Birthday money for little kids: how much?

[Giraffe]

A close relative of my wife's is turning six, and we're thinking we'll start being those cool relatives who send birthday cards with money in them. We have fond memories of getting cards with money in them as kids. But, since we're super old now, we have no idea what's an appropriate amount to give. Somewhere between $5 and $20, I'm guessing, but that's about as far as we've narrowed it down. I worry that $5 would be like getting a dollar back when I was a kid, but if we send $20 it'll seem weird, since $20 back when I was a kid would have been quite a lot.

Help me out, Raffers.

[Patience Worth]

Why not send two $5 bills? It is a realistic amount for a child and an opportunity for a teachable moment about money, amounts, adding, etc .

[Wolf Larsen]

I'd go five or ten. At siz they aren't buying big things yet.

[Dragonlady]

Five doesn't get you much.
Consider what she might want - Toy Story 3? Over $20. Take a stroll down the toy isle somewhere and acquaint yourself with prices. You want to send enough so that she can GET something and have a few choices as well.

[bufftabby]

$20 seems pretty reasonable.

[HongKongFooey]

My daughter had her eighth birthday party yesterday and received $20 from several different people. Frankly, at six they'd be happier with fifty quarters since that seems like more to them.

[Falcon]

Originally Posted by Patience Worth

Why not send two $5 bills? It is a realistic amount for a child and an opportunity for a teachable moment about money, amounts, adding, etc .

That's what I would do too.

Last night, I was reading thank-you notes I sent to my grandparents (my grandma gave them to me for some reason, but I'd forgotten she'd done that until I stumbled across them). Anyway, they always gave me cash, but it wasn't enough to buy big things with. It was enough to buy a couple of smaller things with, though, and I remember always being thrilled that I could go out and pick up a couple of smaller items I coveted, but that no adult would ever think to get for me. Lip balms, key chains, candies, that kind of thing.

I think enough to buy smaller things is all a small child really needs. They learn more about the value of money that way (that it's a limited resource and you can't get everything you want). If they want something big, then it's a good opportunity to learn to save. As I got older, the amount that my grandparents sent increased. So while I saw thank-you notes for $5 in my very young years, that amount went to $10 - $20 as I got older. For a graduation present, it was $50.

[BrattiAtti]

I would send $10 for practicality (that will buy 2 WHOLE DVDs at Walmart, or a really cute Barbie outfit!*) along with a $2 bill to increase your cool factor.


*One lame attempt at a kidlet-level enthusiasm, and a pretty good example of my reasoning behind rarely talking to my godchildren over the phone. They might hear that I jest don't give a damn. :o

[MissJeanLouise]

Originally Posted by Patience Worth

Why not send two $5 bills? It is a realistic amount for a child and an opportunity for a teachable moment about money, amounts, adding, etc .

I have a six year old, and I concur with this. Sending 2 bills allows the parents to talk about adding, and about spending one and saving one.

[timbicile]

Use the time-out rule and give them $1 for every year old they are. OR. Give them $1 dollar at one year, 5 at five, 10 at ten, 20 at twenty. You'll be done till they hit 50.

[eleanorigby]

I like the two $5s idea, but also maybe one $5 bill and the rest in Pocohantas coins or some such? Something a bit different. I was always very impressed as a kid with new bills and shiny new coins.

Note: I would not continue this practice if said child does not at least call you to say thank you....

[Dragonlady]

Might be a bit young, but I second the "Brand new bills" idea.

[Patience Worth]

My friend's grandson helped her in the yard and she gave him 2 - $1 bills. Shortly thereafter he helped me put paper into the recycle bag and I gave him a $5. He complained to his dad that I had only given him ONE BILL and Grandma had given him TWO. Educational moment**** He learned how the one was worth more than the two and that now he had seven, etc. Chances are any child will get money from more than one source for a birthday. No one person needs fund a shopping trip; it is the total and the learning and the saving that matters.

[Chacoguy]

Send unidentified white powder.













With Fenris' return address.

[Euryphaessa]

Originally Posted by Chacoguy

Send unidentified white powder.













With Fenris' return address.

It's a Teachable Moment^TM.

[Tabula Rasa]

Originally Posted by eleanorigby

Pocohantas coins

Sacajawea?

[ivylass]

I'd say $1 per year of age.

[Random Precision]

Originally Posted by ivylass

I'd say $1 per year of age.

This. Even better if you could find 6 Eisenhower dollars.

[Mr. Buttons]

I've been reading this thread for the past couple days, and now that I've got some drinks in me, I'll weigh in.

It's all about family size. I'm the only child, and I'll admit I got mad money out of my grandparents, aunt/uncle, and godparents. Mad money = $20-25/birthday and major holiday. None of these peeps had to send money to any cousins/brothers/sisters/etc.

I'm sure my pay would've been cut in 1/2 or 1/4's if there were more young family (reproductive?) family members (thank og that didn't apply to me). My SO's family is loaded w/ cousins/son-in-laws/neices/nephews/etc. They're lucky if they get a card. If you're talking about the last/future generation of the family, you shell in a little extra. If it's just a generic relative in a huge family tree, you can skate by fine w/ a $10 gift.

ETA: My SO's neice's/nephews are thrilled w/ $5 or $10 dollars, but they're also 4-8 years old.

[squarepeg]

I like sending lots of Sacagaweas in pretty boxes or bags. 20 gold coins. It looks like loot but still just $20 to the sender. I know sometimes you have to order them special from my bank.

[Wolf Larsen]

Originally Posted by squarepeg

I like sending lots of Sacagaweas in pretty boxes or bags. 20 gold coins. It looks like loot but still just $20 to the sender. I know sometimes you have to order them special from my bank.

This is full of win!

[mswas]

My in-laws do $ 10 x age. That might be more than you want to spend over the years.

[mswas]

Originally Posted by HongKongFooey

My daughter had her eighth birthday party yesterday and received $20 from several different people. Frankly, at six they'd be happier with fifty quarters since that seems like more to them.

My three year old is fascinated by quarters. I cannot imagine that this fascination will still be in place in two and a half years. She's already learning the concept of debit cards and such. I have worked a little bit on the idea of amounts but that requires a comprehension of arithmetic that she doesn't quite have yet, but I am certain she'll have by 6.

[Giraffe]

Thank you all so much for the tips -- this really helps! I love the Sacagawea idea, I think that would be super fun.

[eleanorigby]

I meant Sacajewea (sp?). You know, some Native American Dame...


<looks around for I, Claudiot>

Kids are concrete, even at 6. They MUCH prefer money jingling in a pocket to even folded money. And they all seem to learn (by osmosis) about buried treasure and "loot". The 6 year old will love the shiny new coins. Giraffe, you could also do new quarters from states that have meaning in her life: the state she was born in, where mommy was, where daddy was etc.

[Giraffe]

Originally Posted by eleanorigby

I meant Sacajewea (sp?). You know, some Native American Dame...

Heh, I actually wrote "Sacajawea" the first time, but then saw your spelling and thought "eh, I have no idea how to spell it -- eleanor is more likely to know than I am".

[Borborygmi]

I like the Sacagawea dollar idea, but are they still being minted? IIRC they switched over to the "US Presidents as They Might Appear in an Orwellian Nightmare" series for dollar coins. So, if you get your hands on a roll of dollar coins for a six-year-old's gift, better prepare for some "Can't sleep... presidents will eat me" trembling.

[DogMom]

Originally Posted by mswas

My in-laws do $ 10 x age. That might be more than you want to spend over the years.

You're shitting us. They'd give a 6-year-old sixty dollars for their birthday?

[Lucifer]

I have a 6 year-old boy and an 8 year-old girl. I agree that 2 X $5 for the 6 year-old is perfect. By 8, though, I'd say you'd want to up that to $20.

[eleanorigby]

Originally Posted by Giraffe

Heh, I actually wrote "Sacajawea" the first time, but then saw your spelling and thought "eh, I have no idea how to spell it -- eleanor is more likely to know than I am".

I wrote a report all about her in 6th grade and I spelled it then with a "j". I have no idea how to spell it. I think it may be like Plimoth vs Plymouth etc.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

The spelling Sacajawea, though widely taught until the late 20th century, is generally considered incorrect in modern academia...... The spelling Sacagawea was established in 1910 as the proper usage in government documents by the United States Bureau of American Ethnology.

So, I was right, but now I'm wrong.... Story of my life. Oh, and it's not pronounced with a soft "g", but a hard one, so more like Sakakawea. I find that hard to say, frankly. <mutters to self> andI'llprobablykeepsayingitSacajaweaandspellingitt hatwaytoo...