Economic conditions in the U.S. are improving in at least one sector – children who receive money from the Tooth Fairy. A survey released Tuesday by Visa shows that the Tooth Fairy is leaving an average of $3 per tooth this year, an increase of 15 percent over the $2.60 left in 2011.
Additional findings in the survey include:
– 3 percent of children receive less than a dollar, down from 7 percent last year.
– 30 percent of children receive exactly $1. Last year’s survey showed that 29 percent of children received exactly $1.
– 13 percent of children receive between $2 to $4, down from 18 percent last year.
– 18 percent of children receive $5, the same amount as compared to last year.
– 8 percent of children receive more than $5, compared to 3 percent last year.
“The Tooth Fairy (is) … showing signs of life by leaving 40 cents more per tooth this year,” said Jason Alderman, senior director of global financial education at Visa Inc.
The survey, conducted nationally from July 13 to July 17 with 2,000 people, was released as part of the rollout of a new mobile app and online calculator from Visa that recommends an appropriate amount to leave for each tooth. The free app and calculator uses Visa’s survey data and factors in demographics such as gender, age, home state, income and education levels to formulate how much money the Tooth Fairy is leaving in comparable households. The app is available for iPhones and iPads at the iTunes Store, while the calculator is available at: www.PracticalMoneySkills.com/ToothFairy.
The calculator is part of Visa’s financial education program, Practical Money Skills for Life.