How Much Money Should I Put on My Inmate's Commissary Account

The amount you send should fit your financial situation first and foremost, not the inmate's requests.

This is worth saying plainly because it often does not get said. Your financial wellbeing matters. If you are stretching yourself thin to keep money on someone's commissary account while your own bills go unpaid, that is not sustainable and it is not healthy for either of you.

Take care of yourself first. What you can comfortably spare after your own needs are met is the right amount to send, whatever that number is.

That said if money genuinely is not a concern, sending $100 or more at a time would be a meaningful blessing to anyone inside. Commissary funds cover phone calls, personal care items, supplemental food, and small daily comforts that make a significant difference in quality of life behind bars.

A word of honest caution

There are inmates who will say almost anything to get money put on their books. This is not true of everyone, but it is true enough to be worth mentioning. Pressure, guilt, urgency, elaborate stories about needing specific amounts for specific reasons — if any of this feels familiar, trust that instinct.

Think it through carefully before committing to amounts you cannot comfortably afford. A relationship that requires you to sacrifice your own financial stability is worth examining honestly regardless of the circumstances.

Send what you can. Protect yourself first. And if something feels off about the pressure you are receiving, it probably is.