Teaching Your Kids to Save Money
Author: Ehud Furman
No matter how old you are, it pays to be financially savvy. Children are curious about money and through observation and repetition, can be taught about it as soon as they can count. Educating, motivating and empowering children to become regular savers and investors will ultimately encourage them towards financial independence and smart financial decisions later on in life. T o help you educate your kids about personal finance, here are 13 money management tips. Money Management Tips for Kids 1). Talk to your kids about your values concerning money.
Teach them how to save it, how to grow it, how to spend it wisely and how to avoid the temptations of credit cards or excessive, thoughtless spending. 2). Help your kids learn the differences between needs, wants and wishes.
This will hopefully prepare them for making good spending decisions later in life. You can help them by differentiating between things that they need (new shoes for example), that they want (a new music CD) and things they wish for and would need to save for (a new bicycle or cellphone). 3). Teach them about setting goals.
Whether it's saving to go to the movies once a week or saving up for an iPod, goals will help your kids learn about the value of money and how to become responsible for it themselves. 4). Introduce your kids to the value of saving versus spending.
To demonstrate the concept of earning interest on income, you could consider paying "interest" on the money your kids save at home. This will foster a continuance of a savings plan later on in life. Pocket Money and Spending Decisions Receiving an allowance will give your kids a sense of independence and spending power. However, simply handing over the cash each week is not going to teach them about the value of money. 5). Give pocket money in denominations that encourage saving.
If they receive R20 a week, give them four R5 coins and encourage them to set aside at least R5 towards their savings plan. 6). Take your kids to the bank to open their own bank savings account.
Encouraging regular saving habits early is one of the keys to saving success. Just remember that you'll generally need to accompany them to open their bank savings account if they're under 18 years old. 7). Allow them to make spending decisions.
Refusing to let your kids withdraw and spend their own money could discourage them from saving. Rather encourage them to do research before making major purchases and wait for the right time to buy (like the end of season sales). Have a discussion about the pros and cons of saving or spending their hard-earned money before leaving for the shops. 8). Keep records of money saved, invested or spent.
To encourage an element of financial control use 12 small envelopes - one for each month of the year - and encourage your kids to place receipts for all purchases in the envelopes. This could be useful when explaining the concept of budgeting as they will be able to see regular and ad hoc expenses throughout the year. 9). Teach your kids the value of money when shopping.
Going to the supermarket is often a child's first spending experience and the outing can be used to demonstrate planning and budgeting. By writing a list of the week's shopping you can teach them to avoid impulse buying and by making price comparisons you show them how to check for value and quality. 10). First-time investors.
To help demonstrate the workings of the stock market you could allocate a few of the shares you own to your kids and follow the company's market activity together. This exercise would work best with brands that children can relate to like their local supermarket chain, mobile service provider or favourite clothing brand. As they get older, you could help your kids choose some shares to buy with their own money. The Ins And Outs of Money Management 11). Explain the dangers of borrowing and paying interest.Charging interest on small loans you make to your kids will help to illustrate the concept of interest. 12). Demonstrate being aware of spending.
When using your debit or credit card at the supermarket or a restaurant, show them how to verify the charges and how to calculate a tip. 13). Encourage regular family financial discussions.
Whether this is a time for younger children to tally up their savings or for a discussion with your teenager about developments in the national and global economies, improving their understanding of finance will be useful in becoming more confident with money and ultimately, establishing their financial independence.About the Author:
Capitec Bank is a South African retail bank which provides affordable, accessible and simplified banking with personal service. The bank's underlying philosophy is to use innovative technology to drive down costs, to increase accessibility and to simplify client processes. Capitec Bank's innovative Global One facility proves that there is a real alternative to the local traditional banks and this single banking facility offers a range of transacting, credit and saving options which are all accessed using a paperless, card-driven process in realtime. Children Vitamins Ensure the Growth of Children Efficiently Benefits Of Music Lessons For Children Ways To Encourage Your Child’s Imagination Learn To Write: Writing Logical Children's Stories! Otoplasty: Know Why Childhood Is The Best Time For The Procedure Plus Size Clothing Tips For Children Plus Size Fashion For Teens - Very Much Alive And Kicking Personalized Baby Boy Gift: What To Contribute To Your New Nephew Using Home School Resources To Educate Your Kids Family Receives $4.4 Million For Death Of Baby When Nurse Trainee Misses Signs Of Fetal Distress Baby Gifts for Baby's First Birthday How To Find Assistance In Coming Up With Unique Baby Shower Gift Ideas Wii Games List For Kids