It’s no secret that many of our lifelong habits are acquired at an early age. From our attitudes about certain things, the foods we eat, the company we keep and many other traits. So why should money be any different? April is Financial Literacy Month so let’s help our kids by giving them some tools.

And for all you parents who have kids heading out for Spring Break, we suggest you send them this article right now. See if they can catch up on their financial education just a bit before they hit the beach…

For many, the discussion about money comes way too late when it comes to kids. And it shows in their habits as they get older. As someone who has worked at collection agencies for over 20 years, take it from me…

As parents, we just shell out money and toys to our kids with no real explanation of how we are able to buy these items or the value of having enough money to take care of ourselves.

I found a great article about how and when to talk to your children about money. Getting them acquainted with the concept of money and its value at an early age is really important to equipping them with the tools they need later on in life. We have all taken the trips to the department store with our kids and had them ask us to buy all kinds of things, not being aware that we need to work for that money to spend it. They just want that new toy.

And how many of us have seen those monumental flip outs when the kid doesn’t get his or her way? Maybe that parent was doing the right thing. It just looked bad…

The article below outlines a step by step process for educating your children about money. We thought it was great because it breaks up the topics by age group. For instance, at age five, your kids should know what a bank is, what a check is and have some kind of knowledge about bills. By age 10, they should have a basic concept of loans, interest and timeframes for saving for things they want.

I can’t help but think that some of the consumers we deal with here at this collection agency might be a little better off if their parents gave them the financial tools they needed at an early age. Take a look at the article below and get your children on the right track when it comes to money.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/halahtouryalai/2013/03/19/money-lessons-for-your-kids-what-they-should-know-by-age-5-10-15/?ss=personalfinance

Published On: April 6th, 2016Categories: Advice for Consumers

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