"Back in my day, the Tooth Fairy only left ____!"
Whatever amount you finish that sentence with, you probably think that kids these days are getting spoiled rotten by the Tooth Fairy. Parents have long complained about "price creep" for baby teeth, as kids become accustomed to inflated paydays.
But a new study suggests kids are actually the ones feeling the pinch these days, as the average payment from the Tooth Fairy dropped for the second year in a row.
American kids earned an average price of $3.70 for a tooth in 2018, 43 cents less than they earned in 2017, according to a poll of 1,058 parents by insurance group Delta Dental Plans Association.
Prices for teeth from the frugal fairy have dropped 21% in the last two years.
Delta Dental points out that the Tooth Fairy's generosity seems to follow the ups and downs of the S&P 500 index, and warns kids may try to "hold on to a lost tooth until market conditions improve."
The study also uncovered some interesting facts about how parents and kids handle lost baby teeth:
- Parents in the West pay an average of $4.19 for a tooth, while southern parents offer $3.91. Parents in the Northeast give $3.75, while tight-fisted Midwest parents pay just $2.97.
- 48% of kids are smart enough to save their tooth fairy money instead of spending it.
- 30% of kids go to bed early after losing a tooth, so their payday will come sooner.
Does this study match up with the tooth fairy's prices in your house?
[H/T: NBC News]
