Anytime is the right time to begin teaching children about money, and the American Bankers Association has tips that can help parents teach money at home.
- Talk openly about money with your kids. Communicate your values and experiences with money. Encourage them to ask you questions, and be prepared to answer them – even the tough ones.
- Explain the difference between needs and wants, the value in saving and budgeting and the consequences of not doing so.
- Set up a chore chart and give your children an allowance for completing their tasks. Require them to save at least a small portion each week. The three jars method, one for spending, one for saving and one for charitable contributions is a good way to impart a sense of responsibility.
- Open up a savings account at your local bank for your children and take them with you to make deposits, so children can learn how to be hands-on in their money management.
- Be an example of a responsible money manager by paying bills on time, being a conscious spender and an active saver. Children tend to emulate their parents’ personal finance habits.
American Bankers Association