Welcome to this week’s teaching children about money post which is all about paying children for doing jobs around the house.
Personally I believe that children are a part of the family and should therefore be helping around the house doing some basic chores. Pocket money isn’t given to them for doing their designated jobs but it is taken away if they don’t do the jobs that we give them!
We have a chore chart on the front of the fridge which includes some basic jobs like setting the table, clearing the table, tidying rooms etc and on Saturday and those are the jobs that we expect to be done on a daily basis but there’s also a few jobs that can be done to earn a little bit of extra pocket money but even then the payment isn’t particularly high for each job otherwise I’d be bankrupt wouldn’t I?
(Just to clarify, I don’t make them clean actual toilets like it says for Sunday’s jobs – they just wipe the sink/bath and tidy and mess.)
The jobs can be as basic as you like but in my experience, children love to earn money of their own so by giving them the opportunity and encouraging them to do this you’re teaching them a great lesson to prepare them for when they’re older.
It’s great to give them a way of tracking the money they make as well – Master Frugal saves all of his and likes to empty his money box and count it all whereas Miss Frugal keeps track of hers using an app on her phone. The app she uses is called Savings goal free and it allows her to set a goal and then add and subtract money from the savings pot and it really seems to be keeping her motivated!
What do you think – should children be paid for chores or should they be expected to do them?
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I think we'll start giving ours pocket money in a few years' time, but on the condition that they've done enough to help around the house. Not specific chores exactly, but just a decent contribution to the household jobs.
We don't pay mine to do chores, its all about helping the household in our house. The older ones do get an allowance though and my neighbour pays the teen ti mow the lawn!
My kids don't have chores to be honest. I don't like setting them and though they are expected to help they don't have to. I think next year, when my eldest will be 10 I will start teaching him more and might go up to chores, but even then I don't know about paying them for it…
Loved the app though. Might use it for myself 🙂
Gosh, aren't you organised?! We don't have set chores, the kids are just expected to help if they see me doing something they're able to pitch in with eg if I'm picking toys off the floor, they'll join in.
Great idea teaching work ethic at an early age. You are preparing them for later life.
I don't pay mine for chores, I ask them to help out when they can – not to a fixed schedule though, and sometimes my 5 year old will say mum can I have some extra money cos I did such good tidying so I tend to say yes alright then and give him a bit of spare change for his money box. we are not in a fixed or organised schedule with it at all!!
I think that kids should have responsibilities – it teaches them good habits.
Fabulous idea. J already helps me around the house. But he is too little so I will withold the money till a bit later 🙂
Fabulous idea. J already helps me around the house. But he is too little
I don't think I would pay mine to do chores….they are part of the family so should help without being paid for it….
Maybe something like wash the car I'd be willing to pay for…..
I never offered money as I find it easier to teach doing things for love, family and all mucking in. My son now a teen tries bartering for cash for jobs and I still disagree. My daughter refuses money for helping, she seemed to understand the principles. I will reward any jobs done for pure love though!!
It does work for families I know though so its a good lesson.
Hmmm, not sure what I think. My children are pretty good at doing things when they're asked, they help us do big tidy ups or sort out their rooms etc. They take plates back to the kitchen and pick up their school clothes. I think I'd be worried if I paid them then they would only do it for that reason rather than to be helpful… But I do think teaching them about the importance of money is a really good thing.
I don't pay the kids to do their chores. We are a family of five, and we all have to work together to keep things in order. I figure since I didn't get paid to do chores when I was younger, I turned out OK, it was OK for my kids to do chores. They started when they were young. Now that they are teens, I do give money to go places when I am asked, and if I have it to give.
I used to help out with certain chores and I would get pocket money deducted if I was naughty as a child. But I like the idea of getting them to make targets they want to achieve and then work towards them x
I wouldn’t pay mine to do set chores but I would make it a condition of getting pocket money that they help out when asked if that makes sense? !
I don't have kids so hard it's hard to comment – I know my parents would give me a little extra if I did extra jobs but I had some I had to do 🙂
Mine are happy to offer to do them at the moment so I'm keeping money out of it as long as I can!
I don't think children should be expected to do chores at all, not until they are teenagers.