WORK, SPEND, AND SAVE FROM HOME: TEACH KIDS BY EXAMPLE AND PARTICIPATION

Work-From-Home parents have rediscovered the joys of family togetherness during the pandemic—this is a special silver lining if there ever was one. As we continue to hunker down and stay safe by following health protocols, we rediscover that time with our family—especially the kids—is an opportunity to bond, have fun, and even learn together. 

As parents, you’ve likely seen how smart and engaged your children are when they’re online. You’ve seen how they learn most effectively by observation and participation in activities. 

All this time with your kids is an opportunity to teach money management right at home. After all, this pandemic has made online banking and online money transactions the new normal. Shopping online is something that even kids do, nowadays, too. 

Turn your budgeting, online shopping, and online banking routine into a life lesson in wise spending and saving for your kids. They learn best when they see you saving and sticking to a budget and when you let them budget and put away savings on their own. All these can be done using your smartphone, tablet, or laptop without having to leave the house. 

Here are a few tips on teaching your kids how to wisely spend and save from home, even as you work from home: 

Do a budget review. 

This doesn’t mean completely overhauling your current budget. Just review your family’s needs and wants then compare these to the expenses you actually spend on each month. A budget is not a static, fixed thing—it changes according to your family’s circumstances.  Explain household budgeting in terms your child can understand.  

Find more opportunities to save. 

With the economy still in recovery due to the pandemic, our incomes might not be as they used to be. But this doesn’t mean we can’t find more opportunities to save up. 

Teach your kids about saving by giving them some real-life participation: open a savings account for them. BDO has a Junior Savers Account that’s easy to open at any bank branch with minimal requirements and an affordable initial deposit and maintaining balance. 

You can also set up a regular savings with a Junior Savers Plan that can help your kids grow their savings. With this plan, you can schedule regular transfers and set the amount of money to be transferred from your BDO  Online account to your child’s Junior Savers Account. 

Furthermore, there are a lot of ideas on the internet on how to save up on household expenses. Some ideas you’ll see include budget recipes that taste great without breaking the bank and buying pre-loved items instead of brand-new ones. There’s already a thriving community of online content creators that can help you be wiser with how and where you spend your money.  

Saving and budgeting are easier if all family members get involved. It’s both an opportunity for bonding and a way to save your children’s future from unwise money decisions.