Try explaining to your child that a $28 XL hoodie from Target is a better value and just as good as a “Be Kind Giant Hoodie” for $60 and you may be met with a blank stare or an angry retort.
I know that having the thing that everyone else does has monetary value.
But how do you teach kids to at least pause and consider that one similar hoodie costs twice as much as another?
I’ll tell you how…give your kids cash as gifts.
Here’s what it looks like:
Let’s say your children want a hoodie.
💵 STEP1: You give them each about $72 that will cover the “Be Kind Giant Hoodie” costs with tax and shipping.
💵 STEP 2: You suggest that amount will cover one “Giant Hoodie” OR an oversized hoodie from Target with extra for a second hoodie or something else altogether.
💵 STEP 3a: If the “Giant Hoodie” is chosen, your child hands over all the money to you while you place the order with a credit card.
💵 STEP 3b: If the Target hoodie is chosen, cash for that is handed over. Your child sees there is money left.
💵 STEP 4a: Lesson learned: “I got exactly what I wanted, and it took all my money.”
💵 STEP 4b: Lesson learned: “I got a less expensive brand, and I have money left for something else.”
Both lessons are valuable.
Children understand what they see, hear, and touch.
💳 Money on gift cards and credit cards are invisible to children.
💳 They don’t get an accounting on a gift card and they don’t pay the credit card balance.
Giving cash is the key to teaching your child the value of $$ because can actually see and experience money in-money out.
We don’t want to raise kids who, as adults, find themselves with 💳 credit card debt and don’t know how it happened.
Teach your kids the value of money starting now with 💸
For more tips on raising financially savvy kids, contact me.