How Teenagers Influence Household Spending Teenagers influence household spending in a number of ways. Some are familiar to most parents and others may be new. The next time you go shopping and spend more than you planned, the influence of your teenager could be the reason. When going with parents on a shopping trip, teens convince parents to buy something or they take items from the shelves without their parents protesting. Other gimme techniques include sneaking items into the grocery cart or handing items directly to the cashier without parents seeing them.
Teens encourage parents to buy specific brands.
Teens might request a specific brand or parents buy the preferred brand to avoid waste. Teens are in the know. Often, teenagers are more informed than their parents about products such as computers, electronic equipment and designer jeans. Before buying these items, parents often consult their teens. When birthdays, holidays and other special events approach, teens are likely to tell parents what they want for a gift.