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How much allowance (ukelønn) for a 15-year-old?

The recommended allowance for 15-year-olds, the move to summer jobs and the tax card (frikort), and how allowance changes character as the child nears an adult economy.

The transition to an adult economy

Fifteen is, in age terms, on the threshold between childhood and youth — and that is reflected in how money works. Many families experience a gradual wind-down of allowance from this age, because the child starts earning money themselves through a summer job, babysitting or part-time work. If you still give allowance at this level, the typical amount is 150–200 kr a week — but the range is even wider than at younger ages. Some families give little or nothing because the child has a part-time job, while others continue with significant amounts that cover clothes, social activity and BSU deposits. The most important conversation at age 15 is that the money habits the child establishes now will carry them straight into adult life.

Summer jobs and the tax card: a first real income

For many Norwegian 15-year-olds, the summer between years 9 and 10 of school is the first chance to earn their own money through a formal job — the till at a shop, washing up at a café, helping with the municipality's summer programmes. It is a milestone. Help the child understand the frikort (tax-free card): in 2026, young people can earn up to 70,000 kr a year tax-free, and the card is fetched electronically via the Norwegian Tax Administration (Skatteetaten). Even though the amounts are small, the child learns critical skills — filling in a timesheet, understanding net pay, seeing how much of the wage actually lands in the account. Many parents choose to continue a smaller allowance in parallel to mark that there is still a shared household, but let the child keep the whole summer-job income themselves.

BSU: now it really starts to add up

For 15-year-olds who have saved in BSU since 13, they already have a two-year head start on most of their peers. This is the point at which the BSU mechanism really starts to add up: with an annual tax deduction of 20% of the deposit (up to 27,500 kr a year in 2026), it is the only saving in Norway where the state directly gives you money back. If the child works over the summer and earns, say, 25,000 kr, a good family habit can be to transfer 10,000–15,000 kr of that straight to BSU. With the tax deduction, the child gets 2,000–3,000 kr back from the Tax Administration next year. It is free money learned by doing — and it lays a foundation for later home-savings plans that most adults wish they had started 10 years earlier.

Chores that fit a 15-year-old

  • Full adult household tasks — kitchen, cleaning, organizing
  • Babysitting for other families as paid work (separate from allowance)
  • Helping with bigger maintenance — painting, assembling, moving
  • Managing their own dentist, doctor and hairdresser appointments
  • Helping with family admin — fetching post, taking in parcels, paying some bills with parents

Savings goals that motivate

  • Summer-job gear, possibly clothes for the work setting
  • A contribution toward russetid expenses (the Norwegian high-school graduation celebration — long-term, if relevant)
  • Maximizing the yearly BSU deposit (the tax-free frikort limit in 2026 is 70,000 kr)
  • Their own trip with friends — interrail, a festival, or a similar long-term goal

Tips for parents

  • The summer-job season often begins at age 15. Talk about what allowance means when the child earns money themselves.
  • The frikort (tax-free card) limit is 70,000 kr in 2026 — it covers most summer jobs. Help the child understand the tax implications.
  • Many families reduce the allowance when the child gets a steady summer or part-time job. It is a healthy transition.
  • BSU is now serious — set aside 200–500 kr a month if possible. Every year counts in the long run.
  • Start talking about what happens at age 18 — their own account structure, their own tax card, their own responsibility for finances.

Frequently asked questions about allowance for 15-year-olds

Should we reduce allowance when the child gets a summer job?
It depends on the size of the job. If the summer job pays 15,000–25,000 kr, you can reduce the allowance noticeably in those months — the child has their own income. Keeping a small symbolic sum (50–100 kr/week) still marks that the home is a whole. With a steady winter part-time job, go down further or stop entirely.
How much BSU is realistic per month?
For a 15-year-old with no income of their own: 200–500 kr/month, often from allowance. With a summer job: contribute 1,000–2,000 kr/month in June–July. The maximum in 2026 is 27,500 kr/year. Even half of the max is a big jump ahead of most peers.
When is it time to let go completely?
When the child has a stable part-time job and can independently cover their own chosen expenses (clothes, social activities, transport beyond school). For many that happens around 16–17. Make a deliberate transition: agree that "from May you take this over entirely" and stick to it.