by Andrew Moran

Created on: December 19, 2011   Last Updated: December 25, 2011

Kids can be impetuous when they get their hands on money. Immediately, similar to adults, once they grab hold of $5 or $10 they will think of what they can purchase instead of what they can save.

Of course, it would be nice if we could tergiversate their mindset on money, such as saving the money, but we cannot. Although it is common for juveniles to recklessly spend their money, what could we do to encourage better shopping habits?

If you sit down with your child for a moment and teach them to be wise with their money, they can be pretty precocious.

Here are some tips children can do with the money they received over the holidays.

Save

In today’s economy, children should start saving and investing at any age. Doing so will assist them to pay for post-secondary education, to purchase school supplies, to have money for a rainy day or any other long-term goal.

If your child receives $100 from family members during the holidays, encourage them to save at least a portion of it. Educating them on money is a sure step to ensuring your child is fiscally prudent.

Charity

Despite our financial woes, we have it better than most developing nations in the world. Teaching your child compassion and a form of altruism can prompt them to share some of their holiday cash with those less fortunate. Not only will your child do something kind, he or she will also feel responsible and mature.

Necessities

Sometimes, your child may not appreciate the clothes you may purchase for them. Or, they may not enjoy the school supplies you get them, such as a backpack. Take them to the place you usually buy the aforementioned and let them pick out something. However, do not let them go overboard or choose something that is inappropriate, such as a mini-skirt or yoga pants.

Family Gifts

Kids can be selfish, but if you’re a good parent with values and ethics, the same can be passed onto your child. If they receive holiday cash, an idea would be that they can spend it on getting a gift(s) to their father, uncle, grandparent or other family member(s).

Want

If your child has been yearning for an item for a while now, and he or she did not get it for Christmas, now is the time to take them to the shopping mall and buy it.  Not only will you bond with them and you will see how happy they are, your child will feel a sense of pride.

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