Newsroom – Money Saving Tips for Kids – Part 1

Money Savings Tips for Kids

iStock_000017960387LargeAs a busy mom of two daughters, ages 6 and 10, I understand the challenges parents face when they are trying to save money for their kids and educate them on financial fitness. I am writing to share the tips that I have learned over the years, and also explain how Trademark FCU is currently helping us achieve our goals.

Savings

  • Savings account transfers-Start out by opening a Trademark savings account for your child. Once you have that established, you can have one of our MSRs help you set up automatic transfers every pay day from your account to their accounts. I have transferred as little as a dollar a week and then increased the amount over time. The great thing is, with a call or an e-mail, you can reduce or increase the amount whenever you wish. The key to this tip is to get into the routine of saving something-it all adds up.
  • Loose change- All the loose change in our house goes into the girls savings accounts. Make it a game and have them help you roll the money!
  • Birthday/gift money- We have a rule that every time the girls receive birthday or gift money, they have to deposit at least half of it into their Trademark FCU account.
  • Youth Certificates- Savings rates are pretty low in this economic environment, but Trademark offers a great product called a Youth Certificate. You can earn a higher dividend with a minimum balance of only $25! I usually save up a bit of money in the girls’ savings and then roll funds into a Youth certificate, so they usually have several Youth Certificates maturing within their savings accounts. If there is an emergency and I have to withdraw the funds, there is no penalty. You can set these up over the phone or via e-mail. See our Rate and Fee Schedule and Truth in Savings disclosures or call a MSR for more details.

Education

  • Get them involved- Since the girls go to school in a different town, they aren’t able to visit the Credit Union on a regular basis, but I try to make it a point to bring them in once a year to make a deposit to their account. They learn about the deposit process and I show them how to read their receipts. It also increases their awareness of the Credit Union and reminds them that they are members that are helping other members. If you are a long distance member, you could show your child their account via Trademark Online. You can also show them how to make deposits using your smart phone or home scanner using DeposZip.
  • Teach them the value of money- If the kids bring home a school book order, I give them a budget of how much they can spend and they have to figure out what they really want. If they want more, they have to tap into their birthday money stash!
  • Shopping- When we go grocery shopping or go the mall, I show the girls how I make decisions on the products based on price and quality. When I make my final purchase they love to see me use my Trademark Custom Card (they are on it)!

I hope these tips will help start your own saving strategies for your child. Remember, despite whatever you are able to save; one of the best gifts you can give your child is to start teaching them positive money management skills.