The Going Rate Paid by the Tooth Fairy

It’s bad enough that so many adults are struggling to make ends meet, but it seems that in these tough economic times, kids are also feeling the pinch—even from one of their favorite childhood visitors, the Tooth Fairy.

That’s right. According to a survey done this year by Visa, the nighttime money-dropper is leaving less than she did last year in most parts of the nation.

The survey of more than 1,000 adults showed that the Tooth Fairy visits 90 percent of American kids under age 12, but she’s holding back.

This year, kids who put a lost tooth beneath their pillow found an average amount of about $2.60 in the morning. That’s down a full 40 cents from last year. And when you’re a kid today, 40 cents could at least cover the tax on a couple of candy bars.

Where children live has something to do with it. According to the survey, East Coast kids saw the Tooth Fairy’s payout drop the most, from an average of $3.40 last year to $2.10 this year, a 38 percent decrease. 

West Coast kids fared better—in fact, the trend this year was up. The Tooth Fairy’s going rate on this coast rose from last year's average of $2.70 to $2.80 this year. That’s up 4 percent! It’s certainly not due to a drop in transportation costs. Who knows how those wings are powered? 

Still, nearly three bucks for a lost tooth may seem a bit extravagant. I mean, for that price you could almost buy a tank of gas.

When I asked my own friends to relay their experiences on this topic, the results were varied. Some said the Tooth Fairy left a flat rate per tooth, usually a dollar. Others took into account the type of tooth that had fallen out: Most teeth earned a buck, but the price of a front tooth rose to $5.

My friend Paul Skolnick said he tried to make tooth loss “a fun thing” when his teenage daughter was younger. The Tooth Fairy would leave a combination of change and then add a bill or two. He admitted that’s a hefty increase from “the end of the Eisenhower administration,” when a lost tooth went for 15 to 25 cents, as he recalled. 

Of course, money is not the only option. There are tales of the Tooth Fairy leaving loving notes with reminders to brush. Sometimes the Fairy will reportedly leave a small gift. 

Parents sometimes face the inevitable cry, “But, Mom, Susie gets $5 a tooth!” 

At least, if your kids complain about what “all my friends are getting,” you can always respond with “but the survey says...” A bit of research never hurt anyone ... even the Tooth Fairy.

For a look at the Visa Tooth Fairy survey, click here.