Why I Make My Children Pitch for Their Pocket Money
After years of nagging, bribing and quietly resenting the whole pocket money routine, I finally snapped and changed the rules.
My kids now have to pitch for their pocket money each week. Dragons’ Den style.
Before anyone phones social services, let me explain.
I spent years trying to get my children to do basic chores without turning into a grumpy, sarcastic mess by Friday night. Gentle reminders turned into pointed hints, which eventually became sharp instructions delivered through clenched teeth. It never really worked.
What made it worse was the guilt. Even when they hadn’t done what they’d agreed to, I hated withholding pocket money. They’d give me that look — you know the one — and I’d cave. They knew they hadn’t earned it. I knew they hadn’t earned it. But taking money away felt cruel.
So I flipped it.
Instead of starting with pocket money and losing it, they now start with nothing and have to explain why they deserve it.
Say hello to Dragons’ Den
With a complete lack of originality, we borrowed the Dragons’ Den format.
Once a week, we sit down as a family and the kids tell me what they’ve done that week. There’s a bit of back-and-forth, a bit of negotiation, and then we agree how much pocket money they’ll get.
Most of their money comes from the boring-but-necessary stuff: washing up, keeping rooms vaguely presentable, vacuuming. But they can earn extra for almost anything — as long as they can justify it.
They’ve pitched for good grades, helping neighbours, clubs, walking the dogs, even just making a genuine effort during a rough week. If they can argue it convincingly, I’ll usually listen.
And yes, sometimes the pitches are desperate.
After a confident opening, you’ll get a lot of “erms”, awkward silences, and lines like, “I brought a glass downstairs” or “I went to the shop once”.
You can’t polish a turd, as my nan used to say.
It’s not really about the money
The obvious benefit is effort. When they put more in, they get more out. And when they’ve had a quiet week, they already know how it’s going to go before we sit down.
What surprised me was everything else.
My son has gone full corporate on occasion — including a PowerPoint presentation explaining why inflation means he deserves a raise. That alone made the whole experiment worthwhile. Presentation skills, confidence, thinking on your feet — none of that was planned, but it’s been a bonus.
They’re also noticeably better with money. Because they’ve worked for it, they’re less likely to blow it instantly on rubbish. It still happens, but far less often than before.
And finally, it forces us to actually talk. Pocket money used to be a transaction. Now it’s a weekly check-in. Sometimes funny, sometimes awkward, occasionally tense — but better than barking instructions across the house.
Has it worked?
Mostly.
My son goes all-in at first, then loses interest. The early weeks were expensive. The effort tailed off. We adjusted.
My girls are more consistent, although they tend to do nothing for days and then panic-clean as the weekend approaches. If they’re saving for something, or bored, they suddenly become very helpful.
It’s still a work in progress.
How do they feel about it?
They’d obviously prefer free money for doing nothing. I don’t blame them. We’ve talked about that openly.
But right now, there’s less nagging, more effort, and fewer arguments about “whose turn it is”. That alone makes it worth sticking with.
And yes — I still nag.
I am married, after all.
If you’re looking for structured ways to give kids pocket money without turning into the household bank, I’ve written a separate guide on the best GoHenry alternatives.
