Your Child Sells Something: Agree on Costs and Who Gets the Money
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni6 min read
Short answer: Your child gets the payment you actually received, minus the costs you agreed on before the item was listed. Costs that come up later aren't deducted unless you make a new agreement. Once the adult has been paid, write down three numbers: what your child earned from the sale, what has been handed to your child so far, and what the adult is still holding for your child. The last two numbers should add up to exactly the first.
This article covers the family's own bookkeeping when an adult sells an everyday item that belongs to the child and the sale has already been agreed. Selling platforms, taxes and dealing with buyers are outside its scope. The only goal is that everyone in the family knows where the money is.
Before the sale: three things to agree on
Most of the confusion comes from nobody saying anything before the item was sold. Have a short talk with your child first and agree on these:
- The owner wants to sell. Your child says yes to selling this specific item. A "maybe" is not a yes.
- The lowest price you'll accept. If nobody offers that much, the item isn't sold, or you talk again before going lower.
- Which costs come out of the money. Only costs tied to this one sale, such as an envelope, a box or postage. Name the amount or a cap.
Also write down who handles the sale itself. When an adult takes the payment, it's easy to forget that the money belongs to the child until it has actually been passed on.
A younger child may only need to hear: "If the game sells for $12, $2 goes to the box and the rest is yours." An older child might like to work out the numbers and fill in the worksheet below.
Example 1: board game for $12, $2 for packaging
Fictional example, not a recommended price.
Ida owns a board game she no longer plays. She and her dad agree that he'll sell it, that she wants at least $9, and that up to $2 for a box and tape comes out of the money. The game sells for $12, and her dad receives the payment.
| Line | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Payment received | 12 |
| Agreed cost (packaging) | −2 |
| Ida's share of the sale | 10 |
| Given to Ida now, in cash | 4 |
| Dad is still holding for Ida | 6 |
Check: 4 + 6 = 10. If it adds up, the bookkeeping is done.
If the box had cost $3, Dad would cover the extra $1 himself, because the cap was $2. That's exactly why you agree on costs in advance.
Example 2: a sale with no costs
Fictional example.
Emil, 8, sells a scooter he has outgrown. The buyer picks it up at the house and pays his mom $15. You agreed on no costs, and none came up.
| Line | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Payment received | 15 |
| Agreed cost | 0 |
| Emil's share of the sale | 15 |
| Given to Emil now | 5 |
| Mom is still holding for Emil | 10 |
Even with no costs, it helps to write "0" instead of leaving the field blank. That shows you actually thought about it.
After payment: don't count the same money twice
Once the adult has the money, there are two common approaches: give it all to your child right away, or give part and hold the rest. Both work, as long as you record it correctly.
- Record your child's share once. In Example 1 that's $10, not $10 plus the $4 that was handed over.
- Cash handed over comes out of what the adult holds. The $4 Ida got is part of her $10, not something extra.
- When the adult later hands over more, "still holding" goes down. If Dad gives Ida $2 next week, he's holding $4.
- Keep other money separate. Allowance, gifts and sale money can end up in the same place, but note where each amount came from. If your child has also received money gifts, read about ways to split them in the guide to large cash gifts for kids.
What you shouldn't deduct is ordinary household spending. Things your child needs are still the adults' responsibility, even when your child has money coming in from a sale.
Common pitfalls
- Costs you think of afterward. "I drove to the post office" isn't a cost if it wasn't agreed.
- Rounding without saying so. If it comes to $9.40, it's $9.40. If you want to round, do it together with your child.
- Unclear where the rest is. "Dad has it" is fine, as long as the amount is written somewhere you can both see.
- A lower price than agreed without a new talk. If only low offers come in, talk to your child before you sell.
Copyable settlement worksheet
Print this or copy it into a note. The first row is the fictional example from above, and the second row is ready to fill in.
| Item and owner | Payment actually received | Costs agreed in advance | Child's share | Given to child now | Adult still holding for child |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fictional board game, child | 12 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ | ____ |
Owner agreed to sell: ____. Costs agreed before the sale: ____. Adult handling the sale: ____.
How to fill it in: Child's share = payment received − agreed costs. Then given now + still holding = child's share.
Recording the remaining amount in Kroni
If your family uses Kroni for allowance and savings goals, a parent can add a manual adjustment with a note, such as "Board game sold, $6 Dad is holding." That lets your child see the amount you agreed the adult is holding. The app doesn't sell anything, and it doesn't check or receive payments from buyers. Cash and transfers happen outside the app, so the $4 Ida got in hand should not also be added to her balance. Otherwise it would be counted twice.
Get started this week
- Pick one item your child actually wants to sell.
- Agree on a minimum price, the costs and who sells it, and write it on the worksheet.
- Once payment is received, fill in the rest of the row together with your child.
- Check that "given now" and "still holding" add up to your child's share.
- Each time you hand over part of the remaining amount, update the number.
Frequently asked questions
- What if the cost ended up higher than we agreed?
- The agreement stands. If you set a $2 cap and the box cost $3, the adult covers the difference. If you want to change the arrangement, talk with your child before the next sale rather than deducting extra afterward.
- Does my child have to get all the money right away?
- No. You can agree that part is handed over now and the adult holds the rest. What matters is that the amount being held is written down, and that what was given plus what's held adds up to your child's share.
- Can we deduct the adult's time or driving for the sale?
- Only if you agreed on it before the item was listed. Sticking to concrete expenses like packaging or postage keeps the math easy for a child to follow.
