How much allowance should I give my 16 year old?

Ugh, the allowance question! It’s a tough one, right? Sixteen, that’s a big year. So much changes. My niece, Lily, just turned sixteen – and let me tell you, figuring out her allowance was a whole thing. Ten to thirty dollars a week? Seriously? That range feels so…vast.

I mean, ten bucks barely covers a couple of movie tickets these days, does it? And thirty? That’s almost enough for a decent pair of shoes! It really depends on what your teen is doing, doesn’t it? Lily, for example, she’s got a part-time job at the ice cream shop, so she’s already earning some money. She doesn’t need as much as, say, my neighbor’s kid, who doesn’t work and relies on his allowance for pretty much everything except rent and food – lucky him, right?

I think what really matters is tying the allowance to responsibilities. Is your sixteen-year-old contributing around the house? Doing chores? Babysitting siblings? Those things are worth something, right? Maybe, instead of a straight allowance, you could think about a system where they earn extra for extra work – kinda like a bonus system? I’m still figuring this out myself, to be honest! It’s more about teaching them about budgeting and responsibility than just throwing money at them, ya know? And hey, maybe even some financial literacy education on the side, a little bit about saving and investing. It’s never too early to start, I’ve heard. I really should look into that myself. So, yeah, ten to thirty dollars… it’s a starting point I guess. But really, talk to your kid, see what they need, and what they’re willing to do to earn it. It’s a conversation, not just a number.

#Allowance #Parenting #Teenallowance