Money/allowance question
Aimee & Paul Bogush
Hi there,
We are preparing to sit down as a family and do up a budget when DH gets paid next week. We've been flying without one for awhile and it has been a source of stress. Now that we are moving toward an unschooled life I've asked DH if we can firm things up a bit so we know where we stand. I'd like to know for sure if I can or cannot afford something the girls (8yrs & 4yrs) request so I can feel good without guilt if the answer to a request is yes and I can feel disappointed along with my child, but certain it's not just arbitrary if the answer needs to be "unfortunately no, not right now, let's come up with a plan to make it happen in the near future". Tandem with the budgeting I'd like to commit to giving my kids their own money to use as they choose. My question is this, for those of you who have been giving your child money (whatever you might call it -- allowance, spending money, etc) how much do you give them and how did you determine that amount? At first I was thinking of giving their ages in dollars (2x a month as we get paid {$16 & $8}, or once a month {$8 & $4} , I wasn't sure), but that seems arbitrary. Should I ask them and see if we can afford that amount as we budget?
Of note, we will not be tying this to any sort of chores, it's just money to have as part of the family. Also of note we are new still in a rather bumpy transition into an unschooled life and have been struggling with too much freedom and not enough skill/responsibility/whatever to handle it (mostly on the parents part!!!) -- in other words we moved too fast in some areas and it was very frustrating for everyone...I don't want to do that again with this (not sure if what I'm trying to say is actually coming through in this sentence <sigh>).
Thanks in advance!!!
Aimee
Commit random acts of literacy! Read & Release at
http://www.bookcrossing.com/friend/shaggyhill
�It is never too late to be what you might have been.� ~~George Eliot
"unschooler, n : one who learns from life and love and great books
and late morning conversations and big projects and eccentric uncles
and mountains and mistakes and volunteering and starry nights..."
~~From a t-shirt found at: www.lowryhousepublishers.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
We are preparing to sit down as a family and do up a budget when DH gets paid next week. We've been flying without one for awhile and it has been a source of stress. Now that we are moving toward an unschooled life I've asked DH if we can firm things up a bit so we know where we stand. I'd like to know for sure if I can or cannot afford something the girls (8yrs & 4yrs) request so I can feel good without guilt if the answer to a request is yes and I can feel disappointed along with my child, but certain it's not just arbitrary if the answer needs to be "unfortunately no, not right now, let's come up with a plan to make it happen in the near future". Tandem with the budgeting I'd like to commit to giving my kids their own money to use as they choose. My question is this, for those of you who have been giving your child money (whatever you might call it -- allowance, spending money, etc) how much do you give them and how did you determine that amount? At first I was thinking of giving their ages in dollars (2x a month as we get paid {$16 & $8}, or once a month {$8 & $4} , I wasn't sure), but that seems arbitrary. Should I ask them and see if we can afford that amount as we budget?
Of note, we will not be tying this to any sort of chores, it's just money to have as part of the family. Also of note we are new still in a rather bumpy transition into an unschooled life and have been struggling with too much freedom and not enough skill/responsibility/whatever to handle it (mostly on the parents part!!!) -- in other words we moved too fast in some areas and it was very frustrating for everyone...I don't want to do that again with this (not sure if what I'm trying to say is actually coming through in this sentence <sigh>).
Thanks in advance!!!
Aimee
Commit random acts of literacy! Read & Release at
http://www.bookcrossing.com/friend/shaggyhill
�It is never too late to be what you might have been.� ~~George Eliot
"unschooler, n : one who learns from life and love and great books
and late morning conversations and big projects and eccentric uncles
and mountains and mistakes and volunteering and starry nights..."
~~From a t-shirt found at: www.lowryhousepublishers.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Joanne
Hi Aimee,
This month's Unschooling Voices dealt with this very topic. Here is
the link, maybe you'll find something useful. :-)
http://www.foreverparents.com/UnschoolingVoices.html
At that page, scroll down and click on September.
~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (13)
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
--- In [email protected], "Aimee & Paul Bogush"
<shaggyhill@...> wrote:
and it has been a source of stress. Now that we are moving toward
an unschooled life I've asked DH if we can firm things up a bit so
we know where we stand. I'd like to know for sure if I can or
cannot afford something the girls (8yrs & 4yrs) request so I can
feel good without guilt if the answer to a request is yes and I can
feel disappointed along with my child, but certain it's not just
arbitrary if the answer needs to be "unfortunately no, not right
now, let's come up with a plan to make it happen in the near
future". Tandem with the budgeting I'd like to commit to giving my
kids their own money to use as they choose. My question is this,
for those of you who have been giving your child money (whatever you
might call it -- allowance, spending money, etc) how much do you
give them and how did you determine that amount? At first I was
thinking of giving their ages in dollars (2x a month as we get paid
{$16 & $8}, or once a month {$8 & $4} , I wasn't sure), but that
seems arbitrary. Should I ask them and see if we can afford that
amount as we budget?
still in a rather bumpy transition into an unschooled life and have
been struggling with too much freedom and not enough
skill/responsibility/whatever to handle it (mostly on the parents
part!!!) -- in other words we moved too fast in some areas and it
was very frustrating for everyone...I don't want to do that again
with this (not sure if what I'm trying to say is actually coming
through in this sentence <sigh>).
This month's Unschooling Voices dealt with this very topic. Here is
the link, maybe you'll find something useful. :-)
http://www.foreverparents.com/UnschoolingVoices.html
At that page, scroll down and click on September.
~ Joanne ~
Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (13)
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
--- In [email protected], "Aimee & Paul Bogush"
<shaggyhill@...> wrote:
>DH gets paid next week. We've been flying without one for awhile
> Hi there,
> We are preparing to sit down as a family and do up a budget when
and it has been a source of stress. Now that we are moving toward
an unschooled life I've asked DH if we can firm things up a bit so
we know where we stand. I'd like to know for sure if I can or
cannot afford something the girls (8yrs & 4yrs) request so I can
feel good without guilt if the answer to a request is yes and I can
feel disappointed along with my child, but certain it's not just
arbitrary if the answer needs to be "unfortunately no, not right
now, let's come up with a plan to make it happen in the near
future". Tandem with the budgeting I'd like to commit to giving my
kids their own money to use as they choose. My question is this,
for those of you who have been giving your child money (whatever you
might call it -- allowance, spending money, etc) how much do you
give them and how did you determine that amount? At first I was
thinking of giving their ages in dollars (2x a month as we get paid
{$16 & $8}, or once a month {$8 & $4} , I wasn't sure), but that
seems arbitrary. Should I ask them and see if we can afford that
amount as we budget?
>just money to have as part of the family. Also of note we are new
> Of note, we will not be tying this to any sort of chores, it's
still in a rather bumpy transition into an unschooled life and have
been struggling with too much freedom and not enough
skill/responsibility/whatever to handle it (mostly on the parents
part!!!) -- in other words we moved too fast in some areas and it
was very frustrating for everyone...I don't want to do that again
with this (not sure if what I'm trying to say is actually coming
through in this sentence <sigh>).
>Eliot
> Thanks in advance!!!
> Aimee
>
>
> Commit random acts of literacy! Read & Release at
> http://www.bookcrossing.com/friend/shaggyhill
> "It is never too late to be what you might have been." ~~George
>uncles
> "unschooler, n : one who learns from life and love and great books
> and late morning conversations and big projects and eccentric
> and mountains and mistakes and volunteering and starry nights..."
> ~~From a t-shirt found at: www.lowryhousepublishers.com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
Michelle Leifur Reid
On 9/3/06, Aimee & Paul Bogush <shaggyhill@...> wrote:
Voices Carnival. :) You can read it here:
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/ I do have a post there.
However, as a quick answer my kids' "allowance" (for lack of a better
word and it is just one of those mainstream words that we've adopted
for "that time when we give the kids money that is regularly given")
is paid every 2 weeks and is based on their ages. The only reason I
use their ages is because it seems to correlate with their spending
needs. I go more into it in my blog. :)
--
Michelle
Michelle Leifur Reid
YOUR Pampered Chef Consultant
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Check out my homeschool cooking classes!
> My question is this, for those of you who have been giving your child money (whatever you might call it -- allowance, spending money, etc) how much do you give them and how did you determine that amount?This topic of money is actually the topic of the September Unschooling
Voices Carnival. :) You can read it here:
http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/ I do have a post there.
However, as a quick answer my kids' "allowance" (for lack of a better
word and it is just one of those mainstream words that we've adopted
for "that time when we give the kids money that is regularly given")
is paid every 2 weeks and is based on their ages. The only reason I
use their ages is because it seems to correlate with their spending
needs. I go more into it in my blog. :)
--
Michelle
Michelle Leifur Reid
YOUR Pampered Chef Consultant
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Check out my homeschool cooking classes!
Michelle Leifur Reid
On 9/3/06, Joanne <billyandjoanne@...> wrote:
read and it looks like it does mirror foreverparents right now) :)
--
Michelle
Michelle Leifur Reid
YOUR Pampered Chef Consultant
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Check out my homeschool cooking classes!
> Hi Aimee,Ooops. My link was directly to Joanne's blog (but also a very good
>
> This month's Unschooling Voices dealt with this very topic. Here is
> the link, maybe you'll find something useful. :-)
>
> http://www.foreverparents.com/UnschoolingVoices.html
> At that page, scroll down and click on September.
>
> ~ Joanne ~
> Mom to Jacqueline (8), Shawna (11) & Cimion (13)
> http://anunschoolinglife.blogspot.com/
read and it looks like it does mirror foreverparents right now) :)
--
Michelle
Michelle Leifur Reid
YOUR Pampered Chef Consultant
850-474-0817
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/michellelr
Check out my homeschool cooking classes!
Angela S.
A lot of people use age as a factor in determining how much money to give
their kids but I've never understood that. I don't get less money to spend
because I am younger than my husband.
When we started giving our girls allowances (They were young, maybe 2 and 4)
we gave them the same amount based on what we felt would be enough money for
them to get to buy something they liked when we went to the store. It
wasn't much (I think we started with $1 a week) but we're not shoppers and
by the time we went to a store they usually had a couple dollars at least
and they were happy to spend it on candy or a small toy.
Eventually we upped it to $2 and then to $4, which I am sure most of you
think isn't very much for a 9 and 11 year old but it works for us. When we
go to the store on the way somewhere because dh wants a soda or a snack, we
always offer to get the kids something too. They don't need to spend their
money on candy or drinks or fast food if we are in the car and we're hungry
on the way some where. We give them extra money for the fair or when we are
on vacation so they can go on rides or buy souvenirs. Dh works on the road
frequently and he has always liked bringing the girls home a souvenir when
he is on the road (at least once a month) but if he can't find something he
gives them $5 or $10 just because he enjoys it. It doesn't take them long
to save for a $20 or $30 item.
Lilly buys some candy with hers but mostly both girls spend their money on
horse products. Leigh has several hundred dollars stashed away that she has
saved. Sometimes they buy toy horse items and sometimes real horse items
for their horses. We pay for everything the horses really need so the items
the girls buy for the horses are extra things, sometimes treats or a new
lead rope, halter, etc.
I guess what it boils down to is that the kids are happy with the amount of
money they have to spend when we do go shopping. (did I tell you we all
hate to go shopping unless it's to the tack store?) They don't feel
deprived and we don't make them buy everything with their own money or we'd
have to give them a lot more. It feels nicer to be able to give them things
more often than if we gave them a large allowance and made them buy
everything themselves. I can give them the amount we do and not feel like
it's making a huge dent in the budget. On weeks where we don't have as much
I make sure we have treats in the car so we don't need to stop and spend
money on fast food or snacks but we always give them their allowance.
Angela
game-enthusiast@...
their kids but I've never understood that. I don't get less money to spend
because I am younger than my husband.
When we started giving our girls allowances (They were young, maybe 2 and 4)
we gave them the same amount based on what we felt would be enough money for
them to get to buy something they liked when we went to the store. It
wasn't much (I think we started with $1 a week) but we're not shoppers and
by the time we went to a store they usually had a couple dollars at least
and they were happy to spend it on candy or a small toy.
Eventually we upped it to $2 and then to $4, which I am sure most of you
think isn't very much for a 9 and 11 year old but it works for us. When we
go to the store on the way somewhere because dh wants a soda or a snack, we
always offer to get the kids something too. They don't need to spend their
money on candy or drinks or fast food if we are in the car and we're hungry
on the way some where. We give them extra money for the fair or when we are
on vacation so they can go on rides or buy souvenirs. Dh works on the road
frequently and he has always liked bringing the girls home a souvenir when
he is on the road (at least once a month) but if he can't find something he
gives them $5 or $10 just because he enjoys it. It doesn't take them long
to save for a $20 or $30 item.
Lilly buys some candy with hers but mostly both girls spend their money on
horse products. Leigh has several hundred dollars stashed away that she has
saved. Sometimes they buy toy horse items and sometimes real horse items
for their horses. We pay for everything the horses really need so the items
the girls buy for the horses are extra things, sometimes treats or a new
lead rope, halter, etc.
I guess what it boils down to is that the kids are happy with the amount of
money they have to spend when we do go shopping. (did I tell you we all
hate to go shopping unless it's to the tack store?) They don't feel
deprived and we don't make them buy everything with their own money or we'd
have to give them a lot more. It feels nicer to be able to give them things
more often than if we gave them a large allowance and made them buy
everything themselves. I can give them the amount we do and not feel like
it's making a huge dent in the budget. On weeks where we don't have as much
I make sure we have treats in the car so we don't need to stop and spend
money on fast food or snacks but we always give them their allowance.
Angela
game-enthusiast@...