How much for allowance?

Question

I have a 10-year old son who has a cell phone. He saw a fancier, more expensive one and wants it badly. He wants to do chores to raise the $105 needed to buy it. He also wants to buy the phone within 3 weeks.

If he does chores every day for 3 weeks, that would give him what he needs. My question is: is $5.00/day reasonable to pay a 10-year old to do chores to put toward a high-end cell phone? Is this setting a good example for him or a poor one? What is a reasonable amount for allowance for a 10-year old?

Answer 1

I know this is only my opinion but i think its way to young for a 10 year old to have a mobile phn.I'd wait until they are in high school.When my kids do chores (1 is going to be 10 the other is 7).It really depends on what kind of chore they are doing.I really wouldn't go over $5 and not every day.

Answer 2

We give our son $1 per year old (9 years old, $9 a week).

I think a price per day may be backwards. How about a price per job? $X for taking out the trash, $X for mowing the lawn.

I think it's good that he's willing to work for what he wants. But it needs to be what you're comfortable with.

In our home, our son gets allowance because he's part of the family. It's not based on chores done, which means he gets paid when he didn't do any chores that week or if he did a ton of chores. Chores are done because he's part of the family, and shouldn't have to be paid to contribute to the home. Money is given because he's also part of the family and should have some age-appropirate spending cash.

When our son wanted to raise $120 for a used Nintendo DS, we offered him about $30 worth of jobs that I was willing to pay him to do (these were not household chores but things I would have had to do but was thankful to not have to!) - it's what we had and could afford. He quickly learned that he could call other relatives and they would pay him for chores as well. It was a great lesson for him, especially when working for someone NOT your parents. He earned all his money in less than a week.

Another idea would be for him to talk to neighbors about chores he could do.  But only you can decide if it is reasonable or appropriate for your family. Find your boundaries and work within them.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I think that your setting a good example that if you want something you have to work for it. $5 a day is okay.Everyone knows that you do hard work and get paid scraps, so go way to teach a life learnig lesson :-)

Answer 4

He shouldn't have a cell phone, he's far too young for one.

5 dollars a day is WAY too much for a 10 year old! That's $35.00 a week! I am 17 and have a gas supplement from my parents that is $20 a MONTH! That's setting a poor example, it's saying that if he gripes enough you'll load him with cash and he can buy whatever he wants.