how much spending money for 13 yer old girl?

[Misty89]

my oldest daughter will be turning 13, 2 weeks before we go... she has 200$ right now and in addition to her other b- day gifts ( clothes LOL) we were plannig on giving her 50$. the 200$ is her money...from chores and etc....can a 13 year old spend 250$ in WDW and orlando?
she is a good shopper..but i am wondering is that too much?
she has more than me dh and DD 5 LOL -


thanks Tina

 

[mad4themouse]

I've found that when it's their money, my kids (DD14 & DS12) are very frugal shoppers. They weren't always that way. They would go thru their money like water and I would let them. They soon learned that you can't spend it and have it too. Now, they're much better at saving. I'd say that if your DD has already been able to save $200 of her own money and she wants to spend it in WDW, then let her. However, you may want to be the one who holdson to it until she needs to make a payment.

 

[disneyjunkie]

That sounds like a good amount to me. My son will be 13 on our next trip.

The amount of spending money he has is mostly up to him. He'll saves some of his birthday money and allowance. My parents will give him some spending money before we leave for our trip. About four months before the trip I'll start saving all of my winning instant lottery games. When I cash them in, he'll get half of the winnings to add to his spending money.

We divide his total amount by the number of days we're there. That's the amount he takes out of the room each day. He's free to spend his money any way he likes, but once it's gone, he's done for the day.

On our first trip he spent most of his money on snacks. When we were there Easter, he was really into pin trading.

 

[dizagain]

$200 sounds like alot to me, but then I'm not sure what your DD likes to spend $on. My DD's then 7 and 9 ech had about $110 to spend. They had been saving and had gotten some as gifts for B'day, etc. They each felt like they were millionaires and the money lasted the whole week. In fact, older DD was exhausted and almost in tears our last evening as she tried to find something to spend the last of her cash on! It was the first trip for both of them and they came home with lots of goodies. I didn't make them pay for any snacks or food.

Have fun... By the way, $200 is more than I spent too, and I got a shirt, pens, and many Christmas ornaments.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't think we have enough information to answer your question. We need to know what she's expected to buy with her own money.

If she's going to be with the family all the time and you'll be paying her meals and snacks, then $250 just for souveniers is (in my opinion) a huge amount of money for a 13-year old. It's more than my whole family spent on souveniers in a week; however, we're not big souvenier people.

On the other hand, if you've already set down a "kids pay for their own snacks" rule, or if she'll be with siblings or friends for lunch each day and will need to pay her own meals, then $250 is probably about right. Are there other things that you expect her to pay out of her own pocket? Bicycle or water mouse rentals?

 

[frannn]

then realized that really wouldn't get her much- if tshirts are 15-19 each, and other things cost about the same, she'll be broke after just a few souveniers. If she picks out a snowglobe, she would have spent more than half her $. I think I'll keep the 100 as a starting point and take her to the outlets (after a trip to DTD to see what she might like). If she can get all (ok, not all) her little heart desires at the outlets for 100., I'll be thrilled. If not, I will probably buy her a few additional "must haves". I think when it comes to spending souvenier $$, it's mommy we all need to worry about!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Snow Globes can be bought for as little as $50....

I think $250 is fine--if you'd be giving her a gift for her b-day anyway--spending money for the trip works even better.

Additionally--consider your household rules on her allowance...would she otherwise have privilege to spend the money however she chooses by doing a movie with a friend here, getting a necklace there. Her saving her money for a trip is no different.

On family trips at the age where we were allowed to go to the parks ourselves--(at the time--pre-teen age--but that was way back when)...we were given daily spending money (don't recall how much). BUT--that was to cover our meals if we didn't join back up with the parents.

So you could have an agreement that you'll pay her B, L, D...but anything extra like a mickey icecream or popcorn--would have to be her money.

And by golly--if she wants an EXPENSIVE souvenir and it ends up being her ONLY souvenir--no big deal!

We have a family rule that they only get souvenirs when we spend the night to go to Disney--and even then, they only get 1--and they are 4 and nearly 2. We plan to keep this up until we have to actually give them spending money.

A friend of mine with her nearly 4yo--only allows her to get a pin when she is at Disney so that her home is not cluttered with park trinkets (keep in mind, we live fairly local to disney--so we tend to go more frequently especially with an AP).

I think $250 is fine--but if you don't want to buy this or that on her behalf when she has that much money (like an entourage of snack items)--just set the ground rules before you hop in the car or on the plane and then there won't be conflicts on your vacation!

Enjoy DISNEY!

p.s.

SAVE ALL RECEIPTS--if she decides she made a poor decision on buying a souvenir--most items are returnable or exchangable--I've done this several times. Just needs to be in the same condition and packaging you originally bought it in and you MUST have the receipt. Often times, you do not have to be in the same store (like if you buy a pair of socks in one store and go to another and they sell those socks--you can return it no problem!) Be aware that collectibles might not be returnable--just FYI. (by collectible--limited edition items for example).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

again I read posts--but not so carefully...

didn't realize the snow globe comment and "half her money" referred to your daughters spending money. I was comparing it to the OP and goofed.

My apologies

 

[Misty89]

I don't think we have enough information to answer your question. We need to know what she's expected to buy with her own money.

If she's going to be with the family all the time and you'll be paying her meals and snacks, then $250 just for souveniers is (in my opinion) a huge amount of money for a 13-year old. It's more than my whole family spent on souveniers in a week; however, we're not big souvenier people.

On the other hand, if you've already set down a "kids pay for their own snacks" rule, or if she'll be with siblings or friends for lunch each day and will need to pay her own meals, then $250 is probably about right. Are there other things that you expect her to pay out of her own pocket? Bicycle or water mouse rentals?

i guess i never thougt i would have to put that much info no here...that is her spending money. souviners ....i would never make her spend her own money on her own food or snacks....that is a given. that we will be buying all food items out of the family money...sorry i never heard of someone giving a kid their money to use for thier own food

i am not sure what she would like to buy.....clothes and fun stuff for her room would be my guess...i know what i want to buy and it will be close to 200$ too

 

[jann1033]

opps double post!

 

[jann1033]

i agree if the money is "their's", it last losts longer! we normally allow about 200 per person for spending money, which includes gifts for those at home which probably is about 1/2 of the money we spend. so imo 200-250 for a 13 yr old is more than enough to buy what she wants plus some for things to get for friends back home. we do feel that some of those things you just gotta have are dust collectors at home so why waste the money,,,usually i now get a few pins( like one of the resort and one or 2 cute ones,) some pressed pennies and take photos to put in a scrapbook all fairly cheap souvies and well under my 100 to spend on me. maybe check out some of the cheap souvie ideas on www.allearsnet.com .. go to "planning", "the mouse for less"

 

[Disneyland_emily]

It really depends on the kid and what they like- I'm a Pin fan and so 250 goes ALOT quicker for me than my friend who doesnt like to buy souvinears...

Another thing to help "cut the useless souvienars" is to have her start a collection whether it be of christmas ornaments, pins, snowglobes etc it helps to cut down on the "oh thats cute" cause frankly 250 can buy some doozies of cheap stuff

-em

 

[bettyann29]

I agree with above posts that say it depends on what she is expected to pay for with that money... That sounds like an adequate amount to me. When I took my kids a few years ago they were both given $100 for souvenir spending but I also bought some pins for each of them and a stuffed animal each.. When we go in 2006 they will each get $100 again but any money they might have gotten for christmas or birthday may be taken so they would have a little more to spend.. But again I prefer them not to buy too much stuff because then it just clutters around the house.

However your daughter will be 13 and she would have enough to buy a few nicer items such as the snowglobes, collectibles, etc and still have plenty for the smaller things she might like. When I went to DW in 2002 I bought 3 globes and started my collection. I plan on budgeting enough $$ when I go back in 2006 to add to my DW globe collection.. Cant wait!!

 

[hockey mom]

My 13 yr old had just over $200 on our last trip and made some great purchases. She bought a few tank tops, pins, beach towel, anklet, stuffed toy, and a few other things. I was happy with all of her purchases and I believe she though out each purchase carefully. MY other DD had the same amount and got cheap down there and only spent half and then blew the other half on magazines and junk when she got home.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't want to sound evil for suggesting the kids pay for all their own food.

I'm talking about a candy purchase or similar snack purchases.

Also, my parents having us kids pay for our own meals when not with them--was more to encourage that some of our vacation should be spent with the parents. If we chose to stay in the parks through lunch while mom and step-dad stayed at the pool--then we had to pay our lunch. We did not do this often and made sure to be with mom and step-dad at meal times

 

[The Sweetness]

LAst summer for USF/ SW, DD had a limit of $50. She bought a couple of bracelets for herself, a pair of friendship bracelets for her and her best friend, a picture frame, and got a temp tattoo (which she later regretted~ it faded quickly, and was $20). In addition to that, we bought all the snacks, and treated her to 1 stuffed animal, and 1 towel. She was quite content. This was a 5 day vacation.

 

[my3girlstoo]

Last time my DD was 5yr. she bought stuffed animal and a charm. My DD, 1yr. bought stuffed animal and balloon. This yr. my now 9yr. old has her own allowance money and we sat down and did a budget. I told about the types of items to buy and she decided what she thought she would want. I told her aprox. cost of the item and it was a great learning experience. She wants a pen and autograph book,
charm,
earrings,
small item for each Epcot country,
and she wants to do pressed pennies but when I told her price she decided not to do as many as she was originally going to do.

We will buy a occasional snack, and a t-shirt for her.

It will be interesting to see if things change when we get down there.

 

[disneymom99]

When we went to Disney last year, my DD was 11. She took about $150 of her money that she had saved for a long time. She bought very sensible things with her money and managed it very well. When we go next year she will be 13 and hopes to have about $200. I think it's great. She has learned the value of saving for things that she really wants. Next year, my DD age 9 will have about $50 to spend. All saved from birthdays, Christmas and just money that her grandparents give her.
Everybody knows their own child and knows if they are responsible enough to handle the money. I think it's up to each individual person.

 

[MrsPete]

Misty89 --- I don't think too many families ask for split checks at Cinderella's Royal Table, but I also don't think it's that unusual for kids to pay for some of their own food at Disney. Examples:

Suppose you have a couple teens and you choose to split up for the day, then meet up again at a certain time and place for dinner. They're going to have to eat lunch sometime, and you won't be there -- they have to pay for their own. To change the subject slightly, this is a perfect situation for the Q&C vouchers.

Then there are the kids who must-must-must-must-must have every snack they pass (despite the fact they've just had a buffet lunch with the family). I think it's perfectly reasonable to make a rule that candy and snacks come out of kids' money -- it's a way of making sure they think about whether they really want it.

Suppose you discourage soda drinking in your family, but your daughter specially wants that expensive "free refills" mug at the resort. You tell her that if she wants it, she must pay for it out of her souvenier money. Since soda is a luxury item, not a necessity, that's reasonable.

So . . . I wasn't suggesting that your teenaged daughter should pay for all her own meals -- just wondering whether you're expecting her to be "on her own" for any food expenses.


Now that you've clarified that you personally expect to spend $200 yourself on souveniers, I suppose it's reasonable to say that she'd probably spend about the same amount. I think that's a bit over the top -- that's more than my family of four spent on souveniers -- but then we don't all choose to spend in the same ways.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by MrsPete
Then there are the kids who must-must-must-must-must have every snack they pass (despite the fact they've just had a buffet lunch with the family). I think it's perfectly reasonable to make a rule that candy and snacks come out of kids' money -- it's a way of making sure they think about whether they really want it.

You just described my son. That's the main reason I have him pay for most of his snacks with his money.