Pocket Money Guide 2025/2026: How Much Is Right for Each Age?
Current age-based guidance from the German Youth Institute, suitable payment schedules and practical ways to choose a family amount.
Quick answer: Current guidance from the German Youth Institute ranges from €1–2 per week for children under six to €40–60 per month for 16- to 17-year-olds. The amount is only one part of a good routine. Regular payments, genuine freedom to choose and clear family agreements matter just as much.
Pocket money table for 2025/2026
The figures below come from the 2025 report published by the German Youth Institute (DJI). They are reference values for families in Germany, not compulsory payments.
| Age | Suggested amount | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| under 6 | €1–2 | per week |
| 6–7 | €2–3 | per week |
| 8–9 | €3–4 | per week |
| 10–11 | €15–25 | per month |
| 12–13 | €20–30 | per month |
| 14–15 | €25–45 | per month |
| 16–17 | €40–60 | per month |
| 18 and over | €55–75 | per month |
Short periods are easier for younger children to understand. A week allows them to see how one purchase affects the next few days. From about age ten, a monthly amount can introduce longer-term planning.
Why there is no single correct amount
A table cannot know your family’s budget or what your child is expected to pay for. Consider:
- which purchases the pocket money should cover,
- what your family can pay reliably,
- prices in your child’s everyday environment, and
- how confidently your child can plan ahead.
Comparisons are only meaningful when the responsibilities are similar. A child who buys occasional sweets cannot be compared directly with a teenager expected to cover clothes or transport. Essential food, basic clothing and school materials should not normally come from freely available pocket money. Older teenagers may receive a separate budget for defined necessities.
Pocket money is practice money. Its value comes from age-appropriate decisions, not from finding one perfect figure.
Weekly or monthly payments?
For preschool and primary-school children, a fixed weekly day is usually easiest. From around ten, moving to a monthly schedule teaches the child to divide money across several weeks.
The change can be gradual. Pay every two weeks for two months before moving to a full month. This gives the child time to ask questions and adjust without turning one mistake into a long period of frustration.
How to choose your family amount
Define its purpose
Write down what the money should cover: small treats, toys, gifts for friends or approved downloads. The clearer the scope, the easier the amount is to understand.
Choose an amount you can sustain
A modest amount paid reliably is more useful than a generous figure that regularly disappears. Families can explain temporary constraints in an age-appropriate way without placing adult financial worries on the child.
Set a fixed date
Whether Friday afternoon or the first day of the month, consistency makes planning possible. Tallo can display a recurring virtual entry; the real money still remains with the parents or in the child’s purse.
Review it at a calm time
A birthday or new school year is a good review point. Ask whether the period is manageable and whether the agreed expenses still make sense. This is a planned review, not daily renegotiation.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Monitoring every purchase: children need a small area of genuine choice.
- Paying early when money runs out: waiting is an important part of the lesson.
- Removing pocket money as punishment: this makes the financial routine unreliable.
- Including essential purchases: basic needs remain the parents’ responsibility.
- Comparing siblings rigidly: age and agreed expenses may differ.
Cash, digital or both?
The Deutsche Bundesbank notes that the tactile nature of cash can help children understand that purchasing power is finite. At the same time, children encounter more digital payments. A combination works well: coins for early independent purchases and a digital overview for routines, saving goals and money held by parents.
Tallo is not a children’s bank account and does not hold real money. It is a digital family ledger that shows what has been spent, saved or paid out as cash.
Conclusion
Use the table as a starting point rather than a measure of parenting success. A useful amount is regular, understandable and affordable. When a child can make small mistakes, wait and prioritise wishes, pocket money is doing its most important job.