'Tooth Fairy' leaves $3 per tooth in 2012

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- California-based financial company Visa said its survey indicates the "Tooth Fairy" left an average $3-per-tooth for U.S. children this year.

Jason Alderman, Visa's senior director of global financial education, said the company's telephone survey of 2,000 U.S. adults indicates the amount of money left by the "Tooth Fairy" this year increased 15 percent over the average from 2011.

"The Tooth Fairy may be the canary in the economic coal mine. She's showing signs of life by leaving 40 cents more per tooth this year," Alderman said. "This is not only good news for kids, but an ideal teachable moment for parents to engage their children in thinking about how to budget their windfall by saving a portion."

The survey, conducted July 13-17, had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.