An allowance or not?

Do your kids get an allowance every week? How much?

There's a lot of debate about allowance - some experts say you should give allowance based on age and what chores are expected. Others say you should give allowance to teach kids about money.

Personally, I give allowance to my kids once a month, what better way to teach them automatically to budget their money?! But I don't base their allowance on specific chores.

They get an allowance as a perk to being in our family and to learn how to manage money. Be careful about giving an allowance based on chores - otherwise your kids will be asking you how much you'll pay them for every little chore they do around the house!

According to a Nickelodean study, the average allowance for kids is $6 a week for 12 year olds and under and $14 dollars a week for teens 13-17 years old. My kids get much less - but I also have an "Optional" list of chores on the refrigerator if they want to make some extra money around the house.

That way they can be ambitious if they want to and I can get a much deserved break!

Sonja

Love dogs? This is a great home business for your kids...

My 10 year old daughter loooves dogs...so she is starting her very own doggie daycare business this summer. She was inspired by her sister who started a business taking care of horses while the owners are on vacation.

But she doesn't have her drivers license so she came up with the idea of doggie daycare where the dogs will be brought to her.

There is HUGE opportunities in starting pet home businesses. Baby boomers are treating their pets like children - and they spend billions doing it. There are even pet-friendly hotels and restaurants!

Who knows, maybe your kids could be a doggie birthday planner! So have some fun and blog about your own pet home business ideas or experiences...

Sonja