How to Teach Kids Financial Literacy — Boston Mamas (2024)

One thing that has always seemed crazy to me is that financial literacy is not part of school curriculum. Through high school and college I learned about money through scarcity (I was on my own financially after freshman year in college) and via the post-sign-up panic related to signing up for student loans and credit cards with very little understanding of what my signature meant.

I have always felt that there needs to be a better way, and since having kids I have definitely felt like the onus is on parents. But I recently learned about something super awesome: MassMutual’s FutureSmart program. FutureSmart is basically the thing I have been asking for! It’s a nationwide initiative that brings financial education to middle and high school students across the United States. Through their digital course and mobile app, and also through live events with local NBA basketball teams and actor and author Hill Harper, FutureSmart is working to bring financial education to over 2 million students and their families by 2020. To learn more about the program, its impact, and how to bring FutureSmart to your school, visit futuresmart.massmutual.com.

Hill Harper’s Real Talk About Money

I unfortunately wasn’t able to make it to Hill Harper’s recent Boston event but I love that among the many things he tackles in his presentations is real data (yay, data!). There were two main points that jumped out at me. First, he talks about the relationship between education and earning; basically, the more you learn, the more you earn (with the endpoints being a salary of $22,130 for someone who doesn’t complete high school and $141,890 for someone with a post-graduate degree).

And second, traditional living includes predictable expenses (housing, food, transportation, etc.) and that one crucial way to be smart about money is to eliminate debt repayment (read: among other things, don’t go nuts with credit card spending and get mired in unnecessary credit card interest fees) and move that money to savings.

How to Teach Kids Financial Literacy — Boston Mamas (2)

Now, while I definitely recommend checking out FutureSmart and their digital course and mobile app, I also wanted to share my top tips for how to teach kids financial literacy.

1. Give kids allowance (and truly let them experiment with it!)

One question I get asked about a lot is allowance. Whether you want to give a regular allowance and how much it is will vary for different families but I do think giving kids an allowance (weekly or monthly) is important. Kids need to understand the value of currency and they won’t be able to do that without being able to experiment with actual currency.

2. Talk to kids about different ways to use money

The three basic things to convey to kids about using money are: spending, saving, and sharing (through charitable contributions). All three things are important and can be discussed when you give kids allowance or if they receive a cash gift at their birthday.

3. Open a bank account

Part of teaching kids to save money includes putting that money somewhere! Last year I took Vi (and the envelope full of cash she had been collecting over the years) to the local bank to open a bank account. It was really sweet and I also took the opportunity to teach her the old fashioned life skill of shaking someone’s hand after you finish a business transaction. (She thought that part was awkward.)

How to Teach Kids Financial Literacy — Boston Mamas (4)

4. Be OK with low-impact spending mistakes

As with anything in life, mistakes happen and can be valuable learning opportunities. And when it comes to money, better to have those mistakes happen in a low-impact (small dollar) situation. For example, if your kid wants to spend some of their money on a (ridiculous or flimsy seeming to you) toy, it’s OK to give them a gentle warning if you think it feels overpriced or really flimsy, but then if they decide they still want to go for it, let them go for it. And while it may prove to be the best purchase ever, if it turns out to be a dud, that will be a lesson learned for them.

5. Help facilitate earning opportunities

Last year (after Laurel finished 8th grade) was a real pivotal moment for us because Laurel officially crossed into the world of earning money versus us paying for camp! She had a regular babysitting job and also had a couple of baking gigs and it was pretty incredible in leveling up her financial literacy. Earning money completely changed how she looked at spending; price tags were no longer an abstract thing because she could calculate how many babysitting hours it took to pay for something. I needed to be involved in a lot of the logistics planning last year but this spring she is already thinking about her plan for the summer and will be increasingly independent pursuing babysitting clients.

6. Share financial stories—the good, bad, and the ugly

As you talk to your kids about money, share your stories. When I was a kid, money was such a stressful topic. My approach to storytelling is to be real but also infuse a little humor so that money isn’t a scary thing for my kids to think about.

To learn more about MassMutual’s FutureSmart program, its impact, and how to bring FutureSmart to your school, visit futuresmart.massmutual.com.

Disclosure: This article was sponsored by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111-0001. www.massmutual.com All opinions are those of the author.

Family

Christine Koh

money, kids, finances

Comment

How to Teach Kids Financial Literacy — Boston Mamas (2024)

FAQs

How to Teach Kids Financial Literacy — Boston Mamas? ›

Talk to kids about different ways to use money

How can I teach my child financial literacy? ›

When they're little
  1. Introduce the value of money.
  2. Emphasize saving.
  3. Introduce them to investing.
  4. Encourage a summer job.
  5. Introduce them to credit.
  6. Consider a Roth IRA.
  7. Help them set a budget.
  8. Encourage them to stay invested.

What is the most effective method to teach financial literacy? ›

Children learn best through practical examples. Involve them in age-appropriate discussions about family finances, like planning a budget for a family vacation or comparing prices while shopping. Real-life scenarios help children understand the value of money and the importance of making wise financial choices.

What is the right age to teach financial literacy? ›

Kids between the ages of 6 and 8 may start to understand how money works. "As soon as your child is receiving an allowance, he'll need a place to put his money," says Pearl.

How should parents educate their children in finances? ›

Children learn about money by doing. By having your child actively participate in a trip to the grocery store, they can see how budgeting relates to shopping. You might open a savings account online to provide an opportunity to teach about saving money, especially if they see you are saving as well.

Do parents teach financial literacy? ›

Your children learn from your habits and the way you spend or save and even talk about money will shape how your children manage money in the future, even if you don't realize it,” says Woroch. It can be as simple as using positive language when you talk about money.

Can financial literacy be taught? ›

Key aspects of financial literacy include knowing how to create a budget, plan for retirement, manage debt, and track personal spending. Financial literacy can be obtained through reading books, listening to podcasts, subscribing to financial content, or talking to a financial professional.

What are the four main types of financial literacy? ›

Financial literacy is having a basic grasp of money matters and its four fundamental pillars: debt, budgeting, saving, and investing. It's understanding how to build wealth throughout one's life by leveraging the power of these pillars.

What are the 3 keys to financial literacy? ›

Three Key Components of Financial Literacy
  • An Up-to-Date Budget. Some tend to look at the word “budget” as tantamount to the word “diet,” but at its most basic, a budget is just a spending plan. ...
  • Dedicated Savings (and Saving to Spend) ...
  • ID Theft Prevention.

What are the 5 ways to be financially literate? ›

The 5 components of financial literacy. There's plenty to learn about personal financial topics, but breaking them down can help simplify things. To start expanding your financial literacy, consider these five areas: budgeting, building and improving credit, saving, borrowing and repaying debt, and investing.

What is the 50 30 20 rule? ›

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

How to teach kids about banking? ›

Open a savings account and take your child with you to the bank to make a small deposit every week. Then, show them how to check the balance online. Use the account to teach your children about earning interest or saving for large purchases. Teach your children how checking accounts work.

Who is qualified to teach financial literacy? ›

The CFE Certified Financial Educator® is a registered designation awarded to individual practitioners who have: A minimum of 3-years of experience in financial services. Experience in teaching adult learners.

Do parents help their kids financially? ›

A recent survey found nearly half of parents with a child over 18 are financially supporting them. In fact, according to data from Savings.com, of 1,000 parents, 47% reported providing ongoing financial assistance to their adult children.

What is one of the essential things that we should teach children about finances? ›

Teach Your Child About Budgeting

To avoid falling into debt, a great place to start would be to create a budget. Ask your child to make a note of all the expenses they've made throughout the month, and then plan the next month accordingly.

Should parents try to spend the same amount of money on each child? ›

MILLER: Equal spending is generally a sound policy. But I urge parents to strive for fairness over time rather than equal spending at each gift-giving opportunity. Fair does not necessarily mean equal. Fairness considers the larger context, specific circ*mstances, and each child as an individual.

Should kids be taught financial literacy? ›

Teaching kids the basics of money management can help them develop the skills necessary to achieve financial success later in life. From saving and investing to creating and sticking to a budget, early money lessons can give your kids a leg up when it's time for them to make more significant financial decisions.

What is financial literacy for kids? ›

Financial literacy is the knowledge and skills required to make sound financial decisions. This includes savings, investment, taxes, and credit, to name a few. Money management, budgeting, risk awareness, and avoiding scams are a few examples of skills taught through financial literacy classes.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jeremiah Abshire

Last Updated:

Views: 6002

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jeremiah Abshire

Birthday: 1993-09-14

Address: Apt. 425 92748 Jannie Centers, Port Nikitaville, VT 82110

Phone: +8096210939894

Job: Lead Healthcare Manager

Hobby: Watching movies, Watching movies, Knapping, LARPing, Coffee roasting, Lacemaking, Gaming

Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.