Kids allowance calculator

Common ways families set allowance

There is no official or correct amount. These are rules of thumb that families commonly use. Treat them as a starting point and adjust for your budget, your values, and what the allowance is supposed to cover.

• Dollar per year of age, per week. A 9-year-old gets about $9 a week. It is easy to remember and grows with the child. Some families find it too high and use half of that.
• Flat allowance, chores as family contribution. The child gets a set amount to practice handling money, and chores are simply part of living in the house.
• Pay per chore. Each job has a price, so pay follows effort. Works well for extra jobs, though some parents worry it makes kids ask "what do I get?" for everything.
• A hybrid. A small base for the expected basics plus paid extras. This is what the calculator's bonus mode models.
• Save, spend, give. Split each payment into jars. Percentages vary a lot between families; 50 percent spend, 30 percent save, 20 percent give is one example, not a standard.

Tips

• Decide the rules before the week starts and write them down, so payday is not a negotiation.
• Pay on the same day every week, so the habit sticks.
• Let kids make small money mistakes while the stakes are low. That is much of the point.
• Revisit the amount once or twice a year, or when responsibilities change.

Need a chart to track the week? Grab the free printable chore chart.