More cash for children: Budget Counselling Switzerland recommends bag allowance increase
31.1.2025
Translation: machine translated
The rule of "one franc per week and school year" is a thing of the past. Budgetberatung Schweiz now recommends starting with three francs in the first grade. Up to the third grade, one franc is added, from the fourth grade onwards, the mode changes.
It's not just adults who are realising that everything is getting more expensive. Even children can no longer afford as much from their pocket money. Since 1980, the Swiss Budget Counselling Association has been making recommendations on the appropriate amount of pocket money for each age group so that children can learn how to manage their money. The new scale looks like this
Lower school
| Stufe | Betrag | Auszahlungsrhythmus |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Klasse | 3 Franken | wöchentlich |
| 2. Klasse | 4 Franken | wöchentlich
|
| 3. Klasse | 5 Franken | wöchentlich |
The first step in the financial career is to make money a topic from kindergarten age. Children gain their first experiences through conversations, involvement in shopping and their own small expenses. What do we really need? What do you just want to have? Budget counselling suggests that starting school is a good time to introduce pocket money. This is when children should learn to understand the value of money and dealing with numbers and simple calculations gradually becomes part of everyday life.
Middle school
| Stufe | Betrag | Auszahlungsrhythmus |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Klasse | 15 Franken | alle zwei Wochen |
| 5. Klasse | 18 Franken | alle zwei Wochen |
| 6. Klasse | 20 Franken | alle zwei Wochen |
When the children reach middle school, they should be prepared to plan a little more long-term with their budget. That's why every fortnight there's an amount that can give one or the other a new experience: Having to do without pleasure purchases for a fortnight if the cash has been hit on the head right at the start. To prevent this from happening so often, separate accounts can help. For example, by feeding a savings pig and a fun pig with certain amounts from the budget.
Piggy banks
Quantity discount
CHF13.10 per piece for 2 units
Paladone Products Minecraft Pig
19.5 x 10 x 15 cm
Upper level
| Stufe | Betrag | Auszahlungsrhythmus |
|---|---|---|
| 7. Klasse | 50 Franken | monatlich |
| 8. Klasse | 60 Franken | monatlich |
| 9. Klasse | 70 Franken | monatlich |
From upper school and the age of 12, the recommended rhythm is then the same as for adults: Once a month there's an amount to budget and save up for larger purchases. In secondary schools, it is recommended that the disposable amount is increased by 10 francs each year until the child reaches the age of majority.
Sack money
What do you think of the new recommendations?
- The recommended amounts are too high.52%
- The recommended amounts are exactly right.41%
- The recommended amounts are too low.7%
The competition has ended.
It is important to decide together which costs the child will pay out of their budget. What about clothes, the mobile plan, care products or train tickets? Depending on the agreement, a different amount is fair and a matter for negotiation within the family. If the young people finance such running costs out of their own pocket, this in turn has a learning effect. They gradually take on more responsibility. The same principle as with the youth wage.
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
Family
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest
4 comments
later