How teenage girls run the world...

Teenage daughters control the purse strings in the family home, according to new research

When Beyonce strutted her stuff at Glastonbury shouting, 'Who runs the world? Girls!', she was partly right. When it comes to spending, teenage girls run the world - as new research shows that they have a big say in how a family uses their money.

From what food to buy, where to eat out, what films to watch, and most importantly, what they wear, the willpower and determination of a teenage girl - of which we can all relate - gives them greater control on how a family’s money is spent.

However, the research conducted by the Office for National Statistics, showed teenage boys don't appear to influence decisions on household spending at all.

‘Teenage girls in the UK typically play an active role in family decisions about the allocation of household resources, says Professor Bernard Fortin, who led the research. 'But older children, those over the age of 21, who are still living with their parents, appear to have no say over household decisions.’

The research recorded the habits of 2,745 families and their spending during the 80s and 90s, and it discovered that homes with teenage girls tended to spend differently on leisure goods, recreational goods and clothes.

‘Every parent knows that children, even at a very early age, have their own preferences over consumption,’ the researchers said. 'But by the time they become teenagers, girls are more independent and when they become capable of earning money their bargaining position improves.'

Did you rule the purse strings when you were younger? Why do you think parents allow girls to have more control over where their finances are spent? Does your teenage daughter dictate where your pennies are spent? Let us know your thoughts by posting in the box below ...