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Cover Story: Why pocket money?
Today’s generation is sharp. It is alert and exposed to issues that its counterparts in a former generation would never have even heard of. It knows what it wants and is aware of the multitude of options as to how to get there. And one thing it wants more than ever is a warm pocket. That’s right, pocket money!
Today’s prodigy knows what the big bucks mean and is smart enough to realise that he can’t do without them. This money-consciousness gradually sinks into him as he sees his parents struggle to make ends meet (if he springs from a middle class or even lower strata); or he hears his father close a huge deal (if he belongs to the more affluent class).
Attribute it to the endless assortment of products that are advertised and glorified on the media, which convinces him that if he doesn’t have ‘that’ particular gadget or pair of branded shoes, he’ll never make it into the ‘in’ crowd. The bottom line is: teenagers in this day and age vehemently claim that they need pocket money like no generation has needed before.
Seventeen-year-old Ashir knows he wants to become a photographer. For a teenager who should be caught up in dealing with his raging hormones and throwing money away on junk food, he realises it’s an expensive hobby and an even more exorbitant profession choice. “I’d been saving up for a state-of-the-art camera for the past two years. Apart from cajoling my parents to increase my monthly pocket money, I’d been cutting back on concerts and outings that my friends were indulging in.” Ashir has finally managed to purchase his dream camera, but is now pestering his father for an even steeper pocket money increase as he knows that developing photographs is not a small expense.
His father, a civil engineer, is adamant that he will not give him even a penny more. “It’s commendable that he’s so focused as regards to what he wants from his future, yet I believe the Rs2,000 I’m giving him every month is more than enough. It’s an amount I wouldn’t even consider getting as my spending money when I was his age,” he finishes. Ashir also agrees that buying from his own pocket money helps foster a feeling of independence. “When I buy a software or gadget from my money it makes me feel on top of the world and all the saving up is worth it. It ‘is’ my father’s money but still when he hands it over to me, I have authority over it.”
Nafisa, mother of three, believes that a predetermined amount as spending money is a healthy trend. “I’ve been giving pocket money to my children ever since they entered their teens. Before that a parent caters to the whims and fancies of their children. But as they grow older a fixed amount every month helps them budget their needs — needs for them, though they might be luxuries for us. If they have a specific amount in their hands they don’t have to constantly beg and plead with me or their father.” Nafisa believes it is imperative to make children realise the worth of money. “Cash isn’t something which grows on trees, and our next generation needs to realise that.”
Tehseen, 18 years of age, fervently believes that what she gets as pocket money is peanuts. “For crying out loud, I don’t think my parents can even fathom what designer wears costs today. They give me spending money as if I dwell in the 60’s when they were teens.” Being an A-level student in an elite private school, she says she is forced to spend on labelled clothing and shoes. “That’s what my friends are wearing. I can coerce my dad to buy me a couple of pants or shirts but that simply isn’t enough. He has no idea how difficult it is to fit in, and like it or not, the way you dress and look plays a big role in being accepted.” She believes that what is a priority for her might be insignificant or even frivolous for her parents. And thus the generation gap widens as we speak.
“Mobile accessories and the latest computer software is what I get my hands on as soon as I get my pocket money,” says 15 year old Aslam. His parents encourage his interest in computers but they cannot understand how he can spend such huge amounts on credit for his mobile. “My Amma and Abba don’t realise that kids my age and even younger have mobile phones and spend exorbitant amounts on pre-paid mobile cards. Messaging consumes credit like a jungle fire.”
“My dad thinks I’m too young to wear perfume but the kids in my class are wearing branded scents,” complains 13-year-old Hunaid. Hunaid has been pleading with his dad to give him a fixed amount as spending money but his father refuses. “Papa feels that I should ask him for the money whenever I need anything. He claims that he’ll never say no to me as long as he feels my demands are not trivial. My friends spend endless amounts on play station CDs and DVDs. I’ve been asking for a better tennis racket to play at the club we’re members at but he’s not convinced that I need it.”
Hunaid laments that if he had pocket money he would be able to spend according to his own wishes. He regrets not being able to select gifts of his choice for his friends on their birthdays which he fears, might lead to him becoming a social outcast.
Some teenagers wish to take things in their own hands and are scouring ways to make money. “I know my middle class parents cannot afford to give me more than what I already get,” says 17-year-old Asim, an O-level student. But that has not unnerved him. He is working nights at a popular fast food joint to put that extra cash in his pocket. “It’s not considered unacceptable anymore for a person coming from an educated background to wait in restaurants. In fact, it’s a fantastic opportunity for youngsters to earn.” Asim says his father approves as he did the same when he was studying abroad as a teenager some twenty five years ago.
Hawra and Jumana have just found free time putting intermediate exams behind them. For the summer they are whipping up batches of homemade cup cakes to sell at eateries. “It’s a great way to pass the summer productively and it’ll help us earn money which we’ll be able to spend according to our own whims and fancies.”
“Summer provides us a good time to look for jobs we might not be able to opt for during the college year,” believes Fatima, an A level student. Fatima’s aunt runs a summer camp during these searing months and she worked as a helper. “I, however, insisted that I would be charging her by the week. I mean, time is money and even though we might be related by blood but I made her realise that I’m doing this for the cash and the experience.”
So here it is! Today’s youth, our generation next, are very clear in their minds regarding what’s what, who’s who and what the latest colour trend is. That’s right— it’s green: the colour of money.
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