Allowance: how much to give by age

"Mom, can I have 20€?" — If you hear this three times a week, it might be time to start giving pocket money.

Pocket money isn't just about handing cash to your child. It's the first concrete tool for teaching them to manage money, make choices, and sometimes go without. Skills that aren't taught in school.

What age to start?

There's no hard rule, but here's what works for most families:

Ages 6-7: The child starts to understand that money is exchanged for things. It's a good time for small weekly amounts (1 to 2€). They learn to count, to wait, and to make simple choices.

Ages 8-10: They can move to a slightly larger weekly allowance (2 to 5€). They start saving up for a toy or a book.

Ages 11-13: Switch to a monthly allowance (15 to 30€). This is where real money management begins: they have to spread their money over an entire month. Their first budgeting exercise.

Ages 14-17: The amount increases (30 to 50€) and can cover certain expenses like outings with friends, snacks, or phone credit. More responsibility, more independence.

How much to give: practical benchmarks

Amounts vary by family, region, and cost of living. Here are ranges that come up frequently:

These figures aren't set in stone. The idea is that the amount should be enough for the child to face real choices, but not so much that they never feel any constraint.

Ground rules that work

Pay on a fixed schedule

Like a salary. The same day, every week or every month. The child learns that money arrives predictably and that they need to make it last until the next payment.

Don't bail them out

If they've spent everything by the 10th of the month, they wait until next month. It's tough, but it's the most valuable lesson. Next time, they'll think before buying.

Exception: if it's a genuine need (school trip, supplies), that comes from the family budget, not their pocket money.

Don't tie it to grades

Paying for good grades or withholding pocket money for bad ones mixes up two different things. Pocket money teaches financial management. School is a separate matter.

Let them make mistakes

Your 9-year-old wants to blow their entire savings on a toy that'll break in 3 days? Warn them, but let them decide. They'll learn more from that mistake than from any lecture.

Teaching them to save: the power of goals

Saving makes sense when there's a concrete goal. "Save your money" means nothing to a child. "Save up for that 45€ game controller" — now that's something they can grasp.

Help them set a goal:

1. What do they want to buy?
2. How much does it cost?
3. How much can they set aside per week/month?
4. How long until they can afford it?

When they see the progress — 15€ saved out of 45€ — the motivation is tangible. And the day they buy the item with their own money, the pride is real.

Weekly or monthly?

Weekly for younger children (ages 6-10). A week is a manageable horizon. A month feels like an eternity when you're 8.

Monthly starting around ages 11-12. It prepares them for how money actually works: a paycheck comes once a month, and you have to make it last.

The transition can be gradual: every two weeks for a few months, then monthly.

Common mistakes

Giving too much. If the child never has to pass up anything, they learn nothing. The goal isn't for them to have everything — it's for them to make choices.

Giving on a case-by-case basis. "Here, take 5€ for the outing" every time they ask is the worst model. The child learns to ask, not to manage.

Never talking about it. Pocket money without discussion is just a bank transfer. Take 2 minutes now and then: "How are you doing with your money? Are you saving up for something?"

Making money a taboo. The more comfortable you are talking about it, the more comfortable your child will be. Adapt the conversation to their age, but don't shy away from the topic.

Getting your child involved in the family budget

From around age 10-11, you can start involving your child in certain family budget decisions:

• How much are we setting aside for the holiday?
• We have 100€ for Christmas gifts — how do we split it?
• This week's grocery budget — can we try to stay under 80€?

This isn't about putting pressure on them. It's about showing them that money is about choices. And that in a family, you make those choices together.

In summary

Pocket money is an educational tool. Not a reward, not a punishment, not a luxury. It's your child's first real-world experience of managing money.

Start small, pay regularly, let them make mistakes, and talk about it openly. The rest will follow.