Are you paying your children enough pocket money for doing their chores?
YOU might think you give your kids enough pocket money – but they probably disagree.
New research suggests many of our children think they should be paid double the amount they currently receive, which is an average of around £6.48 a week, usually as payment for household chores.
Meanwhile, a third of parents don’t ask their kids to do any jobs for pocket money.
The survey of children aged between six and 16 – and their parents – by financial comparison experts money.co.uk, found that while two-thirds of kids receive pocket money for completing household tasks like washing up and putting away the groceries, most believe they’re underpaid.
Nearly a third (31%) think they’re paid less than average and deserve at least a 100% rise. Yet the research found 42% of parents believe they pay their kids the average amount of pocket money.
Although it’s not a chore, being well-behaved was listed by parents as one of the most common things children get pocket money for.
Here’s what the research found children currently get paid for household chores – and what kids think they ought to get…
1 WASHING UP
CHILDREN get £1.12, but they think they should be paid £2.39 for doing the dishes. Yet money.co.uk says the average cost of hiring a cleaner per hour in the UK is £12 – and if a cleaner took 15 minutes to do the dishes, they’d get paid around £4, so £1.12 is cheap at around 25% of the going rate.
2 PUTTING AWAY GROCERIES
CHILDREN receive 90p, but think they should be paid £2.07.
3 WASHING THE CAR
KIDS earn £2.51 per car wash, and think they should be paid £4.12.
However as it costs around £6 to get it done professionally, children may be asking a little too much for their car washing skills.
4 TIDYING BEDROOMS
CHILDREN are given around £1.19, but they want £2.59. 5 VACUUMING
CHILDREN get £1.42, but would like to be paid £2.30.
6 DUSTING
CHILDREN receive just £1.07, but think they should get £2.80.
7 WALKING THE DOG
CHILDREN are given an average of £1.08, and they want £2.31.
8 DOING THE LAUNDRY
CHILDREN get £1.28, but think they deserve £2.77.
9 WEEDING THE GARDEN
CHILDREN receive £2.08, they want £3.59.
10 MOWING THE LAWN
CHILDREN are given £2.19, but they would like £3.79.