Allowance inflation: 1 in 4 got a pay rise from mum and dad

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Taylor Blackburn
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Key takeaways

  • Australian kids under 13 earn an average of $21.60 per week pocket money.
  • Boys earn just slightly more than girls on average.
  • 1 in 10 Aussie kids (9%) are earning less pocket money than they were 12 months ago.

More than a quarter of Aussie kids (28%) got an increase in their pocket money in the past year, according to a report by Finder.

 

Finder's Parenting Report 2026, which surveyed 1,008 Aussie parents of children under 13, reveals Australian kids now earn an average of *$21.60 per week in pocket money – equivalent to $1,123 a year.

 

The report found boys earn a fraction more than girls – with sons collecting $21.70 per week compared to $21.40 for daughters.

 

Just under 1 in 10 Aussie kids (9%) are earning less pocket money than they were 12 months ago, while 63% are earning the same amount.

 

Of the 73% of children who receive pocket money, 43% earn it if they do their chores, while 30% receive pocket money regardless.

 

Sarah Megginson, author of How to Raise Rich Kids and personal finance expert at Finder, said the majority of Aussie kids earn pocket money.

 

"More and more parents are turning to digital allowance apps rather than giving their children physical cash.

 

"I'm a huge believer in whatever adds the least mental load for parents. Whether it's a sticker chart, a pocket money app or a direct debit into their bank account – the best system is the one you'll actually stick to."

 

Megginson said research shows kids who had regular chores starting at age 3 or 4 were more likely to become well-adjusted, successful adults.

 

"When kids earn their pocket money through chores, they're learning that effort has value and that's a lesson that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

 

"Asigning children paid chores is more about teaching responsibility and building confidence than expecting them to do a perfect job."

 

Megginson urged parents to teach basic financial literacy along with the payment of pocket money.

 

"The goal isn't just to hand over cash – it's to plant the seeds of curiosity and confidence around money.

 

"Whether that's $5 a week or $25, what matters is that children are involved in the process and starting to understand that money is something you earn, manage and grow.

 

"Teaching them how to grow their money by parking it in a high interest savings account designed for kids could be a powerful way to shape how they interact with money in the future."

 

Are you giving your child more, less or the same amount of pocket money as 12 months ago?

More28%
Less9%
The same amount63%
Source: Finder's Parenting Report 2026Finder logo

 

Read Finder's Parenting Report 2026 here.

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