If you're a parent whose kids like to use the iTunes Music Store as much as you do, you might find that you're having to pay more for their music than you do even for your own. This can be especially worrisome if it turns out they're using your credit card to do it.
Sign In to the iTunes Music Store
Choose Music Store from the Source pane in the iTunes window and connect to the store. If you are not already signed in, click the Sign In button in the upper-right corner and provide your Apple ID (or AOL screen name) and password to sign yourself in.
Go to the Allowance Section
Click the Allowances link in the Account box on the iTunes Music Store's home page. The resulting screen explains the workings of an allowance and gives you a form to fill out that determines how the allowance is dispensed to its recipient.
Set Up the Allowance Conditions
Fill in your name and the recipient's name. (These names are used in the notification email that's sent to the recipient.) Choose an amount of money to be charged automatically to your iTunes Music Store account. This amount can be anything from $10 to $200 (if you're a particularly generous parent).
Allowances are credited at the beginning of each month. If you're setting up the allowance in the middle of the month, you need to choose how the remainder of the current month should be handled. Do you want to wait until the first of next month before funding the allowance, or do you want to start by fully funding the current month (even though it's partially over already)? Choose the option describing how you want to do it.
If the allowance's recipient already has an Apple ID, choose Use recipient's existing Apple Account, and fill in the Apple ID (twice, for safety) in the next two fields. If the recipient doesn't yet have an account, choose Create an Apple Account for recipient. You'll be prompted to create a new Apple ID for the recipient in the next step.
Note
An Apple ID does not have to be associated with a credit card or any personal information; thus, a minor can legitimately have an Apple ID.
Finally, enter a personal message for the recipient. Your wording of this message is up to youafter all, this might be a new privilege for your kid, or a punishment!
Click Continue when you're ready to proceed. You're prompted to verify your Apple ID; enter your password and click Setup.
Create an Account for the Recipient
If you chose to create a new account for the recipient, you must fill out the next screen to create the new Apple ID. Fill in the recipient's email address, first and last name, and birth date. Choose a password and enter it twice.
(More appropriately, you could have the recipient choose a password and enter it in the two fields provided.) As always, make sure that the password is hard to guessa mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols.
Click Create when you're done. The recipient's Apple ID is ready to go.
Tip
The owner of an Apple ID can change his password at any time. Go to the account information page. (Click the Apple ID in the Account box in the upper-right corner of the iTunes window. Enter the password associated with that account when prompted, and click View Account.) In the account information page, click Edit Account Info to change your password and update other security information.
Buy the Allowance
The final screen is a confirmation that summarizes the details of the allowance, including all the fields you filled out and options you chose. To make changes, click Back; otherwise, click Buy to begin the allowance. From now on, the recipient will be able to log in to the iTunes Music Store using the account you set up for him and buy music using credit as though he'd received a gift certificate.
You can cancel an allowance at any time by going to your account information page. (Click your Apple ID in the Account box. Enter your password when prompted, and click View Account.) When you cancel an allowance, future payments into the account are stopped, but any remaining balance is still usable until it's gone.