Teaching money lessons to kids is a crucial thing. It helps them to understand the concept of money from an early stage and develops their experience from it. Gaining financial skills is vital to lead life successfully and enrolling kids in money lessons are a primary step towards it.However, the real challenge lies in how to teach them. Thus, here we have discussed some easy and interesting ways to teach your kids about money:
1. Give them money control
The first thing you should do is to give your kids some money control. By according them some responsibility to handle cash, you can teach them the fundamental of money. For example, introduce them to the coins and ask them to save it in their piggy bank to see their money growing. Giving money control allows them to spend money wisely.
2. Educate them to save money
From a young age, everyone should adopt the habit of savings. For instance, your kid wants to purchase a toy, tell him/her to save money and buy it the next month. With this, he/she will learn the value of saving money and get rewarded later on.
3. Tell them to reduce expenses
Avoid unnecessary expenses in front of your kids to indulge in the importance of financial planning in them. If your kid is asking you to buy him something, tell him to wait for some time and decide whether it is required or not. Saving and reduced expenses go hand in hand. If they will learn about saving money they tend to spend it smartly.
4. Teach them to create a budget
Educate your kids on creating a budget to keep track of their monthly expenses and savings. In this technological world, you can use some budgeting applications like everydollar in your child’s device and teach them simple budgeting and investing money. They should learn about keeping a record of where they are spending their money from the beginning, no matter how small the amount is.
5. Educate on credit concepts
Credit isn’t a bad thing. In fact, you should teach your kids about the benefits and drawbacks of using credit cards for purchasing items. Using credit cards is not only comfortable but also serves as an efficient financial management tool to keep track of your spending and earning rewards.
6. Let them earn money
Give your kids some space to earn money for his needs. During summer/winter breaks, indulge him in cleaning the house, washing the car, etc to get some earning. It is always good to earn some money from an early age for achieving financial objectives in the long run too.
7. Take them to bank
You can take your kid to the bank with you and show them how to deposit money, withdraw cash, etc. You can also open a savings account with your child’s name to teach them banking lessons and how money operates.
8. Look into scholarships
If your child is about to complete his schooling, ask him to look for scholarships. This way he/she will be able to determine his/her financial goals and work towards it. Know more about how to apply for scholarships.
9. Read money books
Reading is another mesmerizing way to teach kids about money management. You can choose some simple story books to deliver basic money lessons to your children which remain with them forever. These books explain the basics of finance simply and interestingly to lead children on the path of successful money management as they get older.
10. Play money games online
There are thousands of money games available online. It helps kids to learn the concept of money while having fun. These games are categorized for children of various age groups also. This is a great way to teach kids about saving, purchasing and other money skills with fun and entertainment.
Final words
Money is essential for everything and giving money lessons to kids is an essential step in their nurturing. Children who learn about money from a tender age tend to get more benefits in saving, investment and remain in a better position to pay for them.
Author Bio: Sapna Singhal is a Senior Content Writer at My Banking Information which is a Financial Content Blog which teaches non-financial people how to invest and also about finance in a simple and easy to understand way. Check out her website @ mybankinginformation.com
What money lessons will you start using with your kids?
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Business is the status quo for adults but when it comes to kid entrepreneurs, we love hearing about them doing big things. I wanted to highlight extraordinary children who have started a business and have set out to change the world. They are making a difference in the community and influencing other kids around them.
This is just the beginning of my Kids in Business posts. I plan to highlight them at least once a quarter. If you have a kid in business, submit them here and perhaps they will show up on this list.
In the spirit of being supportive, be sure to click on their website and social media links to buy their products and follow them too!
KidNewsMaker
Media outlet by an award-winning kid reporter with a print magazine, videos, and app on the way.
About Kidpreneur Alejandra Stack
Alejandra Stack is an award-winning journalist, speaker, and activist. She’s the NAACP Youth Council President, an actress, and daughter of a reporter who started her media outlet after seeing that kids were not being highlighted in her local paper. While she has interviewed celebrities, she prefers highlighting everyday kidprenuers, community helps, scholars, athletes and more. “We’re not waiting, we’re creating!”
Kidpreneur Website
Visit www.kidnewsmaker.com to learn more about the magazine and order a subscription for your kids.
Destiny provides fun educational & interactive workshops & classes to youth by teaching them how to code. Coding is a fundamental skill within Computer Science. It is the “language” of technology & the foundation of our world.
About Kidpreneur Destiny Adams
Destiny is a budding teen Entrepreneur! She aspires to be a Computer Scientist. She has traveled around the world locally & internationally teaching & studying Steam (Coding). Her passion to help others learn this vital skill. She is excited about her future mission & future!
Mia’s Treats Delight provides homemade baked goods all made with love. Cookies, brownies, and cupcakes can be purchased for events or for your own personal consumption. 🤗
Tamia, founder & CEO of Mia’s Treats Delight, is an 11 year old baker from St. Louis, MO. She started her business in 2015 at the young age of 8 years old. She’s always had a love for baking, but decided to take it to the next level by becoming an entrepreneur and being her own boss.
Daddy’s Girl is a book based on a true story. It’s about a tough time in Jakayla’s life when her parents separated and her Daddy moved out of the home. Moms and Dads are not the only ones going through a separation when the family unit is broken. It is also a tough time for the children. Jakayla writes about how she was able to cope with the help of Daddy-Daughter Dates. This book will help any child who may be going through parent separation or divorce.
About Kidpreneur Jakayla Green
Jakayla Green is the 9 year old author of Daddy’s Girl. She is a straight A student in the 3rd grade. She is from Bennettsville, SC, but currently resides in Columbia, SC. Jakayla is the host of Kayla’s Korner on Jojo’s PersonaliTV and also serves as an assistant creative director and co-host for other shows on Jojo’s PersonaliTV. Jakayla is an avid reader. One of her favorite things to do is to read to her baby brother, JJ. She is also an award-winning track star with SC Express. When Jakayla grows up, she wants to become a scientist and an artist. She is the daughter of Jason and Tamell Green and has one older sister, Jasiya and a baby brother, JJ.
Kidpreneur Website
Visit https://www.jakaylamgreen.com to learn more about her book and purchase a copy for your child or another child.
Precious Designs is a redesign and refurbishing home furnishings company (pillows, trays and vases collections). Additionally, the kidCEO owner, Jasmine Benton, also offers design upgrades for chairs and ottomans, along with special event design services. She is also an Amazon.com Best Selling co-Author, as a contributor to newly published book, KidCEO.
About Kidpreneur Jasmine Benton
Jasmine Benton started her business at the age of 11 by opening her own retail home furnishings center in the Allen Antique Mall in Allen, Texas. Her work has been seen on Steve Harvey Show and she was the youngest professional to intern with HGTV’s Mikel Welch, former designer for Steve Harvey Show and the Obama’s. Jasmine is a speaker and Best Selling Author, Certified STEMpreneur, and Credentialed Interior Decorator.
K-lock is an identification locket custom designed and personalized to prevent misidentification of children in schools and daycare. Lockets are $10 other items $2 and up.
About Kidpreneur Kennedi Harris
Starting this business helped Kennedi cope with the effects of being misplaced and having a total mistrust of the school system. It took her mind away from things as she enjoyed adding a personal touch to each product. K-lock also has African American dolls coming soon. K-lock’s inception began when Kennedi was misplaced by school officials due to a mix up in names. She created these lockets to properly identify kids in school, daycares and on field trips. She also has signature t-shirts, hats, lip balm, and lotions.
Kidpreneur Website
Visit the K-lock website to learn more about the safety lock system for kids.
A line of soap, sugar scrubs, lip balm, lip scrubs, body butter, liquid soap and the much-coveted bath bombs and bubble bars created by Zori Thomas.
About Kidpreneur Zori Thomas aka Jammy Girl
Zori, a 13-year-old entrepreneur, has been in business since she was 11 years old making bath and beauty products and recently designed her own pajama line. She calls herself “Jammy Girl” because she likes to make products while in her “Studio Only” pajamas. She was adopted when she was 5 months old and suffers from a learning disability and severe anxiety. While looking for an activity to help her cope with these issues, she discovered the art of soap making and eventually turned her hobby into a business. Her mission is to inspire others to Choose greatness and Crush life’s obstacles while feeling confident in the skin they’re in.
Delphine makes cupcakes made from scratch and is the author of Kid-trepeneur
About Kidpreneur Delphine N. Dauphin
Delphine is an 8-year-old entrepreneur and published author. She is making a difference in her community by sharing success tools to her peers. She was a panelist at the Miami Book Fair on kid-trepreneurship. She is a princess and Pearl Ambassador.
Kidpreneur Website
Visit www.princessdelphine.com to learn more about Delphine’s cupcakes and order some for your special occasions.
Bubbly Bricks and Beyond is a Soaps and Fragrance Satchels company started by Xavier Morgan. Xavier makes fun, playful, and practical soaps and fragrance satchels. The soaps are shaped like Lego Bricks and Minifigures. They come in a rainbow of colors. What makes his bricks different is that he invented a way for you to play with and stack the bricks. Now when you take your bath you can use his soap to get clean and you can build something great all at the same time. He also makes superhero soap for men. The superhero soap is designed using the different superhero logos. The superhero soaps have a special fragrance for men.
Finally, are his fragrance satchels. You can hang these up anywhere. In the bathroom, in your car, in your gym bag, even in your shoes. His fragrance satchels go anywhere you want to smell fresh. Coming up in the soap collection are more superheroes and characters. What makes Xavier’s soaps stand out is that he also created a toy with which kids can play. Parent’s can use the soaps and the satchels to decorate their homes. This is an inexpensive way to get your kids to take a bath and give them a toy. Everyone will love Bubbly Bricks and Beyond’s products because it all smells so good!
About Kidpreneur Xavier Morgan
Xavier is aspiring to become an engineer. He loves to put together puzzles and build with bricks in his spare time. He has mastered putting together most 150 pieces in 15-25 minutes. Recently, he decided to turn his hobby into a business and become an entrepreneur. Xavier is a 3rd-grade student living with his mother in Georgia.
The Dream Chasers is a Kids investment club started by Chase Robinson-Simmons. Chase is smart about her money. She loves to save and invest in stocks. She recently just saved over $544 and purchased 3 quarter candy vending machines.
About Kidpreneur Chase Robinson-Simmons
Chase is smart about her money. She loves to save and invest in stocks. She recently just saved over $544 and purchased 3 quarter candy vending machines.
A Unique Afrocentric and empowering clothing, shoes and accessories line created by sisters Madiah & Maliah.
About Kidpreneur Madiah & Maliah
Owned and operated by 14 and 16 y/o sisters who love martial arts, reading, fashion and rocking their natural hair. Their two unique styles are reflected in their one-of-a-kind designs.
Kidpreneur Website
Check out and order their merchandise at www.TwoAndFro.co. Prices start at $18+
Teaching money lessons to kids is a crucial thing. It helps them to understand the concept of money from an early stage and develops their experience from it. Gaining financial skills is vital to lead life successfully and enrolling kids in money lessons are a...
Business is the status quo for adults but when it comes to kid entrepreneurs, we love hearing about them doing big things. I wanted to highlight extraordinary children who have started a business and have set out to change the world. They are making a difference in...
Introduction This little guide is an introduction to the 13 money lessons that will bring you peace, prosperity, and a brand new outlook on money. I have learned these lessons my life as a single mom. Being financially responsible for my children basically forced me...
Should I give my kid a cellphone? That has been a question parents have been asking for almost a decade now. I remember when my daughter first asked me for a cellphone. I wasn't excited about the idea but I knew she would not stop asking me for one because all her...
It seems to me that the words “teens” and “savings” are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Well at least with my kids. In a time when there is easy access to just about everything and endless marketing messages, saving is the last thing kids are thinking about. The...
I've heard of and know a few people who have had their identity stolen as children. It's mostly family members who where the culprit. Please do not use your children's identity to open accounts for any reason. They deserve a financial future that hasn't been ruined by...
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
This little guide is an introduction to the 13 money lessons that will bring you peace, prosperity, and a brand new outlook on money. I have learned these lessons my life as a single mom. Being financially responsible for my children basically forced me to learn these lessons because I did not want to be a welfare mom statistic.
The tips in this booklet range from ways to control your financial life to a plethora of savings strategies for your big and small dreams.
Managing money as a single mom (or anyone) can be challenging when the income source is deficient. The secrets discussed here will show you how to use what you have, heal from your disappointments, and learn how to magnetize more money.
Let’s dive in!
1. Controlled Spending = More Freedom
To turbo charge your financial life begin by developing a spending plan to avoid overspending. If the word budget conjures up feelings of restriction and lack; call it a spending plan.
Understand that when you develop a spending plan you feel more in control and it’s easier to stop overspending.
The first thing to do is think about and list everything you need, and then assign a dollar amount to each item.
Review your past spending trends to get an accurate look of how much you spend for bills, food, clothing, car/ transportation, and entertainment.
Review your bank account online for a ready source for seeing where your money goes.
2. Give a Kid a Dime He’s Happy for a Day Teach Him About a Dollar He’s Set for Life (Kids & Money)
Kids should know how the money is spent so that they can be more sensitive to money limitations.
When kids know approximately how much money is coming in and how much has to go out to maintain a life they will be more sensitive to your role as provider.
Knowledge about financial obligations might encourage kids to find ways to earn money on their own.
3. Hedge off Disaster or Head to Vacation (Rainy Day Funds)
Have a savings plan to prepare for emergencies? It is hard to predict when an emergency will happen that requires a large chunk of cash.
Putting away money for a rainy day is very empowering (I’m speaking to myself here).
If you have money saved, that is specifically for these times, your stress level will go way down.
A stash of cash can relieve feelings of desperation and resorting to uncharacteristic behaviors.
Most financial gurus recommend that you have $1k-3k in savings. If you can manage to save at least $500 that is better than nothing.
Open up a separate account for your rainy day fund. Use your tax refund, raises, or other windfalls of cash to fund this account.
4. Get Smart About Child Support
Get child support payments direct deposited if possible. There is nothing worse than waiting for a check to arrive in the mail from your ex.
If you are getting support through the state, you should have the direct deposit option.
If you have an agreement with your ex, insist on having the funds automatically transferred to your account. The money will be taken out automatically so you won’t have to worry about getting the funds on time.
5. Keep More of Your Money in Banking Transactions
Join a Credit Union to avoid outrageous bank fees. Your money will earn interest over time.
If you are eligible to join, you can easily become a member by completing a membership application, depositing and maintaining the minimum par value of a share (generally ranging from $5 to $25), and paying a one-time membership fee if the credit union charges such a fee.
As a member, you will have the right to vote at the credit union’s annual membership meeting for the credit union’s board of directors and its other officials. All of the officials are comprised of members, like yourself, from its field of membership. (MyCreditUnion.gov)
Banks are notorious for nickel and diming people to death. There is a fee for everything from checks to account balances below a certain amount. A credit union may be available through your employer, your state, or your school. Find a credit union near you.
An alternative is an insurance-run financial institution like USAA or PenFed. These types of banks
6. Knowledge is Power for Purchases (Research, Research)
Research products or services online for quality and price before purchasing. Before you go out and buy a product or hire someone to do a job for you please, please check online.
When you research prices and quality of service you can same much time, effort and possible frustration.
Take a class on starting a business through the local Chamber of Commerce or SCORE. You don’t have to have an MBA to run a business but you can take a class.
8. Master Your Mindset About Money as You Think So Your Will Money Be
Change your thinking about money. For many people, especially single moms, money has many negative connotations. You don’t have it, there is not enough of it, and you don’t know where the next batch is coming from. We have a tendency to think that it is out of reach so we struggle with it.
Money is simply a tool to get the things we need and want. Of course not having it and thinking about your lack will not make it come to you any faster.
When you change your thinking about money, see its true purpose, and realize it’s abundance, you will have more of it.
Remember that there is more money available for you. Whenever I have to pay a bill, write a check, or spend money I keep that thought in mind. I will have more, not because I am doing anything special but because I just know that it will come again.
Let the money go to receive more. Think of it as a Money Cycle. Sometimes we get so caught up in holding on to money with such tight fists that we fail to realize that, “a closed hand cannot receive more”.
9. Creative Ways to Get Anything You Want with Little to No Money
When you look around the world it seems like everything requires money, but I want to share a little secret with you. It doesn’t.
There are ways to get anything you want out of life with little to no money. All it takes a bit of outside the box thinking and a little creativity. Read on to find out how to get more out of life with less money.
Discover other ways to get what you really want (money may not be the bottom line). With money constantly on the brain we forget that it is not what we really want.
The true needs are:
A roof over our heads
food to eat
clothes to wear
a problem solved
If you can look past money and see the true need or want, it’s easier to release the tension and negative thoughts about money and your situation.
Open your creative eyes and you find ways to get what you need without being burdened by the “not enough money” syndrome.
Bartering with Family/Friends
Barter with others including moms, small businesses, your health providers, etc.
Bartering was the first form of exchanging goods for services.
The basic idea is to give something to get something. You may have something that others need or want. It may be a product, service, or personal item.
Others may have what you want so you come to an agreement to exchange things or time instead of money.
The barter system is a temporary way to get what you need when money is flowing in slower than you want.
Join a Barter Club
There are bartering clubs all over the world. I belong to a club called TradeBank, and organized bartering club. I get what I need from members of the club using trade dollars. The value of a trade dollar is just like a real dollar.
You earn trade dollars by performing a service or delivering a product. Your trade account grows and give you more trade power. You can get medical, dental, contractor, retail, and other services. The Tradebank network is currently in cities across the US.
Join or Organize a Swap Meet/ Trade/ Exchange Group
Look for local swap meets with a regular schedule. You can connect with other women who have clothes, shoes, kids’ items, baby equipment, etc. that they want to swap with you. If you do not find one in your area you can start your own with ladies in your neighborhood, church, or community center. You can find out about swap meets on Facebook, Craigslist, and other community newspaper or classified ad sites.
Check out Freecycle Groups
People are always giving away free stuff in these groups. They’d rather give away stuff they don’t need to people who can really use it and appreciate it. There are hundreds around the country so you should be able to find one in your area. I’ve seen (and given away) furniture, equipment, clothing, and so much more. Here is the Freecycle link to check it out and find one in your city.
10. Truth About Being Need-y vs. Want-y
Learn to separate your wants and needs
Sometimes it is hard to separate our needs from our wants. Air, water, food, and shelter are really the only things we need to survive. Okay we need clothes too, but the basics are few. The rest of the stuff is optional.
Plan your purchases
When you see that you need (or want) a new thing it is very important to plan the purchase.
Write down what you need/want, do the research, save the money, and then make the purchase.
Make the wanted item a reward for doing certain challenging tasks that you may be procrastinating about.
11. The Giving and Gratitude Cycle is Huge for Prosperity
Your attitude about money plays a big role in how prosperous you become (and remain).
There is a saying, “the more you give, the more you get”. I’d like to add my own twist to it; “the attitude of your giving determines the altitude of your getting”.
The more grateful or thankful about the money in your life the more you will get. The more grateful for the things you have in your life the more you have. The more grateful for the people who help you the more people want to help you.
The same goes with the way you give. Give more (with gratitude) and you get more.
The interesting thing is you will rarely receive from the same place you gave. In other words, you will most likely not get anything from the homeless man on the street or the person you give a bag of clothes. You will get from a completely different source and often you will get back double what you gave.
Here are a few ways to practice giving with gratitude to increase your prosperity:
Pay your bills with a grateful heart. The services you receive in exchange for your money are essential for living.
Be grateful because you have the benefit of using the services provided by the city, phone company, car finance company, and on and on.
Allow the changed perspective to change your attitude about paying bills. You could be in a homeless shelter, unemployed, or living with your parents
Lights, water, a car, gasoline, food, and many other necessary services are reasons to be grateful. Paying the bills is a blessing so pay with a happy heart!
12. Get Obsessive-Compulsive About Saving
Get creative with your savings techniques. Piggy bank, change jar, online interest bearing account, PayPal, or mattresses. All of these items and location are places to save your money.
Where Will You Save?
It really isn’t about where you save it but how you save it. Here are a few ideas to get your saving juices flowing:
Savings can come out in addition to tithe or other charitable donations.
Savings may come out before taxes on the payroll into a 401K account.
Still others save all their loose change and deposit it when it overflows the container they are using.
The key to the savings method you decide to use, is to be consistent.
Saving $5 or $10 per pay period or per month is better than saving nothing at all.
Keeping it safe from your prying hands may be a challenge but when you commit to saving, and you have a purpose behind it, you will leave it alone.
The Big Savings “Why”
Decide why you are saving your money, find a picture to keep prominently on your bathroom mirror, and start saving.
Tape a picture to the fridge, go to online and look at the features, and plan how you are going to use item you want.
Save or invest your windfall (tax returns, student loan refunds, stimulus checks, monetary gifts).
Windfall Savings Method
The tax season is prime time for a money windfall especially for single moms. The child tax credit and earned income credit is the reason we get a fat tax refund.
Commit to saving at least half of your refund. Use the other half to pay down debt or may annual purchases such as car registration, insurance, or other yearly expense.
When you get that stimulus check put that in the pot too, along with your student loan refund, and that birthday gift money.
If you play the lottery, put your winnings in there too! 😉
13. Embrace True Independence and Make Awesome Financial Decisions
Too often we are focused on the loneliness of single motherhood so we can’t see the blessing it is to be independent. If you can see past the negative you will discover that your independence is a ticket to an amazing financial life. Change your mindset so you can change your life. Here are seven perspective shifts you can make to embrace your financial independence:
Relish the thought of not having to answer to anyone for your financial decisions. As a single mom you have such autonomy.
Every purchase you make for the benefit of you and your kids is worry free.
To save or spend; get in debt or get out of debt is all up to you.
There is no one to question you or blame you if there is no money in the bank and you don’t have to fight with anyone about balancing the checkbook or taking money out without letting you know.
Money is one of the major reasons for divorce so there is something to be said about separate accounts and a house account.
Resolve any money issue you have and get settled before embarking on a new relationship.
Just promise me that you will check out his financial history and habits first before committing to a long-term relationship or marriage with him.
Now that you know these 13 powerful money lessons, pass them on to your kids so they will have the best financial start in life. You are their best teacher not because of what you say but because of what you do.
Which of these lessons will you apply to your life first?
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Should I give my kid a cellphone? That has been a question parents have been asking for almost a decade now. I remember when my daughter first asked me for a cellphone. I wasn’t excited about the idea but I knew she would not stop asking me for one because all her friends had one. She was 12 years old and growing up fast. What could I do? Should kids under age 16 have a phone?
These days most parents would say yes. i understand that there are no more pay phones and kids need them if there is no home phone. Being a latchkey kid comes with it’s issues already but not having a way to communicate adds another set of issues. My daughter was a latchkey kid for a short time so I get it. But I think there should be limitations.
This was my biggest concern when my daughter asked for a phone. This was back in the day before iPhones came out. The Blackberry was all the rage so there were other brands that had similar features. Access to the internet was new but it was coming fast.
Lexi (my daughter) wanted a nice smartphone but I wasn’t having it. She would have to settle for a Tracphone or a similar type. She would be able to dial the number, get text messages, and no data plane.
When my son got older he began asking for a phone. Technology was much better now so the smartphones seemed like the only option. A few months earlier I came across a great deal from Freedom Pop to buy a Samsung Galaxy 3 pretty inexpensively and I’d get free talk, text, and limited data. I jumped at it so I had a phone. Not long after that I upgraded to a different phone and plan. I gave my son the Samsung and sent him on his way. He has a nicer phone than my daughter did but he has limitations like she did.
My daughter’s Tracphone prepaid plan was pretty pitiful. I can laugh about it now but back then she was not too happy. She had 100 minutes, maybe 300 text messages, and she got charged each time she checked her voicemail, LOL! It was awful. But it taught her responsibility. She could not talk endlessly on the phone and text all the time. She basically limited her talk and text time to me and close family. Over the years she has gotten upgraded phones and plans but she still does not talk very much and she has started to text her friends more.
My son’s limited plan has had a similar affect. He rarely talks on the phone and he barely sends text messages. Maybe it has to do with being home-schooled and not feeling peer pressure. He doesn’t use the data plan much either because he’s on wifi at our house most of the time. Best of all I saved money by putting them on pre-paid or free cellphone plans!
I can’t see giving kids under 16 a generous or unlimited plan for two major reasons:
They are not paying for it
They have no opportunity to learn self-control and responsibility for what they have
Other parents may disagree but I know that limited the cell phone type and plans for my kids have saved me thousands of dollars and taught them responsibility and self control.
Does Cellphones Increase Drama for Teens?
My sister mentioned a conversation she had with a co-worker. Her son is girl-crazy and is having a lot of problems out of him. My sister told her that her son, who is the same age, doesn’t have this issue and that it could be that he doesn’t have a cellphone. The lady admitted that maybe that was where she went wrong.
A phone in itself cannot control behavior but it can be a contributing factor.
So should kids under 16 have a cell phone? I think they can if you as the parent put limitations on the type and plan. Can you trust a 13 year old to keep a $400 phone safe, free from cracked screens, or from being stolen? Can a 10 year old truly be responsible if given an unlimited plan and the latest iPhone?
I don’t think so. That’s my opinion, but the boundaries I set with my kids have been successful.
What about you? How old was your child when you gave him/her a cellphone? Has it been a headache for you?
Disclaimer: This post contains links to products recommendations for which I may be paid a referral fee. This helps keep this blog up and running with quality content. Thank you for your support over the years!
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
It seems to me that the words “teens” and “savings” are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Well at least with my kids. In a time when there is easy access to just about everything and endless marketing messages, saving is the last thing kids are thinking about. The other side of the coin is that kids technically don’t really need to save for anything because many kids get whatever they want from doting parents (I’m talking to myself here too). Work, sacrifice, and waiting seem like foreign concepts. I’m not bashing teens, but rather bringing to light the barriers to savings they seem to have.
Empowering Teens to Get Into the Savings Habit
Getting in the habit of saving is not something I’ve pushed very hard. That said, I want my kids to learn responsibility with money so I’ve done a few things to help them see the importance of saving. My problem is that I love giving them awesome things no matter how large or small. I love surprising them and seeing their faces light up. I almost think it is an addiction. But I’m recovering because I see that giving to them all the time instead of letting them earn and save for what they want does not warrant gratitude. That is what I really want them learn; how to be thankful and appreciative of what they get.
Lessons I’ll Use to Empower My Teens to Save
So my lesson begins in teaching them how to save. I read an article on the Regions Bank website about this very topic. They offered great feedback that I’m sure I can begin implementing. They offer five tips to encourage teens to save money.
Develop a Savings Habit
Use Online Tools
Differentiate Between Needs, Wants, and Wishes
Establish a Financial Game Plan Together
Keep a Record of Spending and Savingoffer begin implementing.They offered great feedback article on REhat they get.
and save for what they want does not wa
Encourage the Savings Habit
When my kids get birthday or holiday money it’s tempting to spend it all in one place. My 14-year-old son just wants food and games at this stage in life. As long as he has food and a bed he’s pretty happy. Recently he’s been talking about doing paintball for his birthday so he said he wants to save for that. My daughter wanted an iPad when she turned 15. I made a deal with her to save her birthday money and any other money she made to pay half for the device. She agreed and kept up her end of the bargain. I paid the other half and insurance. She still holds on to her precious iPad today even though she complains that it’s a bit outdated. She will always remember saving for what she wanted.
Online Banking
I’m big about banking online and being connected. I use tools like my bank app and Mint.com. My daughter is connected to our bank and can check her account balance when she needs the information. She can also see her savings account amount. I’ll have to set up an account for my son on my account and start letting him use his card and track his expenses. This is a good habit to start.
What they Want vs What they Need
Paintball is definitely a want for my son. Like I said before, he is all about playing games. He hasn’t hit the “gotta look good for the ladies” stage just yet. So buying clothes, shoes, and cologne is not a top priority. He’s not into designer sneakers so that has saved my budget. He loves getting new shoes when I get them but doesn’t make a big deal out of it.
My daughter on the other hand loves new clothes, make-up, and electronics. She wants them but is still working on making the most of her current wardrobe. She has had a wakeup call recently since she drives her own car now. Clearly she feels the need for gas, maintenance, and registration fees. She feels the pain each time she goes to the gas pump so her trips are few and far between; even to the mall. She has said she needs to save her money for when she goes to college and needs gas money. Savings for her will be kind of forced after all.
Planning for Their Financial Future
As they grow and their needs change in the process, we will need to talk about their financial future. My desire is for them to learn about business and entrepreneurship. They have it in them to use their creativity to provide a product or service. My daughter has dreams of being a private pilot. It will require a pretty large chunk of money to go through the final classes and do her test flight.
In the long term they have goals of finishing school and training for their profession. We will plan to sit down and discuss those goals and come up with a financial game plan.
Recording their Financial Activities
When I grew up I learned the basics of how to track my income and expenses using pen and paper. A simple ledger was enough to keep up with my allowance and payments for my small business. Today there are several options for recording financial activity. As part of my son’s curriculum he will learn how to record income and expenses using a simple spreadsheet system. It will be a great start and help him sharpen his math and critical thinking skills.
Empowering my teens to save and manage their money is a good first step to empowering them through life. They will feel in control of their finances and be able to make good choices throughout their lives.
This post was sponsored in part by Regions Bank. The content and opinions are my own.
Images by StockImages, suphakit73, and adamr at freedigitalphotos.net
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
I’ve heard of and know a few people who have had their identity stolen as children. It’s mostly family members who where the culprit. Please do not use your children’s identity to open accounts for any reason. They deserve a financial future that hasn’t been ruined by you or any of your family members.
By Jason Alderman
I’m sorry to report that child identity fraud is alive and well in 2014. If anything, the problem may be worsening as identity thieves devise new methods to steal – and use – children’s personal information. Most commonly, they’ll harvest kids’ dormant Social Security numbers (SSNs) and use them to illegally obtain jobs or open fraudulent bank and credit accounts, mortgages or car loans.
Many victims don’t realize there’s a problem until they later apply for a student loan, bank account, job or apartment and are turned down because of the poor credit history someone else racked up. Some families are even hounded by collection agencies or arrested because the debts or criminal activities were so extreme.
There are no completely foolproof methods to protect your children’s identities, but here are some precautions you can take:
While it’s tempting to simply not register your kids for SSNs until they turn 18, that’s not practical in today’s world. For one thing, they’ll need one to be claimed as dependents on your taxes. You may also need SSNs for your kids to obtain medical coverage or government services or to open bank accounts in their names.
Because each person’s SSN is unique, it’s not uncommon for schools, healthcare providers, insurance companies, banks and others to require them as ID. However, don’t be afraid to ask:
Why do they need to use an SSN – is there a legal requirement?
Will they accept alternative identification?
What will happen if you don’t disclose it?
What security precautions do they take with personal information?
Will they agree not to use the SSN as your child’s personal identification number on correspondence, account statements or ID cards?
Watch for these clues your child’s personal data may have been compromised:
They receive preapproved credit account offers.
They receive calls or billing statements from collection agencies, creditors or government agencies.
You’re unable to open a bank account in their name because one already exists with the same SSN.
They’re denied credit, employment, a driver’s license or college enrollment for unknown or credit-related reasons.
Remember, there could be legitimate reasons why your child is receiving credit offers. For example, it could be a marketing outreach from an affiliate of your bank or because you opened a college fund in their name.
If you strongly suspect or have evidence that identity theft has been committed, you can:
File a police report and keep a copy as proof of the crime.
Notify the Federal Trade Commission (877-438-4338), whose Identity Theft site contains information on fraud alerts, credit freezes, how to work with police and much more (www.ftc.gov).
Ask Social Security (800-772-1213) whether anyone has reported income using your child’s SSN. Search “Identity Theft” at www.ssa.gov for information.
Contact the IRS’ Identity Protection Unit (800-980-4490).
The FTC recommends contacting the three credit bureaus around your child’s 16th birthday to see whether they have credit reports on file. (There usually wouldn’t be unless they’re an authorized user on one of your accounts.) If there is a report – and it has errors due to fraud or misuse – you’ll have time to correct it before you kid needs to use credit.
Warn your kids about the dangers of revealing personal information by phone, email, or social networking. Don’t hesitate to monitor their accounts and install parental blocking software. And remember, if they share your computer, a downloaded virus could infect your accounts as well.
Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.
Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.
Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.
She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.
Hi! Welcome to RichSingleMomma.com. I started this website almost a decade ago because I couldn't find any blogs back then that helped single moms with money. I was having some success in that area so I decided to share what I knew about side hustles, making extra money, and managing money. Read more...
Author Bio: Sapna Singhal is a Senior Content Writer at My Banking Information which is a Financial Content Blog which teaches non-financial people how to invest and also about finance in a simple and easy to understand way. Check out her website @ mybankinginformation.com 
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Images by StockImages, suphakit73, and adamr at freedigitalphotos.net
