Freddy's First Allowance

Hi, I’m Freddy, and today something amazing happened—I got my first allowance! It all started at breakfast. I was eating a mountain of pancakes when Mom slid a crisp $5 bill across the table.

“This is for you,” she said with a big smile. “You’ve been such a great help with chores.”

I couldn’t believe it! My very own money. “Wow, thanks, Mom!” I said, holding the bill like it was a treasure map. But then I froze. What should I do with it?

Mom smiled and said, “That’s up to you, Freddy.”

So, did what any kid would do in this situation, I investigated. I was on a mission to figure out the best way to use my first allowance.

First Stop: Dad’s Workshop

I found Dad in the garage, working on my bike. “Dad,” I said, holding up my $5, “what should I do with this?”

Dad wiped his hands on a rag and said, “Well, Freddy, one thing you can do is save it for something important. Like, if you want a new soccer ball, you could start saving now.”

That made sense. Saving sounded smart.

Mission two: Uncle Joe’s Porch

After that, I went to see Uncle Joe, who was sitting on his porch with a cup of coffee. “Uncle Joe,” I asked, “what would you do with your money?”

He grinned at me. “Freddy, sometimes you’ve just got to treat yourself. Life’s short—why not spend a little on something fun? Like an ice cream cone.”

Ice cream? Now that sounded tempting!

Third Mission: A Visit to Grandpa’s Garden

Then I headed over to Grandpa’s house. He was out in the garden, watering his tomato plants. “Grandpa,” I said, “do you have any advice for my allowance?”

Grandpa adjusted his hat and said, “Money’s like these plants, Freddy. If you take care of it, it grows. You could use your money to invest in something you enjoy, like supplies for a hobby or project.”

That sounded interesting. I liked the idea of making my money grow.

Mission four: Up to Timmy’s Treehouse

My last stop was Timmy’s treehouse. He’s my best friend and always full of ideas. “Timmy,” I said, climbing up the ladder, “what would you do with $5?”

Timmy thought for a moment. “I’d probably do a mix of things. I could get candy when your parents tell you 'no', put it in a piggy bank, or upgrade to the new shoes that came out. For you, You could give to the animal shelter—you love dogs!”

I grinned. Timmy always knows me so well. Sharing sounded like a good idea, too.

Mission Complete?

After all that advice, I was still feeling a little stuck. When I got back home, I sat down at the table with Mom. “I got great advice,” I said, “but I’m not sure how to keep track of everything.”

Mom smiled and said, “How about this? Let’s open a bank account for you. That way, you can keep your allowance safe, save it up, and even earn a little interest.”

I was so excited. “Really? I can have my own account?”

That afternoon, Mom and I went to the bank. The teller helped me open my account, and I handed over my first $5 bill. It felt amazing to know my money was safe and I got my own card.

On the way home, I felt proud and excited. I still did not know what to do, but I felt one step closer to being responsible. This wasn’t just my first allowance—it was the start of something big.