Things You'll Need:
- At least 2 weeks to prepare
- Elbow grease (see definition below)
- Responsibility
- Decent communication skills
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Step 1
Before you begin, make a list of some slightly higher priced toys or items that you would like to purchase when you get an allowance. Nothing cheap that would break and end up in the pile of toys, but something that you've been wanting for a while and that you would have to save your money for.
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Step 2
Every business needs a demand. Before you ask your parents for an allowance, you need to find what the demand is in your house. There are many areas that you can look.
*Dishes
*Laundry - depending on age you could wash, dry, fold or put away.
*Dusting
*Sweeping, Mopping, Vacuuming
*Helping keep younger siblings busy with fun activities while parents are busy -
Step 3
This is where the elbow grease comes in. Elbow grease is slang for hard work. You are going to want to do all of the things on the list above AT LEAST once the week that you ask for an allowance, but even better if you start doing them consistently for 2 weeks before you ask your parents for allowance.
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Step 4
Once your house has been clean, with your help of course, you want to make sure that your bedroom is clean and all areas of the house are free of your toys, school supplies and well, your junk.
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Step 5
Now your parents are spoiled. They've had two weeks of bliss. Chores are being done without being asked and they are most likely starting to consider giving you an allowance anyway, you're almost ready to ask your parents for an allowance.
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Step 6
The day you ask for an allowance, keep your requests for anything else do a minimum! You don't want to burn them out, they may just say no because they're sick of being asked for stuff.
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Step 7
This might be a tough one, depending on the general mood of your parents. You want to wait until they are both in a good mood, and they are together. This avoids the risk that the first parent might say no, taking away your right to ask the other parent. Even if one parent says no, if you plant the seed, the other parent might be able to change the others mind - so make sure they are together when you ask.
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Step 8
Now to ask for allowance. After you've helped them set the dinner table, and then followed through by clearing the table, washing the dishes and allowing them to get comfortable, you can approach them.
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Step 9
Ask them if they have a moment to talk. Parents open up almost immediately to this one because they always want to be available to their children.
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Step 10
You have their attention. Now kindly remind them of all the help you've been giving around the house lately - use your grown up voice, no whining!
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Step 11
Explain to them that you could really use an allowance. Give them the list of things you made in step one and explain that you've already thought about what you would be saving your money for. This shows your parents you're thinking responsibly.
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Step 12
Wait for their response. Do not ask more than once in one sitting - that makes us want to say no. If your parents say no, give them a hug and thank them for listening to you. Ask them if they would be willing to recommend things that you could do and if they would reconsider it at a later time.
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Step 13
If your parents say yes, thank them, give them both a hug and tell them they won't regret it. And make sure they DON'T regret it because they have the power to stop allowance whenever they see fit.
