What’s Reasonable When it Comes to Allowance — Dave’s Diary

Did you get an allowance as a kid?  Raised on the farm in the Midwest in the 60’s we were “allowed” to have dinner!  Not much in the way of allowance on the farm but hard work could get you a calf or a couple acres of wheat.  So I will be the first to say I don’t have much of a perspective on cash for kids but the Harris people do.

The Harris Poll surveyed U.S. adults, asking them how much they thought was an appropriate allowance for children in three different age groups. Here is the overall response for the "Allowance Index":

• $4.10 a week for ages 4 to 9
• $8.70 a week for ages 10 to 13
• $16 a week for ages 14 to 17

And here’s a hint for any kid savvy enough to be reading this post--Think D-A-D when asking for an allowance!

• Ages 4 to 9: $4.70 men, $3.50 women
• Ages 10 to 13: $9.90 men, $7.60 women
• Ages 14 to 17: $17.90 men, $14.20 women