PouchAllowance for teenagers
Quick answer
For teens, you can move to monthly pay and hand over costs such as phone credit, clothing extras and outings. The age rule (50 cents to $1 per year of age) gives a 15-year-old about $32.50 to $65.00 a month. Add a clear budget, and treat any job as separate income.
What changes in the teen years
With teens, allowance can focus on practicing real decisions. Costs get bigger, friends matter more, and a part-time job may appear. Your role shifts from setting rules to agreeing on a plan together.
How much per month
The rule of thumb from Acorns and Wealthsimple is 50 cents to $1 per week for each year of age. Multiply by 52 and divide by 12 to get a monthly figure.
| Age | Monthly from the age rule | What kids in the Netherlands typically get (Nibud) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | $28.17 to $56.33 | €20 to €25 a month |
| 14 | $30.33 to $60.67 | €25 to €32 a month |
| 15 | $32.50 to $65.00 | €25 to €35 a month |
| 16 | $34.67 to $69.33 | €25 to €43 a month |
| 17 | $36.83 to $73.67 | €25 to €40 a month |
Nibud says its 2025 secondary-school survey figures show what kids typically get, not advice. Use them as a comparison point. Your own budget and your teen's costs matter more.
Hand over costs with a written list
Teens do better with a clear agreement than with vague expectations. Write down which costs the allowance now covers. Common ones are phone credit, hobby supplies, clothing extras, outings and gifts. Basics like school costs and health care stay with you. The guide on what allowance should cover has a starter list.
Turning the payment into a budget
Ask your teen to write a simple monthly plan: fixed costs first, then spending, then saving. It does not need to be fancy. Go over it with them once in month one, then let them run it. Do not comment on every purchase.
Fixed days, fewer reminders
A teen who knows the payment lands on the first of the month stops asking about it. If you pay by bank transfer, set a standing order if your bank offers one, so the date does not depend on your memory. Late or forgotten payments can wear down trust.
Allowance and a part-time job
A job brings income, and the allowance may need to change. Families handle it differently. Some pause the allowance and let earnings cover costs. Some keep a smaller allowance. Some keep the allowance and treat the job as extra for savings. Pick one before the first paycheck, and say why.
- Pause: simple, and it pushes the teen to manage their own money.
- Reduce: keeps a base for costs while earnings go to savings or extras.
- Keep: works if the job is small and the teen is saving toward a goal.
Allowance and chores at this age
Teens can take on real household work. Some families keep everyday chores unpaid and pay for larger one-off jobs. See whether allowance should be tied to chores for three approaches, and the age pages such as allowance for 15-year-olds for amounts.
Preparing for independence
By 16 or 17, the goal is practice with real consequences. Hand over one new cost at a time, such as transport or clothing. Review how it went after a couple of months. Let your teen make small mistakes while the stakes are low.
A monthly plan in Pouch
Pouch adds a weekly allowance on payday, so a monthly plan means dividing your figure by about 4.3. You can add one-time or weekly jobs with pay, and set one savings goal per kid. Some teens prefer their own tools, and that is fine. Pouch is simply a place for you to keep a pretend balance and a history, with no real money and no account.
Questions parents ask
How much allowance should a teenager get a month?
The age rule gives $32.50 to $65.00 for a 15-year-old. Nibud reports €25 to €35 a month for Dutch 15-year-olds.
Should a teen with a job still get allowance?
It depends on what the allowance covers. Some families reduce or pause it once earnings cover the same costs.
Should teens get paid monthly or weekly?
Monthly asks a teen to plan across more weeks. Weekly is simpler if monthly keeps running out early.
What if my teen asks for more?
Ask your teen to bring a one-page budget with current spending and the extra costs they want covered. Concrete requests are easier to judge than vague ones.
Sources
- Acorns, Chores and allowance by age: Rule of thumb of 50 cents to $1 per week for each year of age
- Wealthsimple, How much allowance by age: Rule of thumb of 50 cents to $1 per week for each year of age
- Nibud, Zakgeld: What Dutch kids typically get, and age 6 as a starting point