1 . Ways to Teach Kids How to Manage Money

As adults, we’ve had a lifetime to learn how to manage our money. Finance may seem like a grown-up concept.    1    Here are ways to teach kids how to budget (预算) and value a dollar.

Firstly, help children understand that everything costs money. Your children need to know the value of their money compared to the value of the things they’d like to buy. When they want a new toy, point out the cost and remind them how much they have to spend.     2     Take the money from their jar, bring it to the store, and hand it to the cashier. They’ll clearly see their amount of money shrink, though they’ll get a toy in return.

As your kids decide how to spend money, teach them to start from something important. If they spend all their savings on one item, they won’t have the money to spend on other things they might want. Because they don’t have enough money to buy everything they’d like, they need to figure out what’s most important to them.

In addition, show them how to shop smart.     3     From buying products to doing cost comparisons, adults try to make their budgets stretch as far as possible — and you can teach your kids to do the same with their money. If your children want to buy a new toy, help them check the price at Target Toys at different stores.

    4     Your kids watch what you do, so practice the same smart financial habits you’re teaching them. It gives them context for the choices they see you making. One way to teach your children about finance is to involve them in your own financial decisions. For example, if you tell them you can’t afford something they want, then turn around and buy a new television, which sends mixed signals. But if they know you’ve been saving up for a new television — that the entire family can enjoy — they’re more likely to understand.