one does so-so. She usually spends her money on after school take out with her friends and but has been known to hold on to gift cards like her very life depends on it. I think I'll just get them both Visa gift cards and let them know that they are more than welcome to use their own money they've managed to save as well but once the money is gone it's gone and mummy is not going to rescue them.

 

[katie111]

My kids each had a $50 gift card the last time we went. They got them for Christmas from a relative. They are 7, 11, & 12. Honestly, the 2 older ones had trouble spending their $$. They just don't wear Disney stuff at home. They both finally ended up getting sweatshirts but they only wear them around the house. I have no idea what a 17 year old would want as a souviner from Disney.

 

[HM]

"You can choose a t-shirt and one other souvenier".

 

[Goofy'slady]

My kids each had a $50 gift card the last time we went. They got them for Christmas from a relative. They are 7, 11, & 12. Honestly, the 2 older ones had trouble spending their $$. They just don't wear Disney stuff at home. They both finally ended up getting sweatshirts but they only wear them around the house. I have no idea what a 17 year old would want as a souviner from Disney.

On our last trip my eldest daughter got a Kimono robe that was a little over 100 bucks. She is totally into the more expensive souvenirs, even some of the more boutique style t-shirts are on the more expensive style. It's really easy to spend 100 bucks if you're into more of the pricier items.

 

[DisMom829]

Maybe give the older DD a Visa GC and the younger a Disney GC??

Both of my kiddos got Disney Gift Cards from the Easter Bunny for $100 ea. (The Bunny got his bonus the Friday before Easter). They have both been A/B students this year, and the DH was gone most of Feb and they were very helpful around the house with chores outside their normal list. So they received way more than usual. Good behavior = good rewards. This is our first time to use this strategy with them. Normally they know that nothing is to be purchased until the night before leaving at World of Disney in DTD. DS mentioned that he has missed out on some things (park specific) on previous trips not being allowed to purchase in parks. They will each be responsible for their GC's and tracking the balance on them. They will also be allowed to spend any money they earn from chores, helping neighbors, etc when they find something they like.

 

[Goofy'slady]

Maybe give the older DD a Visa GC and the younger a Disney GC??

Both of my kiddos got Disney Gift Cards from the Easter Bunny for $100 ea. (The Bunny got his bonus the Friday before Easter). They have both been A/B students this year, and the DH was gone most of Feb and they were very helpful around the house with chores outside their normal list. So they received way more than usual. Good behavior = good rewards. This is our first time to use this strategy with them. Normally they know that nothing is to be purchased until the night before leaving at World of Disney in DTD. DS mentioned that he has missed out on some things (park specific) on previous trips not being allowed to purchase in parks. They will each be responsible for their GC's and tracking the balance on them. They will also be allowed to spend any money they earn from chores, helping neighbors, etc when they find something they like.

That's such a good idea! I don't have to give them the same amount or the same type of GC. I like that!

 

[DisMom829]

That's such a good idea! I don't have to give them the same amount or the same type of GC. I like that!

You're welcome!

 

[Kbee]

My kids each had a $50 gift card the last time we went. They got them for Christmas from a relative. They are 7, 11, & 12. Honestly, the 2 older ones had trouble spending their $$. They just don't wear Disney stuff at home. They both finally ended up getting sweatshirts but they only wear them around the house. I have no idea what a 17 year old would want as a souviner from Disney.

My middle ds didn't spend any of his money on stuff instead he used it at the arcade at the resort. My teen dd bought a pillow pet, a mug and some chopsticks and a pin for her BFF.
It really depends on the teen, my dd who is now 17 would have no problem finding something, especially at WS where the things don't scream Disney.