How to keep (older) kids from wanting everything in sight

[BeesKate]

If your children are 9 & up, this might work. I just returned from a 5 day trip with 14 girls -- each had $50 in spending money (most on a VISA debit card). They almost didn't buy anything! They were very picky about what they bought, weren't asking the parents that accompanied them to buy this or that & if they did, we just told them it was their decision how to spend their money (and they needed to carry their own purchases). Amazing how much less they wanted things when they had to be 100% responsible for them!

 

[don8life]

Debbie,
That is exactly what we did one year and we had the same results. It worked great!
Irene
our Dis photos
http://www.erinelizabeth.freeservers.com/photo.html

 

[hyzdufan]

Blindfold them?

 

[don8life]

Any tips on keeping me from wanting everything is sight? I think I will just stay out of the shops.
Irene

 

[shatzjsl]

ach had $50 in spending money (most on a VISA debit card). They almost didn't buy anything!

Yep! This is what I am doing with my DD10. She has $50 in Disney Dollars for her souvenirs. I know that she will spend these a lot slower than she would spend Mom's money.

 

[shleybird]

I have done this the last three years. My boys 6 and 7 each get 100.00 Disney dollars before we leave. They are allowed to spend it any way they want. It has eliminated post ride meltdowns for us. If they really want it they buy it, but once the money is gone they know it is gone. They seem to make better decisions when the money is their own.

 

[tidoublegger]

That is such a great idea...I'll do that with my kids (DD 16, DS 14, DS 11 and DD 6) next March! Isn't it funny how frugal they'll get with their own money!

 

[gary4jenn]

I gave my girls a limit of $20/day. They can spend a total of $100 for a 5 day trip. They would have to not spend one day if they wanted something more expensive.

I also explained this to them several times b4 we went. i explained what their limit would be and that we would not be buying anything w/ violent toys, no candy, no stuffed animals (we have too many already) and that I would buy then 1 princess dress each (we already have so many) bit I would not be buying the matching shoes, crowns, gloves, etc,

This really limited the "gimmees". I also shipped a bunch of treasures to the hotel from home ahead of time. Threfore each night they would get back to the room and get a new toy/activity that was disnet themed. Kept them busy while we relaxed.

You could even leave it for them after you leave for the park- have your spouse go back in the room and set them out and have some pre-made notes from the characters to put next to them. Like a note from sleeping beauty saying she's gald thay came to visit.

 

[thatchicktrish]

lol @ blindfold them!


my DS (7) is really good about the "gimmies" when we go shopping at home but I do know that WDW is different. We're allowing $20 a day for extras, $100 in total so if one day he wants something over $20, he will be using up his week's money and will go days without any souvenirs. He also loves buying his own things, it makes him feel so grown up.

 

[HappyLawyer]

I think that is an awesome idea, i am doing the same with my daughter,

 

[CarrieAP]

Disney dollars work out great. Gave each of my 2 DDs $40 last year for gifts and they did a great job budgeting. My youngest was 4 and craves every toy she sees. So cute though to watch her. She took her money so seriously that it took most of the trip until she decided what she wanted.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I'm taking the grandkids to WDW for 5 day and then on a 3 day cruise ... I'm planning on giving them $50 each in Disney dollars for souvenirs ($10 per day) and will buy them each a resort tee-shirt. On the Wonder they will each get to spend another $10 per day on souvenirs and I will buy them another tee-shirt.

Of course, grandma will treat them to ice cream or another goodie each day.

Hopefully this will cut down on the "gimmes."

 

[Lorix2]

Those VISA cards are great. My DD12 is a shopaholic with my money...but when she gets these cards as gifts, she really thinks twice about how badly she wants it/needs it, etc...she's actually put things back right away after getting "sticker shock". Even with her own cash now, she thinks about it before buying, not too much impulse buys lately.

 

[Leader of the Club]

Yeah, my kids each got $100 for our 10 day trip. DD spent most of hers on pins.

DS wanted to spend his right way (he's 6), but we made him wait a day on his first impulse gimmies and the next day he decided he really didn't need those things after all. He spent most of his $$$ on Legos.

 

[chrisn]

I am going to try this on our trip in February! I am going to give both of my kids $100 for WDW and $100 for DCL for their suvies and see what they do!

 

[NotUrsula]

Right now I'm kind of reeling from how much money these kids are getting to spend ... are they responsible for their own food?

DS gets $30 per trip for incidentals, which includes between-meal snacks if he wants them. (I carry a stash with me & he can have those for free, but if he wants a Mickey bar or something like that it is on his dime.) Each trip is usually 5-6 park days. We provide all his regular meals and water throughout the day, of course.

Our rule is no souvie shopping until the last day of the trip, unless it is a special-event situation like Star Wars Weekend, where the merchandise is only available on certain days. If that's the case, he's allowed to shop during our last hour in the park.
When the money is gone, it's gone, no exceptions. (Though we are not above once or twice secretly buying some lusted-after special item and having it shipped home to be saved for a birthday or Christmas.)

 

[Planogirl]

I don't usually have this problem because DS (11) thinks that shopping is a major waste of time and would rather be on the rides. I have to force him to slow down long enough for us to be any souvenirs. Now, I'm another matter. I think that I need blinders!

 

[fredms]

Any ideas for younger kids? My nieces and nephews will be 6, 4.5 and 4.5 when I take them next January. I don't know if giving them budgets will work (especially for the 4.5 year olds). They don't really get that concept.

Any experience with the "gimmies" and younger tots?

Thanks!

 

[my3princes]

We have a rule on vacation at Disney. We usually go for 2 wks. They are allowed to look at everything at all the parks, but we buy nothing until the end of the trip. That way they have seen everything ahead of time and only ask for things that are important to them. I also bring glow bracelets from home which eliminates the gotta haves at parade and night show times. We also go the the outlet stores before buying in the parks.

 

[mmeb144]

I would give them all their souvenier money up front, because the stuff at WDW is so expensive. That will eliminate having to track down the toy they saw on day one, but didn't have the money for until day 5. Once the money is gone, it's gone. My kids had to save their own souvenier money for the last trip we took. It was great! They were very frugal with their own money. My kids were 11 and 8.

Marie