The Best Methods to Teach Your Grandchildren to Save Money

Too many people in society today live beyond their means. The economy has left people who had a good job trying to juggle their finances while earning a lower wage. People need to learn a new way of making ends meet. As a grandparent, you can help your grandchildren learn to save money. 

Tiny Feet Change the World

Creating a generation of savers can help protect your grandchildren against a future financial crisis. When the economy was growing rapidly, banks were willing to lend money and credit cards were easy to obtain. This led individuals to believe that they could obtain anything they wanted without having to work for it.

Changing the way people think about money and how to handle it can help your grandchildren understand that even if they want something they don’t necessarily have to have it. Sometimes it is important to save for a desired item, while other possessions are out of reach. 

No Longer a Disposable Society

For many years people would replace broken items instead of repairing them. The state of the economy made certain goods inexpensive, and repairs often cost more than buying a new product. With the decrease in wages and increase in prices, goods are often too expensive to replace.

It is important to teach grandchildren the benefits of repairing certain products. Cars are often expensive to replace but can be repaired. With the wide variety of resellers of auto parts, a person can find replacement parts for many different vehicles online and replace them on their own. Whether a person is looking for Ford Mustang parts, Chevrolet parts or foreign auto parts, repairing a car can often be cost effective.

Open a Savings Account

A good way to help teach your grandchildren to save is to open a savings account in their name. If your grandchildren are still minors, you can be custodian of the account. Many banks offer special programs for young children to make saving a fun prospect. If you start them while they are young, saving money may become a habit as they age. 

Reward them for Saving

Positive reinforcement is often a good way to encourage specific behavior. If your grandchildren save consistently you may want to offer a reward for their thrifty ways. Another idea is to set a monetary goal. When your grandchild reaches a specific amount in their savings account you can give them a gift, take them out for a meal, or even let them spend some of their money.

Grandparents are good role models for their grandchildren. If they see that you make saving money a priority they will be more apt to become savers. Encouraging them by open a savings account for them will allow them to have a good vehicle to save money. Rewarding your grandchildren when they save will help reinforce this behavior and create a potential saver.

This is no longer a disposable society, and people need to learn that they can’t buy everything they want. Instructing grandchildren in the benefits of saving will help them when they become adults and are providing for their children and grandchildren.

Adrienne is a blogger with an interest in personal finance. When she’s not blogging, you might find her practicing her French, whipping up some recipes she found on Pinterest, or obsessing over vintage postcards and stamps.