Fun Kids Budgets

Wee Little Winners! – Buying back to school clothes and supplies can be a fabulous teaching tool for tots and teens.  You can teach them the ability to budget money by establishing a school supply or clothing budget for them.  You give the child an adequate amount of money for their budget, but they manage it.  The fun part is:  your child can keep the money they don’t spend.  This not only encourages financial independence but it motivates frugality as well!  Here are a couple of sample budgets to try:

• School Supplies – Set a budget per semester to include backpacks, lunch boxes and all supplies.  It’s amazing how a child will lose fewer pencils and keep up with their notebook better when they have to pay out of their own budget for these items.  At the end of the semester, they get to keep what they don’t spend.
• Clothes – By the time your child is a teenager, you might think about putting him on a clothing allowance or budget.  The challenge is to coach him in his choices without nagging and to allow them to pay the consequences of poor management while they have the safety net of living in your home.  By the time the money is almost out and they’re running around in holey socks---you’ll need to be prepared to stick to your guns without shooting yourself in the foot!