How much $ do your kids take for souveniers?

[jimmiej]

I always budget $100/pp. If they want more, they can save it up.

 

[chrisn]

We've been going to WDW for the last 5 years. I know this is bad but the first year we went, I let them go hog wild. They basically got everything their little hearts desired. You should have seen me trying to get all that crap home. The next year, they got about half as much. The following year half of the previous year and so on...This has worked out great because of the fact that they already have had one of pretty much everything that appealed to them so now I'm pretty much scott free! We are basically burned out on souvies. Last year, what I did was buy them each 1 big thing (outfit), 1 medium thing (shirt or hat), a couple little things and a new pin from each park. They were completely happy and thrilled with it. I don't have them pay for their snacks because we all like to graze constantly so we all get to enjoy them.

 

[Brier Rose]

Does anybody NOT give their children an allowence?
I don't really know why we never started, but neither one of our children DD12 or DS5 get an allowence. They do have birthday money that they get from family, but they don't spend it at WDW. We've just been saving it for a rainy day I guess! I'm almost embarresed to say that I hate making them spend their own money.
That aside we usually give each child $30.00 -$50.00 per day, depending on how long it's been in between trips.
BUT, before anyone thinks I'm crazy, they do not get alot of toys and junk during the time we are not at WDW. And we make sure the money goes towards mostly "nice" soveniers. For instance DD is into the Italian charm braclets, so she like to buy charms for it, or clothes, things they really use everday. There has been many times that they did not spend all of the money we alloted them for each day.What they don't spend does not go to them, I keep it and put it up for the next trip.
I'm the one that saves up the money to give them. I don't work, but have all of MY birthday money, etc.. that I save so that I can blow it all on them on our trips. A little backwards I know, but I just get so much pleasure out of it! I love to just spoil them rotten for a few days! ( they DO NOT act spoiled though...I promise).

 

[shleybird]

My boys age 6 and 7 always get 100.00 Disney dollars to spend any way they want. It is the only time of the year they are free to pick any thing that they want with no interference from mom.
I take care of the food and snacks. Usually I get them one t-shirt, or if I find a good deal at the outlet malls sweat-shirts for the next winter.
They usually spend every penny. One year we had a pirate theme, one year a star wars theme. Kids are only little once, and 100.00 is alot of money to them. For me it is so worth watching them plan and figure out what they will buy.
The bonus for me is that I have wiped out post ride meltdowns. You know when you come off rides into the gift shops. If they really want it, they can buy it. But if you spend all your money the first two days of a 10 day trip, you are out of luck. They know this and understand this. So they tend to budget better.

 

[Katy Belle]

For our 3 DSs we bought each a hat( mickey ears), a shirt of their choice and gave them each $40 spending $. I did end up buying each a figurine to put on a shelf and to have forever to remember the trip, each chose a character that they loved at the parks. Once their $40 was gone, it was gone! There was very little complaining, except from the 4year old, who wanted everything!

Katy Belle

 

[slo]

Our DD takes about $50-75. She gets some from grandparents and from chores around the house.

 

[StinkerbellsMom]

Just like someone said ... we have been to The World often and let them go "Hog Wild" the first time and then have trimmed it with each visit because they pretty much have it all! LOL We also visit the Disney Store just about every week ... The kiddos school is a few blocks away from the Beautiful Fifth Avenue store in NYC and we go often and they buy a lot of things there with their allowance (as does Mommy ). So this year, they have NO IDEA they are going and they have recently blown their money on things here and there so they have nothing saved up. We intend to give them about $25/day ... there are 3 of them, so that should be fine. I usually give them an envelope with Disney Dollars in it and boy do they agonize over EACH PURCHASE when it is THEIR money! LOL The last time or two they came home with money because they couldnt decide what to get! So they just realized that they could use the Disney Dollars at the TDS by our house, so they came home with money! I wish they could TEACH ME!!!!!!! I see extra money and RUN back to the stores! LOL

 

[BethanyF]

My 5 1/2 year old has been earning Disney Dollars for about 7 months. He can earn 5 Disney Dollars per week if all his chores are done and his behavior is good. (We have a star chart and he has to earn at least 70 stars a week)
Between that and money from Grandmas, Aunts and whoever, he has saved $200 for our trip.
I am going to buy 50 of the Disney $'s from him so he has some real money for the road stop shops on the way down and other off-site shopping.
He is very proud of himself for earning all of that money and not running to the Disney Store to spend it.
I know Pal Mickey is at the top of his wish list, so he will buy that the first day. He also has about a dozen pins (clearance at TDS) for trading.