Finder.com.au
Credit Card Finder Comparison Service Australia

How to Teach Your Children Healthy Money Habits

Posted February 15th, 2010 and last modified May 12th, 2011

Teaching kids simple money tips from a young age can help them to learn about sensible money habits. Children who learn about the benefits of saving and good banking practices from a young age are far more likely to develop responsible money habits as they grow older.

Money Tips for Kids

Kids should be taught to save money from a young age. Whether it’s just a little pocket money, or whether they receive some cash for birthdays or Christmas, they need to understand why it’s a good idea to put a little of their money away.

You might encourage them to begin saving for a larger item they want to buy for themselves, so they have a goal to strive towards.

As a parent, some of your money tips to your children should include teaching them about the value of a savings account and how earning interest on the money they save can help to boost their savings.

A St. George Incentive Saver account can be ideal for children who want to save for a larger purchase. Students might consider a Complete Freedom Student account that allows them to continue saving, but still gives them access to their money when they need it.

Student accounts should charge no banking or account fees, which means your child’s money isn’t being eaten away by fees.

Good Banking Practices

While most parents offer money tips about saving or spending wisely, not many teach their children the importance of reading and understanding their own bank statements regularly.

Viewing the frequency of deposits and seeing how their balances change after they’ve earned some interest on their savings can help children stay motivated about saving. They may also begin to understand that the more they save, the more their money is able to earn once interest is applied to their balance.

Kids should also be shown their statements again after they’ve decided to withdraw some money to make a purchase. This way, they begin to understand the positive effect of saving diligently to buy the things they want, but they’ll also understand that their balance is now much lower.

While the numbers on a statement might not mean very much to a young child, they may learn that once they’ve spent their money, it’s gone. They’ll be far more careful about their spending choices in the future if they’ve been enjoying the feeling of watching their savings grow for so long.

These simple money tips can help children to develop an awareness of sensible spending habits that could remain with them for the rest of their lives.

Check out today's featured offers:

Westpac Low Rate Citibank Clear Platinum Qantas AMEX Discovery ANZ Platinum
Westpac Low Rate Card St George Vertigo American Express Qantas Discovery Card ANZ Platinum Credit Card

0% p.a. for 6 months

on purchases & balance transfers

2.9% p.a. for 12 months
on balance transfers

$0 annual fee

Up to 10,000 Bonus QFF Points

0% p.a. for 6 months on

purchases & balance transfers

Subscribe to our newsletter and get "The Ultimate Guide to Balance Transfers"

If You Like This Post...

Get all the latest deals, guides and loopholes go in Credit Card Finder's free bi-monthly email. Don't miss out - join the thousands who get it emailed!

We Respect Your Privacy

Ask A Question

Please note: Question moderation is enabled and may delay your question.
There is no need to resubmit your question. Once approved, your question will be public and appear on this page.

Popular Credit Card Offers

  Interest Rate (p.a.) Balance Transfer Rate (p.a.) Annual fee Cash Advance Rate (p.a.)  
Westpac Low Rate Card - 0% Offer
Westpac Low Rate Card - 0% Offer
A credit card with a low rate offer on both balance transfers and purchases, plus a low annual fee.0% for 6 months (reverts to 13.49% )0% for 6 months$4521.49%Apply Now For The Westpac Low Rate Card - 0% Offer Read More About The Westpac Low Rate Card - 0% Offer
Citibank Clear Platinum Card
Citibank Clear Platinum Card
Competitive interest rate on purchases and balance transfers offer.11.99% 2.9% for 12 months$9921.74%Apply Now For The Citibank Clear Platinum Card Read More About The Citibank Clear Platinum Card
St George Vertigo
St George Vertigo
Take advantage of this great offer from St.George with a low rate on purchases and a low balance transfer offer.13.24% 0.99% for 12 months$5521.49%Apply Now For The St George Vertigo Read More About The St George Vertigo
ANZ Platinum Credit Card
ANZ Platinum Credit Card
An introductory interest rate offer on balance transfers and purchases, plus a $0 first year annual fee.0% for 6 months (reverts to 19.24% )0% for 6 months$0 annual fee for the first year( $87 thereafter)20.99%Apply Now For The ANZ Platinum Credit Card Read More About The ANZ Platinum Credit Card