Additional Coverage:
- I didn’t like that my son was spending his allowance on gaming purchases. Turns out, he was learning financial responsibility. (businessinsider.com)
When our family first encountered the world of kid-friendly apps and online gaming, my husband and I viewed in-game purchases as little more than frivolous spending. The idea of paying for virtual items-like skins, emotes, or digital sneakers for an avatar-felt like throwing money away on nothing tangible.
Our 11-year-old son has always been cautious with money, perhaps even overly so. Yet as he grew more interested in spending his allowance on game currencies like Robux, V-bucks, and Minecoins, we became concerned. It was hard for me to understand why anyone would want to buy cosmetic upgrades that don’t have real-world value.
Initially, we tried to discourage him from making these purchases, discussing the pitfalls of impulse buying and the lure of instant gratification. But we also made sure to listen to his perspective. Gradually, we realized this virtual economy was a domain we didn’t fully grasp-and that our son was learning lessons about money in his own way.
Allowance and autonomy foster financial responsibility
Our children each receive a weekly allowance of $5, with occasional gifts from relatives as their only other income. We purposefully use allowance as a tool for them to practice managing their own money, learning from mistakes, and developing healthy financial habits for adulthood.
While our son is methodical and thoughtful in his spending, our younger daughter prefers the excitement of blind box surprises. We tailor our guidance to fit their different approaches.
Over time, our son has become more discerning about in-game offers. He’s wary of gimmicks that pressure buyers to act quickly and skeptical of deals that sound too good to be true.
Recently, when Fortnite raised the price of V-bucks, he planned to buy more before the increase and even sought my opinion. I encouraged him, saying I’d do the same.
He saw it as a strategic move to save money in the long run.
He also budgets for an $80 annual PlayStation Plus subscription-a cost he must cover himself if he wants to access the games and social experiences important to him. Aside from gifts on special occasions, all gaming expenses come from his own money.
Open dialogue over control builds independence
By stepping back and letting him make his own spending decisions, we’ve opened up honest conversations about money. Our son takes pride in sharing his purchases and views them as smart choices. When he misjudges something, we respond with respect and support rather than stepping in to fix it.
These discussions have revealed how integral gaming is to his social life. Many of his purchases-whether subscriptions, new games, or virtual gifts for friends-center on staying connected and having fun together. Viewed through this lens, spending on gaming feels less frivolous and more like investing in shared experiences.
When I asked him what advice he’d give to other parents, he said, “Remember, it’s not just silly outfits or superficial things. Sometimes it can buy fun experiences.
So if they’re spending their own money, let them go nuts. They’ll learn the consequences sooner or later.”
To our surprise, these in-game expenditures have taught our son that spending money on experiences-virtual or otherwise-can be more valuable than acquiring physical things. It’s a principle my husband and I hold dear, and one I’m grateful he’s discovering on his own.