Three wishes, money for two: compare the pairs before choosing
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni3 min read
When your child wants several items, the cheapest individual product can attract too much attention. Choosing between pairs involves both their combined price and which wishes matter most. Write every relevant pair and keep your child's priorities visible beside the prices.
Find the pairs that actually fit
In a hypothetical example, your child has 85 units for optional purchases. Small notebook A costs 30, stickers B cost 45, and pencil set C costs 55. Your child most wants the pencils and then one of the other items. There is no delivery or discount, and the arbitrary figures are invented.
A and B cost 30 + 45 = 75 units, leaving 10. A and C cost 30 + 55 = 85, leaving nothing. B and C cost 45 + 55 = 100, or 15 above the budget. All three would cost 130.
The two cheapest products are A and B. That pair is affordable but omits your child's main wish, C. If they genuinely want two items while prioritising C, A and C are the affordable pair here. It is not the cheapest pair, but it follows the stated priority.
For each pair, write the total, money remaining, and whether it includes the main wish. Your child can then see why one low price tag alone does not decide the combination.
Include buying only one as an option
The pencil set alone costs 55 and leaves 30. That is a real choice too. Your family does not have to spend the whole budget or buy two simply because the exercise lists pairs. Ask whether the second item is genuinely wanted now.
A realistic snag is choosing A and C, then feeling disappointed that nothing remains. Show the remainder before paying. If keeping 10 is important, the limit becomes 75, and no pair containing C fits. Your child can choose C alone or wait before buying the other wish.
Update the pairs if prices or contents change. Do not keep an old total after substituting an item. Adults can help with calculations without choosing your child's priorities for them.
Ask your family: “Which pair follows your wishes, and would you still choose it after seeing how much remains?”
Carry the calculation into your family agreement
Kroni can keep track of your child's virtual balance. The app does not transfer money, so any actual purchase is paid for outside it. Agree on what you will record, then check the amount with your child afterwards. Do not deduct a possible cost as though the purchase had already happened. Read about allowance in Kroni.
