Books Over Allowance: How We Motivate Our Kids to Learn and Earn

A few years ago, we tried something a little unconventional: we started paying our kids to read books. If this is the first you’re hearing of it, check out this blog where we explain the why: https://www.levelup2lead.com/blog/family-reading-program-1

At first, the idea raised eyebrows among friends—why pay kids to do something they “should” want to do on their own? But our goal wasn’t to hand out money for the sake of it. We wanted to give our kids tools that would shape their mindset, expand their perspective, and expose them to ideas that could change the trajectory of their lives.

What started as a simple experiment has grown into one of the most rewarding things we’ve done as parents.

When We Started

We launched this system about four years ago, when our oldest three kids were 15, 13, and 11. Today, they’re 19, 17, and 15. We also have a four-year-old, but she’s still too young—though we’re already dreaming up a list of age-appropriate history and business books she’ll get to earn from once she’s ready.

If you’re thinking about trying this with your own kids, I’ve found the 11–13 range is a great age to start. They may not jump in right away, and motivation will vary depending on the child, but if you stick with it, the habit and desire will grow.

How Much We Pay Per Book

This was one of the trickiest pieces to figure out at first. We wanted the system to feel fair, but also reflect the value of the content. Here’s how we break it down:

• Real estate and finance books – $75
  (These have the highest ROI in shaping money and wealth mindsets.)
  
  
• History, business/mindset, presidential biographies, and classic fiction – $50
  
  
• Shorter history series (like Drama of American History on Audible) – $30
  
  

Originally, we paid less for classics ($25), but after a team member encouraged us to raise it, we did—and guess what? The kids immediately started reading more classics. Proof that incentives matter.

We chose to tier payments by category of book, but you could also structure it by page count or audiobook length. (Trust me, kids will find every loophole possible, and you’ll discover how “efficient” they can be at picking shorter reads to maximize their earnings.)

Why Books Instead of an Allowance

We don’t typically give our kids money for outings, food, or entertainment. If they want to go bowling or grab dinner with friends, they’re responsible for earning it. Reading became one of the best ways for them to do that.

Now, when they say, “I need $20,” we simply reply:
“Great—go see what book you can read.”

It shifts the conversation from spending to earning—and from quick consumption to long-term investment in their own growth.

Family Conversations Sparked by Books

One of the best parts of this experiment has been the conversations that naturally flow from the books they’re reading.

• Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki sparked lively debates about money, debt, and the Cashflow Quadrant.
  
  
• The Psychology of Money led to discussions about the role of behavior in financial success.
  
  
• Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting the Devil (which is surprisingly engaging on Audible) challenged them to think critically about mindset and discipline.
  
  

Not every book results in a deep family discussion, but we know seeds are being planted. Often, the conversations happen not just between us and the kids, but between the kids themselves after finishing the same book.

The Most Surprising Result

We expected the system to encourage reading. What surprised us was how differently each child responded, and how deeply the lessons carried into their real lives.

For example, when our older two kids turned 16, we had a family policy: whatever they saved toward a car, we’d match. Both of them saved up and bought cars this way. However, when our youngest teen, now 15, started approaching that stage, she surprised us. After reading a number of finance and real estate books, she came to us and said:

“What if I don’t get a car? Would you match my savings toward a down payment on a house instead?”

We hadn’t seen that coming. And while we may need to set some boundaries around just how much we’re willing to match, her thought process blew us away. The fact that she was thinking this way at 15 years old was more than we could have hoped for when we began this experiment.

Final Thoughts

Paying our kids to read started as a practical way to encourage learning. But it’s become much more than that. It’s helped them:

• Develop a genuine love for books.
  
  
• Learn to manage money through earning, not just receiving.
  
  
• Think critically about different worldviews and systems.
  
  
• Dream bigger about their futures—even rethinking major milestones like buying a first car.
  
  

The money we’ve spent has been a small investment compared to the value they’ve gained. And honestly, the growth we’ve seen in their mindset, maturity, and conversations has been worth every penny.

If you’ve ever thought about paying your kids to read, I’d encourage you to try it. Start small, set clear rules, and see what happens. You might be surprised—not just by how much they read, but by how much they grow.