Spending Money Word Problems
Spending money questions ask you to turn a weekly activity list into a total cost. The key is spotting whether each item happens every weekday, on weekends, once a week, or on one named day.
The Rules Every Spending Money Question Uses
Weekdays are Monday to Friday, and weekends are Saturday and Sunday. Once you know how often each cost happens, the rest is repeated addition and multiplication.
📅 Rule 1: Every weekday means 5 times
Monday to Friday gives five payments. Multiply the daily cost by 5.
Example: $1 every weekday on guitar lessons = $1 x 5 = $5
🏖️ Rule 2: Weekends means 2 times
Saturday and Sunday gives two payments. Multiply the weekend daily cost by 2.
Example: $2 per day on weekends = $2 x 2 = $4
🧾 Rule 3: Once a week or one day means add once
If an activity happens once a week or on a named day, include that cost one time only.
Example: $2.50 on Monday only adds $2.50, not $12.50.
➕ Rule 4: Add each activity subtotal
Work out each line separately, then add the subtotals. This avoids missing a repeated cost.
Example: $3 + $1.50 + $5 + $2.50 + $4 = $16
3 Worked Spending Money Examples
One straightforward, one multi-step, and one classic mistake to avoid.
1. Named-Day Costs
Question: This week John spends $1.50 on music lessons on Friday only, $2 on football practice on Thursday only, $2 on Karate on Sunday only, $2 on guitar lessons once a week, and $2 on lunch once a week. What is the total cost?
Worked Method
Step 1: Each cost happens once, so add them directly.
$1.50 + $2 + $2 + $2 + $2 = $9.50
Tip: "On Friday only", "on Thursday only", and "once a week" all mean add the amount once.
2. Weekday and Weekend Costs
Question: This week Sean spends $1.50 on Karate on Wednesday only, $1.50 every weekday on music lessons, $2.50 per day for guitar lessons on weekends, $1 every weekday on travelling, and $0.50 per day for Pokemon cards on weekends. What is the total cost?
Worked Method
Step 1: Wednesday only: $1.50.
Step 2: Music lessons every weekday: $1.50 x 5 = $7.50.
Step 3: Guitar lessons on weekends: $2.50 x 2 = $5.00.
Step 4: Travelling every weekday: $1 x 5 = $5.00.
Step 5: Pokemon cards on weekends: $0.50 x 2 = $1.00.
Step 6: Add the subtotals: $1.50 + $7.50 + $5.00 + $5.00 + $1.00 = $20.
Tip: Keep weekday and weekend multipliers separate: weekdays use 5, weekends use 2.
3. Reading "Every Weekday" Carefully
Question: This week Fred spends $1.50 per day for basketball on weekends, $1.50 on lunch on Wednesday only, $1 every weekday on guitar lessons, $2.50 on football practice on Monday only, and $2 per day for Pokemon cards on weekends. What is the total cost?
Worked Method
Step 1: Basketball on weekends: $1.50 x 2 = $3.00.
Step 2: Lunch on Wednesday only: $1.50.
Step 3: Guitar lessons every weekday: $1 x 5 = $5.00.
Step 4: Football practice on Monday only: $2.50.
Step 5: Pokemon cards on weekends: $2 x 2 = $4.00.
Step 6: Total: $3.00 + $1.50 + $5.00 + $2.50 + $4.00 = $16.
Tip: The trap is treating "on Wednesday only" like a weekday repeat. A named day is paid once.
Before You Buy
Want to check the level and layout first? Download the free 3-question sample. It uses the same question style, printable format, and answer-key approach as the full pack.
Download Free Sample PDFGet the Full Practice Pack
The full Spending Money pack contains 75 questions across 3 printable test sets. Students practise weekly spending totals, repeated addition, multiplication, and careful reading of time words.
Checkout and downloads are securely handled on Etsy.com