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Buying dumb things using allowance money



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 17th 10, 07:38 PM posted to misc.kids
Ignoramus15568
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Posts: 1
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money

My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated some
money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He wants me
to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The deal is $49 for
a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am having my
doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be if he asked me
to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they are just a dumb way
to spend money. But maybe this is his prerogative to do with his money
as he sees fit, as long as no harm is done.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some kind
of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to refuse. These
cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe the refusal has
merit.

Thoughts?

i

i

  #2  
Old February 17th 10, 09:09 PM posted to misc.kids
[email protected]
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Posts: 2
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money

On Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:38:59 -0600, Ignoramus15568
wrote:

My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated some
money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He wants me
to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The deal is $49 for
a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am having my
doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be if he asked me
to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they are just a dumb way
to spend money. But maybe this is his prerogative to do with his money
as he sees fit, as long as no harm is done.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some kind
of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to refuse. These
cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe the refusal has
merit.

Thoughts?

Not fraud - just overpriced. And even if it was something like those
book club things that you can't get off the list once you buy the
initial 5 books - this is a good time to learn that lesson while you
are there to back him up. I didn't find out about those things until
I was newly married without much money.

I would have him buy them though. Not do it in your name.
  #3  
Old February 17th 10, 10:23 PM posted to misc.kids
betsy
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Posts: 234
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money

Ignoramus15568 wrote:
My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated some
money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He wants me
to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The deal is $49 for
a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)


Is he wanting them for the online game codes? Do you have a reasonable
limit for his online time?

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am having my
doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be if he asked me
to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they are just a dumb way
to spend money. But maybe this is his prerogative to do with his money
as he sees fit, as long as no harm is done.


If these are what he has spent a long time saving up for, it seems
reasonable to allow him to get them. If it is a brand new idea, maybe
giving it a little time to simmer, and looking at other things he has
been saving up for would make sense.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some kind
of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to refuse. These
cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe the refusal has
merit.


It isn't how I would spend my own money, but lots of people seem to be
happy with them. If it will lead to more gaming than you allow, then
you may have a good reason to limit them.

As a parent, you have the right and responsibility to limit how your
children spend their money. I don't think I will have my 8 yo asking
for these because his allowance is not that large and his experience is
limited enough that he hasn't encountered them.

--Betsy
  #4  
Old February 19th 10, 02:03 PM posted to misc.kids
Welches
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Posts: 849
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money


"Ignoramus15568" wrote in message
...
My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated some
money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He wants me
to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The deal is $49 for
a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am having my
doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be if he asked me
to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they are just a dumb way
to spend money. But maybe this is his prerogative to do with his money
as he sees fit, as long as no harm is done.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some kind
of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to refuse. These
cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe the refusal has
merit.

Thoughts?

Basically it's his own money so I'd say within any limits you've already set
he can spend it. But my initial thought (translating into £) is how much
pocket money does he have? My 9yo would have to be saving up for over 6
months to get that amount.
Me and my husband were discussing last night how our children spend their
money. #1 (age 9) spends very little on herself. She buys things for
friends, presents for family and puts the rest in whichever charity box
she's got at the time. #2 (age 6) tends to spend her money on odd junky
things that give her immediate pleasure but have no lasting value.
Debbie


  #5  
Old February 19th 10, 02:36 PM posted to misc.kids
[email protected]
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Posts: 2
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:03:50 -0000, "Welches"
wrote:

"Ignoramus15568" wrote in message
m...
My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated some
money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He wants me
to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The deal is $49 for
a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am having my
doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be if he asked me
to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they are just a dumb way
to spend money. But maybe this is his prerogative to do with his money
as he sees fit, as long as no harm is done.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some kind
of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to refuse. These
cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe the refusal has
merit.

Thoughts?

Basically it's his own money so I'd say within any limits you've already set
he can spend it. But my initial thought (translating into £) is how much
pocket money does he have? My 9yo would have to be saving up for over 6
months to get that amount.
Me and my husband were discussing last night how our children spend their
money. #1 (age 9) spends very little on herself. She buys things for
friends, presents for family and puts the rest in whichever charity box
she's got at the time. #2 (age 6) tends to spend her money on odd junky
things that give her immediate pleasure but have no lasting value.
Debbie

One of the things a parent hopes to do is install a sense of thrift in
their children. At that age I had an allowance, but it was not really
actually 'my' money. I had to pay my Girl Scout dues, I had money for
my church envelope (amount set in advance), and I had money that I was
expected to save for something in the future. During WWII, I used the
money to buy stamps to put in a book and eventually I would get a
savings bond. If I wanted candy (which I often did), I would
sometimes go without milk or something at lunch so that I would have
money to buy it.

When I was 12, my mother decided that I needed to have a clothing
allowance. The allowance (1951) was $30/month. I was to buy all my
clothes or the materials to make them. My mother made me buy a winter
coat, and two dancing class dresses at the beginning of the year and I
made myself a dress in home ec. But after about 2 years, I had $300
in savings (and no goal for spending it) and no clothes except ones
that my mother could not resist buying me. I hated shopping

(Don't you like this blouse? It is on sale.
It's OK, but I don't like it enough to spend my money)

She tried the same thing with my sister, but my sister continued to be
unable to make up her mind about what she wanted to buy and to second
guess herself about buying it. We are both still the same way. I
don't like to shop and do most of it by catalog or on the Internet.
She had to have a personal shopper help her pick out a mother of the
bride dress for her daughter's wedding because otherwise she wouldn't
be able to decide.

We are both sensible about money in general though so maybe having an
allowance to spend helped.
  #6  
Old February 20th 10, 05:08 PM posted to misc.kids
enigma
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 447
Default Buying dumb things using allowance money

Ignoramus15568 wrote in
:

My son, who is 8, is getting an allowanca and has accumulated
some money.

Now he wants to buy something that is, in my opinion, a complete
ripoff, which is a pack of "Club Penguin Trading cards". He
wants me to buy them online and he would repay me in cash. The
deal is $49 for a pack of 50 cards. (!!!!!!!!!!!)

My first instinct was to just refuse to do so, but now I am
having my doubts. The cards are not really harmful (as would be
if he asked me to buy cocaine for his money, for example), they
are just a dumb way to spend money. But maybe this is his
prerogative to do with his money as he sees fit, as long as no
harm is done.

On the other hand, if, say, he would want to participate in some
kind of fraud, like a pyramid scheme, I would be right to
refuse. These cards are just one step away from fraud, so maybe
the refusal has merit.

Thoughts?


is it his money or not? if it is his money, then he has the right to
spend it as he sees fit.
as a parent, you can talk to him about his choices & value vs
expense, but in the end his money is his to spend as he chooses.
my son is 9 & has had to learn the hard way that that *really cool*
toy he saw on that commercial is really an overpriced piece of crap
that doesn't do what it's advertised to do. he's much more careful
with his money now.
you are probably correct that Club Penguin trading cards are a rip-
off (it *is* Disney, after all), but it's a slight possibility that
if he has a complete set & takes really good care of them, they may
possibly be worth a few dollars someday. i rather doubt it though, as
the "collectables" market is pretty flooded with drek now-a-days.
lee
 




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