# Did You Ever Get A Weekly Allowance When You Were A Kid?



## SeaBreeze

We never got a weekly allowance, and I don't remember many of my friends getting one either.  If I needed some money for something, my mother or father would consider it, and possibly give me the cash, as long as it wasn't a large amount.  My dad would occasionally slip me some change, but nothing regular or formal in way of a set allowance.  Did you get an allowance when you were young?


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## Diwundrin

Yes, just enough to cover a movie and a bag of lollies for Sat'y arvos. If I missed the movie I 'banked' the money.
I was pretty good at conning the odd bit of change from grans and uncles too and that went in the piggy bank for when I did want something more expensive.  

We were on basic wages, most around us were,  and budgeting was a fact of life, but I don't remember any kids who didn't get some amount of 'pocket money' as it was called here, although it was never much. Just what could be afforded.  There was no competition to give kids more than the neighbours for status games as it goes now.
 What we got was ALL we got and we wasted it at our peril because there was no more handed out.


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## Warrigal

Not a set amount. Dad gave us money each week to buy a comic. Mum gave us money to go to the swimming pool or to the picture show. As with Di, the amount allowed for entry and some lollies at the kiosk. If we didn't go we didn't get the money to save up.

There was a school banking scheme and employees from the Commonwealth Bank (then government owned) would come to the school at lunch time to take cash deposits into children's savings accounts. The idea was to encourage the habit of saving. Mum gave us some coin each week to save up but it wasn't very much. I don't remember ever making a withdrawal.

I gave our kids a weekly allowance to spend or save as they pleased but they could not ask me for extras like birthday presents for their school friends. It was not payment for chores. Even if I had nothing to give them, the chores would still have had to be done. I saw it as giving them a small share of our prosperity to be spent without strings. I made sure that it was small enough not to get them into trouble.


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## jrfromafar

No set allowance, just a bit here and there - and all the beer bottles. I hauled them to the store for the return money.


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## Diwundrin

Forgot about the school bank, I still had the same account opened at school  until around 15 years ago when I went totally 'card'.  
The 'banking' money was separate to pocket money and the book had to be shown to Mum to prove that's where it had gone too.
What a great idea that was.  It turned me into a Scrooge as I got addicted to watching that total grow.  Still watch it intently but it wavers a lot more now. 


Gee Warri they took the unused movie money back? That's tough, at least the little I got was mine to 'save up.'  I did get an extra 'deena' if a few of us wanted to go to the Baths but it was usually forthcoming from an Uncle, although I could have covered it from the piggy bank savings.

Mine wasn't 'chore' based either, it was a strange set-up really, there were 4 adults in the house and they did all the chores between them so in that way I was spoilt rotten.  My 'job' was to keep out of the way.


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## SifuPhil

Nope. I had to pay THEM so they wouldn't beat me.

The up-side was that as I got older they charged me less, because I was more able to defend myself. 

I could also always count on the income from my protection rackets as a kid.


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## That Guy

Nope.  I was just expected to do chores around the house which might be good as teaching children to contribute simply as a family member and not for monetary gain.  When I was a teenager, my dad would occasionally hand me a twenty as I left the house on a date.


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## SeaBreeze

Was never paid for doing chores either around the home, or bribed with money for good behavior.  Both were expected by my parents with no payoffs.  I did have a cute little blue piggy bank, ceramic, with a pink bow around its neck.  It never did get filled up though, lol.


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## Old Hipster

I think I got an allowance, but can't remember for sure. But I know I always had money to go to the store for penny candy.

My mom was really tight with the purse strings, I do remember that very well! LOL


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## Diwundrin

SeaBreeze said:


> Was never paid for doing chores either around the home, or bribed with money for good behavior.  Both were expected by my parents with no payoffs.  I did have a cute little blue piggy bank, ceramic, with a pink bow around its neck.  It never did get filled up though, lol.



The bank used to give kids free tin money boxes. They were in the shape of a bank building with a slot in the top and no way to get the money back out except with a can opener.  It didn't take long to fill one with our old pennies, they were fairly big, so the thing got ripped open and thrown away and a new one put to work.  I could cry to to think about it, those old things are worth a fortune to collectors because not too many survived in mint condition.  siiiiiigh.

I had a ceramic pig, it wasn't very big but it was pretty thing with flowers on it and I never put money it because it had to be smashed to get it back out and for some reason I couldn't handle that. Poor li'l piggy.


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## Pappy

Yes, I got a small allowance. 25 cents I think. I always loved banks too Di. I had a register bank that added up the money and when you got to $10.00 the flap in the front would open up. Had several of tin banks, like you talked about, and a couple of cast iron banks that sell for hundreds now. Who knew?


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## Diwundrin

Did you ever see those little painted iron mechanical monkey ones that you put the penny in it's hand and it flipped it into it's mouth?  Always coveted one of those but never got it.  Worth a fortune now.

I guess we could have had worse hobbies than liking banks and collecting money eh Pappy??


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## Pappy

For sure, Di. Here is a picture of the register bank I was talking about. This one is a replica. Originals are quite expensive.


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## Old Hipster

I think my aunt had one like that, the register. I had one of these.


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## Fern

When I started secondary school I got 2/6 (two shillings & six pence) that used to buy me some fruit, yes I bought oranges, and there was enough left to buy some sort of lollie or get a book out of the library..


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## That Guy

Did any of you have Bank Day in elementary school?  The banks would open a savings account and we would get little envelopes and a book for our deposits.


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## Vivjen

Yes I did, but I can't remember when it started.

What I do remember is that when I was 13 upwards, Mum and Dad did a lot of entertaining, and I used to get 50p for washing up, and my pick of the leftovers!

I also used to do a lot of babysitting, 50p an hour, and I never remember getting a rise for inflation!


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## Old Hipster

That Guy said:


> Did any of you have Bank Day in elementary school?  The banks would open a savings account and we would get little envelopes and a book for our deposits.


Oh yes I remember that, having my own little bank book for savings.


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## i_am_Lois

I had chores to do 7 days a week. Set the table, clear the table, wash dishes, iron, help clean the house. I got 50 cents a week allowance. I never minded the chores at all, but I often wished I had more money.


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## Pappy

I remember bank day in school. If I remember correctly I would bank just a few cents each week. I did have a 25 cent Christmas Club, in which paid a whooping $12.50 in November each year.


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## Justme

My siblings and I were given money when we required it. Our children were given an allowance, the eldest used to negotiate the rates for herself and her sisters on January 1st each year!


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## That Guy

Negotiations?  That's rich.  She must have been a pistol.


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## Vivjen

I used to get an allowance from my first husband.....(ex....wonder why?!)


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## RedRibbons

No, never. There were five kids and only my father worked. I did a lot of chores around the house, but no allowance. I ironed clothes for other people and did baby sitting just to be able to buy a few school clothes.


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## SeaBreeze

Same here RedRibbons, there were four of us kids, and only my father worked.  My mother had me help her with all the household chores, and I didn't get any payment or allowance.  In my younger teens, I did make some extra money babysitting for a lady next door with a small toddler and a baby.  I didn't get paid too much, but back then every nickel was appreciated.


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## LogicsHere

No, I never got a weekly allowance.  Money was too tight. Since we lived in my grandmother's house, a roof over our head wasn't a worry, meals were not fancy and my sister and I had 3 days worth of school outfits of which we wore 2 twice. My mom did see that we had a good Christmas though.


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## Jillaroo

_Nope never got an allowance either_


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## Bullie76

SeaBreeze said:


> We never got a weekly allowance, and I don't remember many of my friends getting one either.  If I needed some money for something, my mother or father would consider it, and possibly give me the cash, as long as it wasn't a large amount.  My dad would occasionally slip me some change, but nothing regular or formal in way of a set allowance.  Did you get an allowance when you were young?



Same here.


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## Happyflowerlady

I was given 50 cents a week allowance, which was always a silver 50 cent coin. I usually saved them until I had enough money for something I wanted, and often, my mother would agree to pay half when she thought it was something very worthwhile.
I always helped with the chores at home, and didn't expect to be paid anything special for doing that. I was the only child, mom and dad both worked, so we just all did whatever needed to be done, as part of the family responsibility.
My mother always had a large flower garden, and she would pay me, or the neighborhood kids, to haul sawdust for the garden paths. We made 10 cents per garden cart load. This was how we made money for things like buying comic books, or candy, which I didn't like; so mine went on other things than candy.


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## nan

I got 1 shilling a week when I was a child 6 pence of that got me in to see a movie at the theater and the other 6 pence bought me some lollies to eat at the movies


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## Lon

Never got an allowance as a kid but always was able to earn my own spending money via selling Saturday Evening Post, Green Salve, Paper Routes,Working Laundromat, Box Boy,movie ticket taker doorman/boy


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## EveDallas

No I never got an allowance as a child. From the time I was 11 or 12 I was expected to work for spending money. I started doing laundry and cleaning the neighbors houses, I babysat, and I did yard work. I got my first real job when I was 15 and have worked ever since.

I was also expected to put something in my  little bank account every month.


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## QuickSilver

My parents lived paycheck to paycheck.. so they never could aford to give me any money..  My grandma, used to send me $2 a week in the mail. , but I never got that.. Mom took it and used it for my bus fare and  milk money for school.   When my grandma found out about that she was furious and stopped sending the money by mail so mom couldn't steal it.


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## AprilT

Yes, I received an allowance starting around age 9, but my circumstances were different from many here, starting age 13, I was getting a do anything allowance plus a clothing allowance every few months.  I did have small weekly chores, I also, would go out and find ways to earn extra money on my own.  During  the last two years of high school we moved to the city from the burbs, something we girls had been pleading for, once done, we kids had to use public transit to get to school; I would take my bus fare save it and walk to and from school.


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## AZ Jim

As a young kid (9-11) I got 50 cents a week.  A big candy bar was only a nickle and so was a coke.


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## Josiah

I got 50 cents a week which I kept in a piggy bank. I also worked at all kinds of odd jobs starting at a very early age. Baby sitting was a favorite job for me because most of my clients had TVs while my parents put off buying a TV until I left for college.


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## QuickSilver

I worked too..   I did ironing for some of the neighbors from the time I was 11...  I had my first job at 15.


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## Butterfly

I got the princely sum of 35 cents per week.  Of course, back then you could get into the Saturday movies for a dime.  I got into the habit of saving up to get things I wanted -- a very good  habit for a kid to get into.


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## Butterfly

I remember once I asked my dad about getting paid for a particular chore.  He said "the payment you get for doing chores around here is the privilege of putting your feet under this dinner table."  Nuff said.


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## NancyNGA

Don't remember early on, but in teen years I got $2 per week and saved every penny of it. I used to drag it out every so often and count it.:shrug:  Maybe that's why they gave me so much---because they knew I wouldn't spend it, lol.  Eventually they made me open a savings account.  Not as much fun to count.


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## Aunt Marg

SeaBreeze said:


> Same here RedRibbons, there were four of us kids, and only my father worked.  My mother had me help her with all the household chores, and I didn't get any payment or allowance.  In my younger teens, I did make some extra money babysitting for a lady next door with a small toddler and a baby.  I didn't get paid too much, but back then every nickel was appreciated.


When I first started babysitting, .25¢ hour was the going rate (early 70's), and even then, the highest rate I ever seen was .50¢ hour (senior high-school years), but still, it all added up and I was happy to make it.


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## Aunt Marg

Vivjen said:


> Yes I did, but I can't remember when it started.
> 
> What I do remember is that when I was 13 upwards, Mum and Dad did a lot of entertaining, and I used to get 50p for washing up, and my pick of the leftovers!
> 
> *I also used to do a lot of babysitting, 50p an hour, and I never remember getting a rise for inflation*!


Same here!

The only exception was special times throughout the year such as New Years eve, when I'd usually get a few dollar bonus.


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## Sassycakes

I never got an allowance ,but every Saturday when I woke up my Dad had a bunch of quarters in a cup for me and a cup for my sister. He had his friends over the night before and they played poker and my Dad was really good.  I saved the quarters because my older brother had gotten married and had 2 boys.  I was only around 7yrs old at the time so the quarters I saved I would buy my 2 nephews presents for Christmas and their Birthdays.


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## Ruthanne

Yes but I can't remember when and I can't remember how much either


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## peppermint

I would clean the house on the weekend with my Mom....I didn't get money for helping my Mom....Every once and a while she
would take me to get a dress....Yes, that's how old I am....You had to have a dress to go to school.....
But my favorite time my Mom gave me a Birthday Party...I didn't know she was getting my friends to come to the house
for my Birthday...I'll never forget....Mom and Dad didn't have a lot a money....It was my 16 year old Birthday....
Mom and Dad had all kinds of goodies and she made the large Birthday cake  because she knew I loved her cakes...
I miss Mom and Dad and my Brother....


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## Pinky

Never was given a weekly allowance. However, I did chores through the summer while at home from school. Also cleaned/dusted/helped with the wash/dishes/cooking/lawn mowing. If I wanted to go to a movie with friends, Dad always coughed up a few dollars. I really didn't ask very often. Mom and I would go shopping for clothes, then stop into a diner for lunch, and I was also her movie companion. In my teens, I eventually got a seasonal job, making $1.00 per hr. in a department store warehouse. It was good to earn the money, but it didn't go far.


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## mlh

I received one dollar a week for cleaning my room and making my bed and doing dishes at my mother's request.


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## Lewkat

Yes, I did.  Also had banking day and defense stamp days at school.  When the stamps filled a book, we turned it into a War Bond.


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## Aunt Marg

mlh said:


> I received one dollar a week for cleaning my room and making my bed and doing dishes at my mother's request.


I did get an allowance once I was older, can't remember now how old I was when mom started seeing allowance to me... age 9 or 10 I'm thinking, however, with the issuance of allowance to me, I was expected to do what my parents asked of me without complaining.

I was always good about facing little things my parents asked me to do without complaining, but one thing that did get old was the constant babysitting I did for baby siblings. Every Friday night (without fail) was babysitting night for me, and then some. 

Monthly allowance covered any/all duties/chores I did, and while I never got paid to babysit, mom was good about seeing an occasional perk my way, and looking back on it now, I can't complain.


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## OneEyedDiva

At first I thought yes...but I honestly don't remember. I do remember my parents gave me money for banking in school (remember that?), so maybe that was my allowance.


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## mlh

Aunt Marg said:


> I did get an allowance once I was older, can't remember now how old I was when mom started seeing allowance to me... age 9 or 10 I'm thinking, however, with the issuance of allowance to me, I was expected to do what my parents asked of me without complaining.
> 
> I was always good about facing little things my parents asked me to do without complaining, but one thing that did get old was the constant babysitting I did for baby siblings. Every Friday night (without fail) was babysitting night for me, and then some.
> 
> Monthly allowance covered any/all duties/chores I did, and while I never got paid to babysit, mom was good about seeing an occasional perk my way, and looking back on it now, I can't complain.



I was an only child. I did what my parents asked of me. I lived in the days of spanking.


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## Aunt Marg

mlh said:


> I was an only child. I did what my parents asked of me. *I lived in the days of spanking*.


Oh yes, me and my siblings, too... and my own kids got the same.


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## Rosemarie

Yes, from the age of ten. I got just enough to pay for Saturday afternoon at the pictures. One of the things I resent is that I was used as an unpaid baby-sitter as soon as I was old enough. I never even got a bar of chocolate as payment.


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## Aunt Marg

Rosemarie said:


> Yes, from the age of ten. I got just enough to pay for Saturday afternoon at the pictures. One of the things I resent is that I was used as an unpaid baby-sitter as soon as I was old enough. I never even got a bar of chocolate as payment.


I know all about it, but the babysitting jobs I earned because of the fact!

Once word got around that Marg, had experience caring for baby siblings, the telephone started ringing and never stopped. Babysitting jobs poured in.


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## Jules

Yes, I got an allowance.  A very small one compared to other kids in the neighbourhood, at least that’s how I perceived it.  There were weekly chores every Saturday.


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## gamboolman

I got a allowance some of the time as I recall.
I had good parents and a good childhood.  I was expected to work and make my spending money and I did.
I was mowing yards by the time I barely could push a mower, doing yard work and anything around folks houses for pay.
I have been paying Social Security since age 16 and never missed a year.  
Hope to retire by years end though....


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## Kadee

No never got a cent from my parents at anytime ...weekly ...christmas ..birthdays 
They had to “save” their money for their drinking / smoking habits


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## FastTrax

Diwundrin said:


> Yes, just enough to cover a movie and a bag of lollies for Sat'y arvos. If I missed the movie I 'banked' the money.
> I was pretty good at conning the odd bit of change from grans and uncles too and that went in the piggy bank for when I did want something more expensive.
> 
> We were on basic wages, most around us were,  and budgeting was a fact of life, but I don't remember any kids who didn't get some amount of 'pocket money' as it was called here, although it was never much. Just what could be afforded.  There was no competition to give kids more than the neighbours for status games as it goes now.
> What we got was ALL we got and we wasted it at our peril because there was no more handed out.



Since my dad was a Navy veteran assigned to The Brooklyn Navy Yard we mistakenly thought allowances were not in his vocabulary. Unlike many children today if he or mom called our names we were already getting up and whatever chores we were assigned to we did them and we did them well. Everything we needed was provided and anything we desired was considered then if it was within reason and budget we would receive it with gratuitous appreciation. My first real job was with Penn-Central at 18 but from 15 until then I worked odd jobs for cash. My dad was tough, strict but loving and fair minded. He never laid a hand on us because we never gave him a reason to because we knew his word was law and to break it was unpardonable. Mom doted on him and he loved her more then life itself. We did too. When he died it was like life stopped for us. It was then that mom told us the money each of us received when we left the nest was the money they saved for us in the bank instead of doling it out at childhood when we couldn't appreciate it's value as opposed to the instant gratification it would have given us as children looking just to spend what we didn't earn. If we gift our future with the discipline to appreciate hard work, a sense of ethics and fair play our legacy will be one of pride in self. Thanks for reading and GOD Bless.


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## cookiei

Nope, not even a hug, a candy or a toy


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