Any Advice?

[dz_blonde_girl]

Ds#1 is 11. Having spending money is important to him.

His best friend's mother gives his friend a lot, imo, of spending money and buys her son whatever he wants. You know how kids this age compare themselves to others in an attempt to figure out who they are themselves.

I'm trying to use an allowance as a way to teach him responsibility to his family and financial responsibility. I just can't figure out what's a fair amount for payday, and what expenses he should be responsible for. He gets free lunch at school. The only expenses he has are his toys and games, of course, and Karate (like the $40 chest guard that he MUST have for the sparring clinic and will be mandatory for sparring after 4/1). He's responsible for emptying the cat box, taking out the trash and filling the humidifier. He also knows that he's expected to help with whatever when asked. He'll be helping get Sunday papers ready to deliver.

Help me figure out how to incorporate a lesson here! I've been tossing it around for a month and I can't make it work. What do you do? What ideas do you have? TIA!

[AmyMCGS]

I know that some families do it by age, ie: your son would get $11. (Don't ask me if that's per month or per week??)

My dad took my youngest sisters to the bank each week when they were around that age. They got half their allowance money to spend on whatever they wanted, and the other half they had to put into their savings accounts. They learned to fill out the deposit slips, read their bank statements, etc. The money they deposited is for college (they're in HS now). Their spending money went for things like lipgloss, candy, etc, or sometimes they'd save it up for something they wanted, like a new CD or a shirt or whatever.