A 25% jump in expenses: where do Israeli children spend the most?

The expenses of children and teenagers in Israel jumped sharply during the summer vacation months compared to routine days, according to the Max Summer Vacation Index, based on an analysis of data from tens of thousands of reloadable MyMax cards. An analysis of consumption habits shows that there was a significant increase in the average expenditure per card during the summer months, with residents of Gush Dan leading in spending volumes compared to residents of the South and the Galilee.

Major portions of the budget are directed to food and online shopping. About 49% of expenses are dedicated to food, of which about 30% is directed to restaurants and deliveries. The leading platforms on the list are Wolt, Shein, and Temu, with an average expenditure of 213 shekels per month. In the fashion sector, a 20% increase in clothing purchases was recorded, with children in Haifa leading purchases in this field, and the most popular chains being Zara, Bershka, and Delta.

In total, overall spending volumes in the summer recorded a jump of about 25%, and the average expenditure climbed from 320 shekels in routine times to 393 shekels in July, with the peak recorded in Gush Dan at about 437 shekels. The leisure and gaming category accounts for about 11.5% of the budget, with expenses on Roblox, Sony, Apple, and Google. In addition, a 29% jump was recorded in expenses for public transport, led by children in Haifa, alongside a 16% increase in the purchase of school equipment, led by children from the Sharon region and Jerusalem.

Rafi Shauli, VP of Private Clients at Max, noted:

"Financial education from a young age is a value that parents can give their children. Using a reloadable card is an opportunity for an economic dialogue between parents and children based on a real usage experience, with transparency, guidance, and parental control."