Today’s schools have many things to teach students on various subjects like History, Geography, English, Science, Mathematics and the list goes on. But there is no such school that teaches students on money management concepts like how to save money, how to spend money, how to manage money, etc. So, it is the responsibility of the parents to teach their children on how to manage their money properly.
Children are generally unaware of the importance of money and take things for granted. As a parent, you should teach your children the basic concepts or principles of personal finance. Talk to them about your childhood days and tell them how you used to save money and how difficult it would be to control expenses.
Help your children open their savings account in their name and teach them how to create a budget and how to follow it. Take your children's help in tracking your expenses related to utility bills, grocery bills and miscellaneous expenses and ask them to fill up the budgeting sheet. If your child starts doing this, then he will be able to understand the importance of money and financial situation of your household. Perhaps, your child will help you in cutting unnecessary expenses.
Functionality over fancy lifestyle
Children, especially teens, purchase expensive things to impress their friends and others. They don’t want to buy things at a low price; they are not bothered about the functionality of the products that are available at affordable prices. They just want to make a purchase to get into fancy lifestyle and show-off their material possessions.
If your child is making such expensive purchases with his monthly allowance (pocket money), you need to carefully handle this situation and talk to your child in such a way that he does not get rebellious. Never give your debit/credit cards to your children, they are still not ready to take the responsibility of making transactions/payments and at times they may spend on unnecessary things, without your consent. Children should have a debit/credit card only after they start earning.
Teach financial responsibility
Ask children to do some household chores like washing their own clothes, getting groceries or vegetables to home, paying some small utility bills, etc. Give allowance as a payment for a task. Children often like to take challenges and tasks for rewards.
Allowance is a good tool for teaching children about money management. It helps your child to learn how to manage money effectively. Remember, your child's allowance should be of small amount, so that he buys something small that is needed or save the amount for something big later on. It should not be a big amount to make expensive purchases. Further, ask your child to get into part-time jobs during vacations as it helps him understand the value of hard earned money.
Manage their expectations
Don't spend money carelessly in front of your children. Also, while shopping with your children don't make it a habit of buying things for them frequently. It shows your reckless spending. Your child may easily get carried away by your shopping attitude. You need to teach your children about the importance of personal finance and tell them to live frugal and make sacrifices.
Therefore, as a parent you may have understood the importance of money management and now you need to inculcate the same in your children and give them tips to save money. See to it that your tips are helping your child save money for a period of time.
Money Chutney provides insightful articles on saving, investing, budgeting and financial planning. These articles are intended to provide knowledge and make people aware of methods and techniques on personal finance, so they can use it to better their financial situation. These personal finance strategies are targeted towards educated middle class people in India, who typically look for information on how to save money.