What Hourly Rate to Pay for 13 Year Old?

If the others are stingy then I must be a slave driver!!! My oldest is 11yrs old. Every week he:
vacuums the kitchen and living room 2x
cleans his bathroom
reads for 30min per day
cleans his room
does math flash cards
picks up the dog poop 1x/week
Cleans his geko's cage
Puts away his laundry

These are all things he does because he is part of the family. If his chores are done by 11:00am he can play the WII for 1/2 hour.

The way he earns extra money is by helping his dad out on the job site(dad is a builder). He gets paid $3/hr for things like cleaning the job site, putting his dad's tools back in the truck, etc. He has even run a heat gun and pulled up floor tiles.

I know this sounds like a lot but kids will rise to the level of your expectations. If you want a good guideline check out Dave Ramsey (he is a financial councelor on the raido and has a website too). He has a great explanation of how to pay kids that will really help guide you.

1 mom found this helpful

HI J.,

Having your child learn to save now is a great tool for teaching her about finances when she is older. We do the same with our son. He receives $7.00 a week for doing his chores and must save 1/2 of that.
In my opinion 4-5 dollar to do extra work around the house is way to much. For every chores she does I would give her an extra dollar. The problem with all our children today is we as parents hand them over so much money that when they get older they do not understand the value of money because they have never had to work a hard days labor for it. We are teaching them money comes easy. why not blow all this money on candy? I can make more next week. If they had to work hard for there money they do not spend it so fast. Good luck on what you decide.

You might want to consider paying her by the job instead of the hour, unless it is something like babysitting. I don't give my 14 year old an allowance, if she wants money she will have to earn it. I pay $20.00 for weeding the front (huge) garden beds, $5.00 an hour for babysitting, and I work at home, so if she helps me in the office it is about $10.00 per hour, which usually only lasts 1-2 hours. WE workout other jobs /payments as they arise.

I don't have a child this age, but I would do it based on chore not time. Even adults can learn to be time oriented instead of task oriented. Maybe pick out 2-3 tasks at first that you think will be relatively easy for her to become proficient at, have her take those over for a set rate. Having an ongoing expectation would probably help both you and her as far as organizing. An extra $10 per week if all chores are done seems reasonable to me if chores would take you about 2.5 to 3 hours. When we were growing up I think we got 5 dollars a week for allowance and we WORKED for it. Good Luck

Honestly I would rate each job with a pay. Since she needs a push now and then. And then tell her she needs to spend at least this amount of time but no more than this... then she can learn how to budget time and get things done in reasonable amount of time and teach her life skills that she'll need in the future anyways!!
T. K.

Wow, do I feel stingy now! My 11 year old stepson (who is only with us on the weekends) gets $1/day or 1 hour of video game time when he does his chores. He has to do the following daily:
Make his bed
Take out the trash
Take out the recycling
Unload the dishwasher
Shower (yes, we had to make it a condition!)
Put his clean clothes away
Straighten his room

Sometimes, we add chores to it for extra money, but it's only about $1 or $2 per chore, depending on the complexity. For instance, if I ask him to sweep the kitchen floor or vacuum, it's only $1. But if I ask him to clean the bathroom (which is tiny in our house, but still), we'll give him $2 or $3. I don't do per hour because it takes him forever to get stuff done sometimes, and it would end up being just too much money for a half-done job.
I'd say at 13, she could be doing a lot more for extra chores, but it's your prerogative. Good luck!

We don't pay hourly for extra work...because kids tend to daudle :-D

we pay for the task...and negotiate the price with the child (Kids are also cheap...)

So say I need the floor vacuumed I'll ask the 7yr old how much he wants me to pay him for vacuuming he'll give me a number and we'll negotiate if I think it's too high...usually it's not usually he'll say "A dollar"

Wow! I guess we're a lot cheaper than you are! We only give allowance equal to our kids' ages per month. They have three piggy banks which they must decide how to divide the money amongst (savings, charity, and spending). And we always make them set and stick to a "savings goal."

But, in answer to your question, whenever we have our kids do any special projects above and beyond their normal chores, we typically pay them a flat fee. Such as say, $10 to clean and vaccuum the inside of our van. Or $20 to clean the interior windows of the entire house.

Here's another thought. Your daughter is 13, and she is old enough to start babysitting. Why not sign her up for a babysitting class through your local community ed program? We did that for our daughter. Then together, we made a flyer which we passed out to people in our area with small children. Since she'll be working for someone else other than mom and dad, perhaps that will help combat some of the laziness you mentioned. Plus, she'll probably feel good knowing she's truly earning the money she's making.

Good luck!

Personally, if you need to stand over her while she vacuums to be sure that she does a good job and finishes it - she doesn't deserve to get paid. The whole point of having her do these smaller chores is to free you up to accomplish something else.

IMHO - an allowance is something you get for doing those extra things and at 13, things like putting away shoes and hanging up your coat are things you do to take care of your stuff.

Think about this as a job and how it is preparing her for future jobs outside of the house. The boss doesn't pay you for showing up to work (hanging your coat) but for the time you put in and the work you do while there. If he has to follow behind you or do your work over then he doesn't need you to work for him and he fires you.

I have a 14 year old. My first thought was that putting shoes away and hanging up her coat are not "jobs" for a teenager. In 5 years this child will be an adult. I have my 14 year old in charge of meals this summer for two younger brothers while I work, laundry as needed, dishes need to be done, her brother's homework needs to be done. We also have animals that need to be fed and cared for. Cleaning is part of being in our family. She loves shopping as well. But she needs to budget $14/week. If her jobs aren't done, she doesn't get paid in full.

Extra jobs she does include garden work, downloading songs on a birthday gift I pod, sorting toys in the toy room with her brothers, cleaning the garage, washing the car, etc. Do not over pay her!

Our 15 year old daughter cleans the bathroom mirrors and sinks/countertops twice a month to pay for her unlimited texting. She gets $3.00 per bathroom x 5 baths = $15.
$15. x 2 = $30. I think that if she wants texting she needs to pay for it. She also cuts the grass once a week for $20., this is actuallly cash that she can have for spending or saving. I think right now she is saving for when she can drive. She has been cutting the grass since she was $10.
She usually does a great job. I pay my younger boys per job.
folding towels $1.00, loading dishwasher $1.00. swiffer the wood floors $1.00. They are expected to put their things away and keep their rooms picked up. I do think that they need ways to earn money to be able to buy what they want.

Dear J. B.,

We only pay our granddaughters who have lived with us most of their lives $1.75 per week because neither of us can work right now (I'm on Worker's Comp and my husband is medically retired) and we don't receive much child support). They only do dishes every other day and are supposed to keep their bedroom clean but seldom keep their beds made or dirty clothes picked up and in the basement so they can get laundered. We have to get after them to do the dishes and I feel that families have something to do to help keep the family running smoothly that should not require payment just because they are part of the family. I feel that parents should not have to pay for everything. The parents keep a roof over the childrens' heads and food and clothing is not free or shoes and coats. Not to mention all the other things that come up sometimes on a day to day basis. Our girls are only two years apart so quite often when one girl needs something the other does as well. We usually don't make them wait more than two weeks for anything. We also go to movies and do other things that cost money. If we paid them for every little thing they helped us with, we could not afford any of the fun things we do as a family. I was injured a couple years ago and now can't be on my feet very long so fun things are different now than they used to be. Motorized wheel chairs have to be available to borrow where we go to have fun.

We have a large yard and part of it gets mowed on a riding mower and part of it has to be done with a push mower. One granddaughter suggested $3 to mow it for grandpa. More money would be fair but she suggested the $3 so that is what we pay her for the extra work. She wanted some spending money. We also pay for her guinea pig feed and bedding and we paid for the two cages, which were $60 and $70 each.

L. C.

Paying a Teen-ager is now the time to start to tell them ALL ABOUT TAXES, and how a REAL Job works, if you are paying that kind of money to a KID for an hourly rate, you should be taking out that 33% that goes right back to the Red, White and Blue "fees" it costs each of us to live "Free" here in America. then donate that portion to a charity you can Physicaly donate your time to as well. really Show her what her $$ (our $$$) goes to each month. social services, elderly, govt, and city programs.. the $$ Comes from US. and if you are paying her $5 an HOUR, that is what a minimum wager takes Home. Even LESS.. Most times. so I like your attitude of helping her get what she wants. so Beef that up a Bit, to Really Show her how a Responsible adult can budget for what it is that We really want too...
just an idea.
Good Luck!

Hi J., why are you paying her to do what she should do? She should have regular chores to earn the $13 you give her now. Dishes, Laundry, mowing the lawn, caring for any animals, vacuuming, etc are chores to earn allowance. and if she doesn't do them alll...she gets nothing. These are the questions you need to ask yourself: How am I preparing her for her future husband??? How am I preparing her to be an adult? To care for her own home? for the workforce? to be a mom? Hope this helps, L.

Okay, I am only suggesting this because I see what my sis-in-law has turned into...she's 17 now and depends on mommy and daddy FOR EVERYTHING!!! She finally got a job last year and STILL hasn't learned a thing! Only that she can do what she wants, throw away her money and mom and dad will pay for gas and phone bills. Not to judge, I love her...but she shows no respect when it comes to her parents. I have never ONCE in the 13 years that I've known her seen her put a dish in the dishwasher, sweep a floor, vacuume, pick up her room etc. She's not to blame because my mother and father-in-law are the one's who did this to her. She's 9 years younger than her brother and sister so she was treated WAY differently. My hubby and other sis-in-law had to help around the house...NO PAY...and they got jobs when they were 14 or 15 and were made to save part of their paycheck. They also had to keep up with the house or jobs would be lost. They both have a huge sense of reaponsibility now in their adult life and have their parents to thank for it.

So...that being said...

Have you discussed her getting a part time job? She's old enough to work now, and it is summer so school won't get in the way. While school is in she's not allowed to work past a certain time anyway. This will teach her even more responsibility and she'll probably be less willing to lay the guilt trip on a boss. Also, her boss won't be a soft on her. You know how it's hard to say no to your kids sometimes. I get it...I'm a mom too. Obviously there will be times when you will probably need to spot her an exta $20 or $30 and that's fine.

If I were to let her have a job I would make it clear that she would STILL have to do things around the house. If not...she has to leave her job. Trust me...she'll use work as an excuse not to do stuff at home. That's how my mom handled my first job experience...I was 12 turning 13 at the time...way back when Meijer still had kids bagging groceries. I was able to work but I also had school and housework to juggle. I loved having my own money!

I know this isn't what you asked for...just wanted to give you a different suggestion.

Good luck in whatever you do, and I commend you for making her save that $3! Not enough people teach their kids to save...

P.S. My girls are 4 and 6 and they put away laundry, make their beds, keep their toys cleaned up, put their shoes away, hand up their coats, clear the table, set the table, load/unload the dishwasher, sometimes they'll help fold laundry (as best as they can). As soon as they are tall enough and old enough, they'll be graduating to toilets and floors!

I wouldn't pay a per hour rate. I would pay a per job rate. If she is lazy, she could be burning up the time clock and getting more money from you than the job is worth. If she has to get the job done, no matter how long it takes, she will get it done more quickly. Make sure it is done to your satisfaction before you pay her. She is old enough to understand that hanging her coat up,etc is expected of her as part of life, not a chore she gets paid for. Up the ante..."this is what I expect of you, just participating in family life"..."this is what and how I will pay you for additional chores". Soon, at 14 she will be old enough to get a VERY part time job. Anything that can help her prepare for real life...it will be there before she knows it. Teenagers are very interesting to say the least. It's great you are preparing her now!

If you ask me that is a lot of money. I definately would not be paying her per hour unless it is babysitting. I would pay her so much per job. I have a 17 yr old and that is how it works here with her and my 7 yr old triplets. Good luck.

A thirteen year old should not need alot of supervision for regular household jobs. If she wants the extra money for spending, she should do the jobs correctly without you having to supervise. Plus it will help encourage her to not be lazy by giving her an incentive to complete tasks on her own. So I suggest you make a list of jobs and put a price by each one. She doesn't get the money until the job is done correctly, on her own. She will be proud that she accomplished the jobs. It gives her the power to choose the jobs and then you can praise her for the jobs well done. Plus she gets to go shopping. Also, she can add several jobs together depending on our much she wants to be able to spend.

If you want to give her allowance then she should actually work for it. Hanging her coat up and putting her shoes away is a requirement not an option so she should NOT get rewarded for it especially at 13...if she were 3 or 4 that would be a good thing to "pay" her for.
Now that she's growing up you should make a chart with jobs she can do. Put the amount on the chart you will pay her for each job. For example, she could fold a load of towels and make $2 or $3 since it only takes about 10 minutes. Loading/unloading the dishwasher could make her $3 or 4(just suggested prices, you could do more or less) if she does both. Cleaning the bathroom WELL could make her $4 or $5. You get the idea. Make sure she knows she can't clean the bathroom every single day just to get more money. Specify how often during the week she can get paid for each job. Do NOT include taking care of her own belongs as part of the pay program. She needs to understand that now that she's older that it is required so you are no longer paying her for it. If she then stops doing those things charge her for it...make your charges for you taking care of her stuff part of the chart. If you do something like this she will be motivated to help out. Good luck!
P.S. my oldest is 14 and it works GREAT with him. It also works well for my 7, 6 and 4 year old...they have easier jobs though like picking up sticks in the back yard and wiping down the low cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Personally I think 13 is too young for an hourly rate, especially $4-5 per hour. My daughter is 12 and we pay her $10 per week. She is responsible for dishes 3x per week, the small bathroom, litter box and vacumming. We don't include her room or picking up her own stuff in the living room as part of the allowance, but it's required. If she wants more spending money she needs to be willing to work for it (help with the yard work, laundry, do dishes more, etc.).