Regulating gift cards

[eliza61]

So here's the situation.
My youngest son he's 15 recieved ~150.00 bucks in Itunes gift cards from various relatives for Christmas
I ask him today could I purchase a song for my Ipod and I'd give him a dollar.

Long story short, the kid has already used $30.00 bucks on the thing. So I look at the purchase list and basically he's just downloading because he can.

I confiscate the other ones but my husband says to give them back. He thinks jr. should be allowed to go hog wild and when the money is gone, it's gone.

So should we:

1) Let daddy fatcat spend until his little fingers drop off and then in Feb when he's begging to buy a song, remind him of his excess.

2) Force big spender to save for later even if it's his gift.

 

[lovepurple]

I pick the first choice. It's a good lesson to learn while young.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

he's 15? if so, i am with your husband. saving is a basic lesson that needs to be learned one way or another.

 

[QVCshopper]

Yes, let him learn a lesson. But, you have to not give in, or else he will think you'll always be there to rescue him.

My good friend from high school spent like mad, while I saved every penny. Now, 15 years later, I have a very comfortable financial life while she is behind on her mortgage.

 

[rparmfamily]

#1 here too, let him spend as he sees fit. Otherwise he won't understand the value of saving or waiting. He'll find out the hard way that when the money is gone, it's gone.

 

[cglaura]

I agree w/ pp, let him control it. But also let him know that he is responsible for all purchases from here on out, you will not be buying them anymore, ever. And stick to it.

 

[Merriwind]

Definitely let him spend it, but don't give in to buy some when he runs out. All choices have consequences--some good, some bad.

 

[Princess April]

If he was younger .... say 6 (like my DD) I wold vote #2... but seeing as he is 15 I would do #1... BUT sit down with him and talk it over before he gets them back. Let him know that once it's done it's done. Period. If you believe that he fully understand then give them back and let 'em loose. (A lesson best learned now). The key, as PP have stated, you and DH have to be in agreement 100%. Maybe include DH in with conversation with DS so DS knows that you have a united front.

 

[DisneyAndRedSox]

that is like my SIL, she gives the older kids enough pre-paid cell minutes for the entire year... you use them, you buy more!

 

[wdwfan16]

I am with your DH.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I agree, let him have them, it's better he learn the lesson now than later.

BTW, it may seem obvious, but does he know how long they're good for? He may think he only has a short period of time to spend them.

 

[MariDisney]

Add me to the list that picks #1. It's his, let him do with it what he wants. But make sure he's clear that there's no iTunes money from mom when he's done.

 

[DMickey28]

At 15, I say let him learn the lesson. At 12, I'd hold his hand and help him.

 

[DVCLiz]

Am I missing something here? These are just ITunes cards, right? Not Visa gift cards?

It just would never occur to me to monitor a 15 year old spending Itunes cards. Who cares if he uses them up right away? If he wants something later he can earn some money and get some more or borrow a CD from a friend.

Honestly, OP, pick your battles.

 

[3boymthr]

Let him spend as he sees fit. Just remind him that he has enough to last an entire year and that you won't be funding his iTunes habit. If he runs out and wants more then he'll have to earn them.

I did this with my oldest (who's 2 years younger than your DS) and he learned his lesson. He is very conservative with how he spends or else he goes out and earns more.

 

[Millermom0606]

Am I missing something here? These are just ITunes cards, right? Not Visa gift cards?

It just would never occur to me to monitor a 15 year old spending Itunes cards. Who cares if he uses them up right away? If he wants something later he can earn some money and get some more or borrow a CD from a friend.

Honestly, OP, pick your battles.

The Visa cards no different than an iTunes card, its still $$ to be spent and she just doesn't want him to blow it all if she can help it whether its $20 in CGs or $20 in cash, its still $20 to be saved or blown

I would go with what other PPs have said, tell him he can have it back with the understanding that once its gone, he has to EARN more...... but then my DD5 also earns things she wants, she doesn't just get them

 

[Maddie2]

As a mother of a 15 year old son, I am not completely sold on #1. Here's what I would do and my reasoning behind it (nothing is ever simple, is it? ). My DS15 just got an ipod touch, so I know exactly where you are coming from, sister.

Does junior have a way of making money? If he were to go hog wild and run out of tunes $$ in a couple of months, does he have a way of earning more money to support this habit? If he does have a job, or at least a regular form of income of some kind, I would vote #1. It would be a good lesson.

If he has no regular form of income and basically is gifted money and giftcards at mostly only birthday and Cmas times, I would sit him down and have a conversation about budgeting his itunes $$. I would give him the "I understand it's fun to do this ... but if this were me, I would only allow myself to spend XX amount per month on the ipod" talk. Reminding him of all of the other things he has told me he is saving for .... car, new stereo, tickets to a concert, etc.

I would say that if he wanted me to tuck some back for him, I would - but that ultimately it was his choice. This way he is forced to reason with his own wants/needs.

I don't have an ipod, but I know for certain there are TONS of freebies "out there" to download onto the thing. And, according to my DS15, I am "clueless" about ipods .... ... among other things.

Ah, yes, and I thought parenting would get EASIER. Was I ever wrong!

 

[DVCLiz]

The Visa cards no different than an iTunes card, its still $$ to be spent and she just doesn't want him to blow it all if she can help it whether its $20 in CGs or $20 in cash, its still $20 to be saved or blown

I would go with what other PPs have said, tell him he can have it back with the understanding that once its gone, he has to EARN more...... but then my DD5 also earns things she wants, she doesn't just get them

I could maybe see making him save if they were Visa gift cards and he had been given them with the understanding that they were to fund something special. But ITunes cards? I totally don't understand why the mom is even involved. It's not like he blew the whole hundred and fifty bucks the first day - didn't she say he spent THIRTY?

And maybe he HAS been careful and has been deciding what to spend them on for the last several months in anticipation of getting them for Chirstmas.

I think the OP should butt out and if he whines about not having any money for Itunes later in the year I would suggest she just ignore it.

 

[sk!mom]

It's his gift and just itunes. I'd let him buy whatever he wanted. However, I'd also figure that $150 worth of music should see him until say June anyway so if he spent it all before then, I wouldn't be buying him any music before summer, at least.

 

[luvmy3]

Am I missing something here? These are just ITunes cards, right? Not Visa gift cards?

It just would never occur to me to monitor a 15 year old spending Itunes cards. Who cares if he uses them up right away? If he wants something later he can earn some money and get some more or borrow a CD from a friend.

Honestly, OP, pick your battles.

I must be missing something too. My dd got $75 in itunes on Christmas morning, she has $18 left. She just got an ipod touch so she was excited to buy some apps that her cousin has. She also got 2 new movies. I would have never thought to limit what she could spend, she knows how it works, if she wants more itunes $, she has to earn it, and she's not even 12. The itunes cards were a gift to her to spend specifically on itunes, I don't see the reasoning of making her save it to purchase something she wants now and can purchase now