money for kids

[Trini]

I am sorry I have so many questions. But your replies are wonderful.

How much money a day should I plan on for my kids? They are 12 and 14. I want them to have money of their own so they dont bug me for things. Of course we'll pay for their food and drinks. But if they want candy or to buy something, or play in the arcade, or whatever. How much do you think is reasonable? My husband says $20 per day per kid, but that seems like a lot. What do you think? What do you guys do?

 

[BlindTyldak]

I am sorry I have so many questions. But your replies are wonderful.

How much money a day should I plan on for my kids? They are 12 and 14. I want them to have money of their own so they dont bug me for things. Of course we'll pay for their food and drinks. But if they want candy or to buy something, or play in the arcade, or whatever. How much do you think is reasonable? My husband says $20 per day per kid, but that seems like a lot. What do you think? What do you guys do?

$20 a day actually sounds pretty reasonable to me. You have to remember that everything is going to be at vacation prices, so if they want something as simple as a hat that's about $20, or a bottle of water with a spray fan is $15. Heck, $20 will only get you like 4 pins. i say go with the $20 but put some restrictions on it if you feel you need to. For example my DD is getting her own spending money, but she had to promise to buy at least two things she would use at school this year out of her total money - clothes, some funky pens, a bag, her choice, but it helps to make sure she doesn't just blow it on junk.

 

[mamacatnv]

My DS-16 had $300 which he used for a few trinkets, a Mr. Potato Head Box of parts (go figure!) and a lot of little goodies for the Cheer Chicks at his school.

My DD-7 had about $160. She got herself a pajama bag Eeyore, a fan in China, her glowing spinny Mickey thing, a Mr. Potato Head box of parts, a hair wrap w/ beads and a few presents for her friends.

Both kids received Disney dollars for birthdays & Christmas instead of presents.

We bought the t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, teacher presents, snacks & pins.

When DS was 10 and we took our first trip to WDW we gave him $25 per day, some days he didn't spend any and other days he spent it all. DD was too young and it wasn't an issue.

The one thing I did notice was that most of the merchandise is the same and you see it over and over so it was fairly safe to tell them to think about an item in case they saw something they wanted more.

For the coming up trip I see them having about the same amount. DS liked the attention all the trinkets for the girls got him and DD is still plotting on things she saw and didn't get............ The one thing we did do was they had it in a lump sum and when it was gone it was gone, DS carried his own and I had DD's in a separate area of my bag.

I think your DH's $20 per day is plenty and they will be just fine.

 

[firkat]

We are going for 9 nights in Sept/Oct and I am giving my kids - zero. I told them that this trip was going to cost me LOTS of $$$$ and that if they wanted to go, they had to earn their own spending money. I told DD15 she had to earn $200.00 and DS9 that he had to earn $100.00. The way I figured DD15 will want more expensive things and she has a higher earning capacity. She babysits to the amount is definitely doable if she tries.

DS9 has been doing extra chores around the house (which has been great for us!) He also picks up sticks in the neighbor's yard for $2 or $3 and helps out an elderly neighbor for pocket money. I do plan to supplement his spending money by giving him an arcade allowance, but we will put a limit on it, or he would be there all night!

The way I look at it is that the investment will make them appreciate the trip more. I know it does for me! I certainly will not be taking anything for granted.

 

[MareSINY]

My nieces are young (5 & 3) but on our last family trip in September we purchased them each a monorail bank at the CR. We told them they have to save money to help pay for the next trip. LOL I save spare change and give it to them all the time. We recently counted and they have about $100. Not a ton of money, but it's been a good way to start teaching them responsiblity. My sister plans on exchanging the change for bills and buying Disney Dollars for them before we go in December.

 

[AJKMOM]

You can give the Disney Dollars, or the Disney gift card, but $20 a day seems steep to me. I would maybe give them $10 a day and chip in if they need more, but if you are buying their food, they might need an occasion treat, and maybe one souvenier for the trip. Maybe you could make a list ahead of time or talk about what they might want to get with "their" money.

 

[Mousema]

When my DS was smaller he spent his money on little things at the park. When he got older, he spent it on the arcade. Now that he's 18, he spends it on his DGF. You don't say DS or DD, the DS's tend to waste money more than the DD's. On the average $20 sounds good, but put down rules.

 

[lexmelinda]

We are going for 9 nights in Sept/Oct and I am giving my kids - zero.

Thank goodness! I was feeling a little cheap! I thought we'd give the kids $20-$25 budget for the week to pick out a souvenir of their choice. It makes them a little more selective about what they really want/need. Has anyone else noticed that when you suggest that the kids spend their own money, they quickly decide that they didn't need that (insert useless item here) after all?

 

[Disneymucks]

we got back and both kids DS 5 and DD 8 had $125 each that they had saved from change and my wife playing on the internet getting them free disney dollars. We stayed 10 days so it was like 12.50 a day ha ha. We buy all their food and help with some souviners, but DD was broke by like day 3 and DS was offering to buy her stuff it was cute ha ha. It didnt teach her to much finacial responsibility only taught her that she can con her brother out of his Cash!

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

We have 2 daughters ages 6 and 4. Instead of a million presents on Christmas and their birthday's they will get a savings bond and Disney Dollars from my parents and grandparents. They will have about $75.00 Disney Dollars that they can each spend. They can use their Disney Dollars for whatever they want, but we will only buy them 2 or 3 things that they really want. A few years ago, we went with my sisters family and she bought her kids everythign under the sun. I can't see just buying things just because we are at WDW, we had limited our girls to 1 souveneir a day at that time and then we came up with the idea of Disney Dollars. It works out great because they have their own money and know that when it runs out that's it. They also learn the value of money and the value of how much you really want something and if they are willing to spend their money on it.

I am sure that when they get older things willbe different and that amount of money will not take them far, but at these young ages, the things they want are very inexpensive and it workd out great for us.

 

[kldmom2000]

When we were kids going to Disney with my parents, we had a large jar that we would use as our "Disney Fun Fund"... all the spare change that went into that jar was spending money for my brother and me to use in Disney-sometimes we'd get right around $150-$200 each depending on how long between trips (usually 1-2 yrs between trips) It made us learn to save and we were careful not to blow it so quickly because we knew how long it took to save it..... DH and I have started doing that with our girls as well~they're only going to be 6 and 4 when we go, but they like to have their own spending $$$ to do as they please.

I'd say for a 12 and 14 yr old, $20 a day sounds sufficient

Have a great time!

 

[mmeb144]

Let them earn their souvenier money. I do that with my kids. Works great! I do buy their food and snacks, but if they want those weird souveniers, they have to use their money. They also pay for their own arcade games. I let my family know that we are planning a trip to WDW, so they give the kids Disney Dollars for birthday and christmas. That helps. Plus, the kids can keep whatever they don't spend at WDW to buy whatever they want at Wal-mart afterwards. Those toys don't look near as good when you know that you can pick up something at Wal-mart for a fraction of the cost.

Marie

 

[disneyjunkie]

I agree with your husband, $20.00 per day is fine.

 

[taximomfor4]

We only give the kids about $25-$30 each TOTAL. We hold onto it. We let them browse gift shops all week long, but they can't buy their souvenir(s) till the last day. THis vacation, we might up it to $50 each, depending on how much comes out of the change jar. Or we might use the change-jar money to do something special while there.

 

[weirdpaintballr]

I'm 14 and have been to disney many times. Ever since I was about 10 I have had to earn my own spending money for the trip. It makes me really think about what I want to buy. I just do stuff around the house for money...so far I have $100 for our trip in May of 2007

 

[bctripp]

Earn money... if that was what it took, my DD8 would not get any. I made a list of chores to do every AM and PM and she'll usually do half of them. Then she'll have it spent at the end of the week as soon as she gets it. I was going to let her earn $5 a week to take, but she won't do it. It doesn't help that she has ADD, so she won't focus on things for a very long time. DD5 does good to just get her room clean. I think i'm going to start using Disney Dollars, that way they can't spend it just anywhere. Maybe once she gets used to doing her chores, it'll get easier. Or if she gets paid for a specific job, say 25 cents for walking the dog. . They're both spoiled rotten, but they're still good kids.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

My DS's are 9 & 7 and this is the 3rd year that they have saved their allowance to use for WDW. It has worked great. They feel a sense of responsibility and don't realize they are learning at the same time. We are going next month and they already have some ideas of what to buy.

 

[The Sweetness]

On my next trip, everyone's getting the same amount of souvie $ It will be $100. so if DD15 wants a henna tattoo and a wrap with beads, she may be out of gas already

 

[katied]

Last trip, we gave DNiece (age 8 then) and DNephew (age 7 then) a total of $120 each for a 6 day trip - so $20/day. I kept it in separate envelopes in my purse, and before each kid bought anything, I let them know how much they were spending and what they would have left. The first night - they spent about $30 - $40. By the third day, they became very unwilling to part with any money. They actually each had a couple dollars left at the end, because they became much more careful about spending when they saw how quickly the money went. If they were trying to buy something that seemed a waste, we would suggest they "think about it" and we could come back the next day to buy it. They even bought a gift to take back home to their Mom as a thank you for letting them go on the trip with Aunt & Uncle. (We then put an 5x7 picture of the kids with Mickey in the gift frame, and had the kids give it to Mom when we returned them).

It worked out well. Since that was their first trip, I'm thinking that we'll give them a little less spending money this September - maybe $15/day.

 

[Schminston-Mo]

Darn!
When I saw your thread title, I thought you were looking to make a deal! I was wondering what I could get for my two kids!