Kids spending money for WDW

[dylans mommy]

I have 2 boys ages 5&3. They are not given allowance unless they do something with out being asked or if they did a really good job or it is a extra help thing. In our Disney budget we set aside $500 for souvenirs, tips and anything extra we might want to eat that's not on the ddp. Sense our kids have way more toys, clothes and books then they need we ask our family for gift cards. So by time we go each trip they will have around $150 to spend.

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I think you are fine . Boys dont spend as much as girls

My granddaughter is 4 almost 5 and we give put money on her " credit Cards" as she calls them and she spends them when she really has to have something . Its 25 on each card and we get them in DTD they have the cutest gift cards there . The cute part when she pays is she asks for discounts LOL " I have a pass and DVC is there a discount today?"

 

[Tallent]

My kids (11, 8) typically save some money and I give each a gift card. They usually end up with about $100 each. There is a rule that comes with our disney trips and they know it well--- If you can find it elsewhere then you can't get it. (legos don't count since we usually get ds something to occupy his time while the rest of us relax during room breaks) Our Disney trip souvies help keep our memories alive---lots of disney stories get told when a friend will be over and ask ds or dd where they got something......Snacks and candy aren't usually gotten with that money but I do let them use it if they have any left toward the end of the trip to get and bring home.

 

[rainydayplay]

As my DD has gotten older, I've given her a little more control over her money. the first few years, when she said "I want! I want! I want!" I would tell her let's wait, because you may find something you like better. If she persisted...I offered to take a picture of her with the item(s). Then, at the end of the day, we could scroll through pictures and she could pick the item that she really wants. And that works. We snap one picture, she puts the item down, and never thinks about it again.

We still do that when we need to. We talk about how much she has and how much she should spend (or how much $ she'll have left if she buys X item.) I've tried really hard to instill in her that she needs to take some time to think about it before she chooses something to buy -- if she walks away and still wants it, buy it if you have the $, but if you spend too much too soon, then come across one of those gotta have it items, you can't have it.

When we go on a short trip -- like, we went to Wild Adventures in Valdosta, GA, for 2 days on a Girl Scout trip -- I told her she could get one souvenir, and she could spend around $15 (because, hey, we're saving for Disney, right?) She said okay, not a problem, and one of the older girls looked at me and asked, "she can only get one thing?" My response? Yep. She knows how this works.

Now, if only the other kids could learn how to manage money and curb the spending (younger girls, anyhow). One was sent on that trip with $40 for food on the way there and back (2 meals), snacks in the park, and a souvenir. She bought a $20 toy gun -- she knew how much $ she had and that she needed to be able to get dinner that evening, and bought it anyway. Another girl was sent with $65. Now, the troop leader had control of that child's money. Where I told child A that no, you can't do that because you need the money for X (boy, she didn't like me, but she only went over by $5 or so because I wasn't going to let her go hungry...), child B was told that it was her money and she could spend it how she liked. B had around $35 left, bought souvenirs for her whole family, and overspent by $15, plus had to have her dinner bought for her. (But, yes, troop leader's fault for either not saying you don't have enough $$ for this -- put it back -- or for paying the remaining balance on those souvenirs...)

 

[FrugalFashionista]

Ours (DS6,DD7) are only getting $25 plus their own piggy bank money of they choose to spend it. I purchase them their own gift cards and that's it. Now I do prepurchase souvenirs from the Disney store when they are on sale and leave "surprises from Mickey" in our room. This is also helps on the whining when it's time to leave the park bc they are excited to see what the surprise of the day is.

 

[jperrot1]

We don't have an exact spending amount for our son. We tell him when he shops around for a gift to look for prices around $50 and below. Any food and snacks we usually allow like candies and ice creams and such, but within reason. The toys are for the $50 or so. We visit for between 7 and 10 nights so sometimes we allow a couple smaller ($15 - $20) items also. But, it's vacation and we figure if you're already spending a couple thousand dollars or so, why not spend a little more to include the cherry on top.

 

[chrystalc77]

We don't have an exact spending amount for our son. We tell him when he shops around for a gift to look for prices around $50 and below. Any food and snacks we usually allow like candies and ice creams and such, but within reason. The toys are for the $50 or so. We visit for between 7 and 10 nights so sometimes we allow a couple smaller ($15 - $20) items also. But, it's vacation and we figure if you're already spending a couple thousand dollars or so, why not spend a little more to include the cherry on top.

We splurge a little on our boys too. The did have $50 gift cards from their grandparents but we bought them a few things too. Even things they probably shouldn't have had like those giant fill your own pixie stix!!! My DH's theory is that we don't go every year so when we do go we let them get a few things. They never go overboard.