Allowance vs. Commission: Two Dads Debate the Best Way to Teach Kids Money

Download the free Money Meeting Implementation Guide — everything Dave walks through in this episode so you can start with your kids this week: https://frontrowdads.com/moneymeeting

Two Front Row Dad VIP members. One big disagreement. Eric Farewell thinks allowances are a mistake. Dave Powders swears by them. In this episode, they hash it out — and what comes out of it is a practical framework any dad can use to raise financially confident kids.

Dave breaks down the exact system he's used since his oldest was 8 (she's now 12 and asking about maxing out her Roth IRA), while Eric shares why he pays his kids $25–$75/hour and makes them cover their own expenses — including half their dance lessons and even dental bills.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The 5-jar system for splitting allowance money (play, save to spend, wealth, education, give)

• Why biweekly "money meetings" build financial literacy most schools never teach

• How to use a simple ledger to teach kids budgeting before they're teenagers

• The difference between allowance and commissions — and why it matters less than you think

• How one 12-year-old is funding her Roth IRA through her crochet business

• Why letting your kids make money mistakes young saves them from costly ones later

Whether you're team allowance or team commission, this episode will change the way you talk to your kids about money.

📚 Want more? Grab the top book recommendations from our community of 300 dads — including the reads that changed how we think about money and family — at https://frontrowdads.com/podcast-books