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Smashing Your Piggy Bank

Whenever you watch a show that focuses on kids earning money, it usually ends with the child reaching their goal and getting out a hammer to smash their piggy bank. This image has always bothered me. I think that it is because I cringe at the idea of breaking something that way. Whenever I wanted to get my money out, I would fish the money out slowly or shake it out of the bank. Similarly as adults how do we react when we reach a savings goal? The savings goal could be enough money for a down payment on a … Continue reading →

What Not to Do in Front of Your Kids When It Comes to Money

Children learn what they see. It is a true statement for any kind of behavior including money management. Children’s attitudes toward money and whether or not they will be able to make it work for them as adults has much to do with their parents. If you are married, think about any differences that there might be between you and your spouse, regarding any issues having to do with money. Is one of you more a saver than a spender? Do you approach investing or debt the same way? Chances are that you may each have different ideas about handling … Continue reading →

Help Kids to Save with a Fun Fund

As adults, we often think of saving as something necessary and the responsible thing to do. We save up for things such as a new furnace or braces for one of the kids. Once in a while we will also save for something fun, such as a family vacation, but we often go about it with our usual boring adult selves–we plan, we save, we move money to a vacation account. These techniques, the ones we have learned over the years and now practice, however, don’t usually work with kids. For them, saving has to be visual and fun. Help … Continue reading →

Free Websites that Teach Your Kids about Money

Teaching kids about money, where it comes from, how to make it grow and how to use it responsibly is one of those things that many of us mean to get around to doing, but don’t often seem to complete. In fact, money lessons should never really come to an end. As society, the economy and technology changes, it is important for us all to keep up, and pass on the skills, knowledge and advice to our children. Fortunately, we don’t have to do this alone. There are a few really good websites out there that will help us teach … Continue reading →

The Difference Between Saving and Investing: An Important Distinction for Kids to Learn

You can save or you can invest. It is a distinction that many adults struggle with as a concept. How then can kids understand the difference, and why is it so important? Most kids who are introduced to the concepts of money tend to be conservative. They like to hoard as much of their money as they can and save up for things. That is a great phase that can be utilized by parents, caregivers and teachers to teach the value and the responsibility of money. Unfortunately, most kids do not get any instruction past those initial lessons. Many experts … Continue reading →

Six Critical Skills for Frugal and Eco-Friendly Kids

These are frugal times, and these are times when environmental consciousness is rising. How can you prepare your kids to live as adults when times are more frugal and much more ecologically conscious? This generation of parents has lost a lot of the skills that our grandparents had. I know I have, and I’m trying to regain them. Here are six ways that you can help your children become frugal adults. By modeling these skills and allowing your kids to help, you’ll give them great know-how for the future. Preparing Food Prepared food is something that is easy for kids … Continue reading →

One Out of Four Americans is Uninsured

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A recent study done by the Commonwealth Fund found that one out of every four Americans went completely without health insurance at some point in 2011. The reason for the lack of insurance comes from unemployment or due to a change in job. This is something to keep in mind as we wait to see what the Supreme Court decides about the Affordable Care Act. The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation. Its focus is to promote a high preforming health care system. They want to see the current American health care system to have better access and quality and … Continue reading →

Layaway

My husband and I are considering a move to Arizona. Among the excitement about the adventure of living in a new state, I am anxious to have a gas clothes dryer again. I am not even a little bit dreading shopping for new appliances. Sears is running a commercial offering layaway on major appliances and it makes me a little nostalgic. My family took advantage of layaway a lot while I was growing up. With layaway you could put a deposit down on your purchase and make payments at agreed upon intervals until the purchase was paid for. When the … Continue reading →

Family Friendly Attractions In Miami

Miami is known for its hip nightclubs, luxury hotels, and fast cars. Not exactly kid-friendly offerings. But, dig a bit deeper and you’ll find that the tropical locale really does cater to families. Here are a few of noteworthy attractions that will delight children of all ages: Miami Children’s Museum The Miami Children’s Museum is filled with brightly decorated rooms that are crammed with bilingual, interactive exhibits. Your children can take turns dressing up as a police officer, a clown or a doctor before they head off to another room to spin records in a mock recording studio. Meanwhile, animal … Continue reading →

Should We Force Our Kids to Save?

To be completely honest, I am struggling with the question of whether I should be forcing my kids to save or not. As it happens so often in parenting, the issue of natural consequences vs. discipline is debated. In most cases I usually find some sort of middle ground between telling my kids what to do and letting them find out the “hard” way. But what is the middle ground in learning to save? I know some parents who require their children to save a portion of their allowance, gift money, or earnings either in a true bank savings account … Continue reading →