How Much Does the Tooth Fairy Pay in Your Household?

It's been a long time since the Tooth Fairy stopped by my household. My children have seen their baby teeth come and go and be replaced by the grown up teeth. My daughter's been through braces and she's had a few "extra" teeth yanked to make room for her smile.

But it's a great tradition, this Tooth Fairy, this night-time visitor who bequeaths a few coins or a few dollars for each bit of enamel our youngsters shed.

Now USA Today has reported on a study by Visa out last week that says the average rate the Tooth Fairy has paid in 2012 is about $3, up 15 percent from last year.

Visa's news release also showed these findings:

• 3 percent of children receive less than a dollar, down from 7 percent last year.
• 30 percent of children receive exactly $1.  Last year's survey showed that 29 percent of children received exactly $1.
• 13 percent of children receive between $2 to $4, down from 18 percent last year.
• 18 percent of children receive $5, the same amount as compared to last year.
• 8 percent of children receive more than $5, compared to 3 percent last year.

Would it surprise you to know that Visa also has an app for that? Yeah, you can check the going rate for a tooth on your iPhone or iPad. The author of The Atlantic's article on the topic opens by saying, "I can't decide if the following news is grisly, hilarious, or postmodernly depressing."

How about you? Grisly, hilarious or depressing? What's the Tooth Fairy leave in your household for a lost tooth? Do you feel peer pressure to make sure the Tooth Fairy "keeps up with the Joneses"?