How much allowance at 10, 12, 14 or 16?
The German Youth Institute's allowance chart, the most important rules, the allowance law and a tool kids can use to budget their own money: Die Schweinchenkasse. For parents, and for kids who want to know what's actually normal in Germany.
Good to know: we explain how things work in Germany, where the books are set. Rules and numbers can be different where you live.
The allowance chart
| Age | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 8 to 9 years | €3 to €4 a week |
| 10 to 11 years | €15 to €25 a month |
| 12 to 13 years | €20 to €30 a month |
| 14 to 15 years | €25 to €45 a month |
| 16 to 17 years | €40 to €60 a month |
Source: Deutsches Jugendinstitut (DJI, the German Youth Institute), expert report “Taschengeld und Gelderziehung” (Allowance and Teaching Kids About Money), September 2025. The amounts are ranges and recommendations, not requirements. Up to age 9, the DJI gives amounts per week; from age 10, per month. From about age 12, it also recommends a budget allowance for regular expenses like clothes or school supplies.
Three rules that matter more than the amount
- Regular, without asking. The money comes on a set day, all on its own.
- Neither a reward nor a punishment. It doesn't depend on how the child has behaved.
- It's their money. Parents don't judge what it's spent on. A bad buy with a little money is a good lesson.
Mich kann man nicht ablenken … Außer mit Futter.
ToffyDie Schweinchenkasse: an allowance planner (in German)
Not a piggy bank. Four guinea pigs. And your money. 23 pages (in German) for kids 8 to 12: a savings goal, a wish list with the 3-day rule, a money log for every week, Mojito's Price Detective, Toffy's Buy Check, a request for more allowance and a certificate at the end. Plus a parent guide with the allowance chart and five tips for talking about money. Prints well in black and white and works digitally on a tablet, too.
What kids can buy on their own: the allowance law
Small things a child pays for right away with their own allowance, like an ice cream, a comic book or a bag of carrots, are fine. In Germany, a lot of people know this as the Taschengeldparagraph, the allowance law (§ 110 of the German Civil Code). But an order paid later by invoice, a subscription or an expensive purchase needs a yes from the parents. Without that yes, the contract is left hanging, and if the parents say no, it's off. The law looks out for kids until they can look out for themselves. In Volume 2, Mr. Grey explains it to Christian after Daria orders the Mega Nibble Box.
More in the Learning Corner: The allowance law, explained for kids.
Earning more money: when are kids allowed to work?
In Germany, working under age 13 is not allowed. At 13 and 14, light tasks are allowed, like taking care of pets, but only with a parent's yes, for two hours a day at most and never during school hours. From 15, summer jobs are added, for up to four weeks a year. Helping out at home is just part of family life and doesn't automatically mean money. Or as Mr. Grey says in Volume 4: “Helping briefly is not a job.”
More in the Learning Corner: Minimum wage, fair pay and working under 18.
For more money, the planner has a page full of ideas: selling something together, inventing something, an extra project worked out with your parents. Or a lemonade stand, like in Volume 1.
Questions about allowance
How much allowance is right?
The German Youth Institute gives ranges: €15 to €25 a month at ages 10 to 11, €20 to €30 at 12 to 13, €25 to €45 at 14 to 15 and €40 to €60 at ages 16 to 17. What matters most is what the child is supposed to pay for with it.
Do parents have to give an allowance?
No. In Germany there's no law that requires parents to give one or sets an amount. But the DJI does recommend an allowance, because kids only learn to budget money when they have their own.
Can allowance be taken away as a punishment?
The DJI advises against it: an allowance should come regularly, without the child having to ask for it, and no matter how they've behaved. It is neither a reward nor a punishment.
What is a budget allowance?
Money on top of the allowance that's meant for regular things, like clothes or school supplies. The DJI recommends it from about age 12, so kids learn to plan with bigger amounts.
Can kids sign contracts on their own? The allowance law explained simply
Christian asks, and Mr. Grey answers honestly: Not one like this. Small things you pay for right away with your own allowance, like an ice cream, a comic or a bag of carrots, are fine. In Germany, lots of people know this as the allowance law (§ 110 of the German Civil Code, the “Taschengeldparagraph”). But an order on invoice or a subscription needs your parents’ yes. Without that yes, the contract is left hanging, and if your parents say no, it’s gone. The law looks out for kids until they can handle it themselves.
At what age can kids work?
The back of the book explains it briefly, for Germany: under 13, kids aren’t allowed to work. At 13 and 14, light tasks are allowed, like taking care of pets, but only with the parents’ okay, for no more than two hours a day and never during school hours. From 15 on, jobs during school vacations are allowed too, for up to four weeks a year. Helping out at home is just part of family life, and it doesn’t automatically come with money. Or as Mr. Grey says: Helping for a bit isn’t a job.
Free: the lemonade stand math sheet
Figure out the income, expenses and profit of your own stand, just like Christian in Volume 1. Free in the FLITCH Club. All you need is an email address.
Go to the FLITCH Club