Allowance Calculator
Work out a weekly or monthly allowance for kids based on age, number of children and whether chores are tied to payment. The calculator uses the common “dollar per year of age” starting point and adjusts for chore-linked payouts and household-wide budgets, plus a yearly total so you can plan around birthdays and school costs.
How to set a fair allowance
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1
Enter the child's age
The starting point is usually $1 or £1 per year of age per week. A 10-year-old at that rate gets $10/week.
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2
Choose weekly, biweekly or monthly
Weekly is common for younger kids; monthly teaches longer-horizon planning for tweens and teens.
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3
Pick chore-linked or flat
Flat allowance rewards membership in the family. Chore-linked teaches the work-money connection but can make refusing chores a "no pay" event.
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4
See annual total and per-child summary
Multiply out to see the yearly cost across all children. Useful to sanity check against your household budget.
The three common allowance models
| Model | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Flat (entitlement) | Fixed amount regardless of behaviour | Teaching budgeting without conditions |
| Chore-linked | Earn per completed chore | Work-money connection |
| Hybrid | Base amount + bonus for extra chores | Covers both ends |
Typical amounts by age (US median)
| Age range | Weekly amount (median) | Expected chore load |
|---|---|---|
| 4-6 | $3 | Toys away, basic tidying |
| 7-9 | $5-7 | Set table, feed pet |
| 10-12 | $10-12 | Dishwasher, take out bins |
| 13-15 | $15-20 | Laundry, meal help |
| 16-18 | $20-30 (or earned income) | Self-managed or job |
These are medians from Greenlight and T. Rowe Price parent surveys; they trend upward every year with inflation.
The save/spend/give split
A popular structure: split each allowance into three jars.
- Spend (50%): for small weekly purchases.
- Save (40%): for larger medium-term goals.
- Give (10%): donate to a chosen charity.
It teaches all three money behaviours instead of treating allowance as pure pocket money.
Chore pricing conventions
If you use chore-linked allowance, keep a price list so kids can plan. Typical ranges (US):
- Making the bed: $0.50
- Doing dishes: $1-2
- Mowing the lawn: $5-10 (age and size dependent)
- Washing the car: $3-5
Avoid paying for basics a household member should do (brushing teeth, basic room tidying) — those are expectations, not jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most child psychologists recommend age 5 or 6 — old enough to count coins and understand saving. Earlier than that, money is an abstract concept and allowance does not teach much.
Both approaches work. Flat allowance separates “family duties you do because we live together” from “paid work.” Chore-linked connects money to effort but can backfire if the child opts out of chores to save the parent payout.
The rule dates to the 1990s and is about 40% under-inflation-adjusted today. Many US families now use closer to $1.50-$2 per year of age. Adjust to your local cost of small treats.
If tied to age, no — older siblings get more because their costs are higher. If flat across the household, yes. Most families explain the age-based model explicitly so younger kids see it as “you will get more when you’re older.”
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