Money Matters: Nurturing Financial Responsibility in Your Tween

The process of parenting a responsible, well-rounded child requires adolescents to gain essential everyday skills, one of which is financial literacy. Talking about money may feel overwhelming, but it’s essential to being a parent. Preteens who learn about financial responsibility will have the self-assurance, information, and abilities to handle their finances wisely, both currently and in the future. Children must learn effective financial practices to succeed in their independent future. Continue reading to discover ways to introduce your preteens to money management and responsibility.

The Value of Financial Literacy

Young teens taught financial literacy will be well-equipped to turn their ambitions into reality. However, contrary to the assumption that children will naturally pick up these skills, statistics reveal that many adults struggle with finances.

According to a 2023 CNBC study, 61% of Americans claim they are “living paycheck to paycheck,” while 74% of respondents report feeling anxious about their finances. Teaching your children how to manage money at a young age can help shape solid financial habits and keep them from joining these alarming statistics.

Discuss Money Frequently and Openly

Discussing money voluntarily, even with younger children, is an essential strategy. You don’t need to have complex financial talks; instead, demonstrate how you budget for food, save for vacations, or contribute to a retirement fund with your employer. As your pre-teens mature, incorporate them in family budget discussions and get their opinion on what you’re saving up for as a family.

Support Early Savings

Encourage your child to open a savings account that you can help manage at home. Consider teaching your pre-teen the value of saving by encouraging them to set aside a portion (e.g., 15%) of their monthly allowance and gifts from holidays and birthdays. Some kids may be motivated by visually seeing their savings grow, in which they can keep a separate wallet or buy a clear cash/coin box as an alternate option to the traditional piggy bank.

Rewarding Savings

Nurture and reward savings. You can do this by introducing incentives, such as interest on savings or matching a specific percentage of their savings. For example, you could award them a ten percent yield on their savings monthly or an extra twenty percent match at the end of the year.

For tweens interested in managing their savings digitally, you could also set up a savings worksheet or allow them to install an application like Bankaroo on their computer or tablet. This is a great way to teach the concept of monthly interest so they can learn how their savings increase as more money is invested.

Incorporate Fun Ways to Earn Money

To motivate your preteen to learn about money management, ignite their entrepreneurial spirit. Here are five ideas to help tweens build their savings and earn money:

• Resell old stuff – Do they own anything they no longer use, like gaming systems, bikes, clothes, or board games? If so, there might be a profit for them. As spring approaches, neighborhood garage sales may be a great idea for your tween to help plan and manage!
• Earn money by keeping the planet green! Local recycling programs often incentivize drop-offs for recyclables by the pound. The whole family can help gather recycling materials like cardboard, glasses, containers, bottles, newspapers, old magazines, etc. In fact, some kids have been so successful at recycling that it helped contribute to a college fund.
• Animal lovers can offer sitting to friends or family while they’re away on vacation. Additionally, your tween could walk the dogs around the neighborhood. A pet grooming station may be good if your child sincerely sparks their entrepreneurial spirit. Bathe, brush, and dry the neighborhood’s pets for extra money.
• Music lessons are an excellent idea if your child has musical abilities. They may be able to help younger classmates or kids improve their guitar or piano abilities, for example. Their likelihood of teaching music lessons increases as they learn more instruments.
• DIY soap making or jewelry making is a straightforward way for your tween to be creative while earning a profit as both goods remain in demand and style. It is also a fantastic chance for them to use their creativity to have fun when learning about starting a business as young entrepreneurs.

Extend Income Possibilities with Extra Responsibilities

If you give your tween an allowance, consider making it contingent on specific actions, such as keeping their bedroom clean or exhibiting good behavior. This creates a positive connection between work and earning money, fostering financial responsibility.

Creating Budget Awareness

Budgets provide structure, teach adolescents that money is not unlimited, and cultivate financial discipline. Teach your pre-teens the importance of living within their means by giving them a budget for specific expenses, such as school supplies or clothing. Utilize gift cards or prepaid debit cards to encourage responsible spending decisions.

You can also introduce the concept of discount and couponing as a strategy to save money. You can also help them search for discounts when making a larger purchase.

Incorporate Money Management into Daily Routines

Make financial learning a natural part of daily life by integrating discussions about money, encouraging saving and budgeting, providing income opportunities, and incorporating technology. Additionally, instill the habit of charitable giving by allocating a portion of their money to charities each year.

Lastly, encourage your children to make charitable contributions from an early age. Charitable giving helps our world become a little better, and it is a great habit to introduce during the adolescent years. Give your tween the option of setting aside a certain percentage of their earnings (such as 5%) for charity. At the end of each year, work together to pick the organizations they are interested in.

From nurturing financial responsibility for pre-teens, you can provide them with essential financial skills that will be useful as they grow older. Cultivating a positive outlook towards money and encouraging financial stability will enable children to make wise choices in the future.