How do your kids save?

[la79al]

Looking for ideas on how my kids can work on saving for DW. They have a self decorated change jar that they put found change into. They enjoy playing the games on SB. When it gets warmer we will be having a yard sale (they plan on a baked goods table if we are allowed). They will be getting gift cards for Christmas. They are given the choice of going out to eat or adding money to the Disney fund (they chose money today and then made delicious shrimp scampi for dinner). Any other suggestions? They are not outgoing children.

 

[AJollyHoliday]

Is there a savings goal? Is so, perhaps take a Mickey head and make it have levels like a thermometer that they can color in so they can have motivation to save for the goal. It sounds like they will have plenty saved based on all what you already mentioned. At the yard sale they should sell coffee too if they are allowed. Are they saving for their own spending $ or for the whole families money?

Oh, one thing is Shopkick. You can scan things in stores and get kicks that can be turned into GCs. That is always fun for them to do while you shop.

 

[barkley]

When it gets warmer we will be having a yard sale (they plan on a baked goods table if we are allowed)

bottled water is a good seller as well-esp. on a hot day if stored in a cooler of ice. figure you can get 2 dozen for less than $3 on sale and sell them at $1 each, get those crystal lite individual drink packets (about $6 or $7 for 44) and make it $1.50 and you're looking at a profit of almost $1.20 on each sale (and it's stuff you can use up what's not sold vs. making up large quantities of drinks or baked goods).

They are given the choice of going out to eat or adding money to the Disney fund

we did this primarily w/our kids when they were younger and it worked well. we did the same thing when it came to going to see a movie-'we can spend x to go see one or rent one for y and put the difference in the change jars'... we also had the easter bunny bring them some plastic eggs with change they could put into their savings jar.

 

[gottalovepluto]

My Grandma used to pay us for doing light gardening. Pruning roses, raking leaves, etc.

 

[firefly_ris]

State dependent but my kids earn cash by assisting their dad with bottle/can returns. My husband takes ours, my in laws, and the office's bottles and cans- waits for a truck loads worth then the kids go with him to sort and return and they get the money from it.

 

[TJsMomSarahJane]

My 8yo has started selling his old toys on eBay through my wife's account. He helps come up with the descriptions, and setting the starting bid. When the auction is done, we give him the cash (minus the fees and shipping cost) and he stashes it away.

He actually does pretty well - some of his older Paw Patrol toys are going for $20+ a piece!

 

[katyjeka]

We are surrounded by a lot of kind, retired neighbors. They have our girls rake leaves, take garbage cans to the curb, wash cars, etc... They are like our adopted family. They watch our home when we travel and vice versus. Our girls make sure the first souvenir they buy is for them.

 

[Darcy03231]

When my kids were younger we had a chore chart so they could earn money. Various prices for different chores. It was amazing how much housework 4 kids can do in the month before a vacation!

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I have both type of kids a spender and a saver. On my spender it's been the hardest to teach him.
We started on resale shops . Both my kids got spending money. We go all day to multiple stores. He learned quickly not to spend in the first store. It was sometimes hard on me too. He would find something that I know he loves for a great price. But he didnt have any money and had to leave it. He kinda taught himself. He has been so much better on spending knowing we wont help him.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

When we go on vacation it's my treat. My kids don't have to save for souvenirs or anything like that.

As for regular life they save their birthday money, Christmas money, etc. I don't pay for chores. Chores are expected to be done. When they need or want something, and it's within reason, we get it for them. My daughter has started babysitting my nephew when my brother and SIL go out on weekends. My son works now and saves from that.

 

[dawnnikol]

My 3 kids were 3, 5, and 7 when we went to DW last time and saved by having a decorated jar to put coins and cash. They did chores around our house and at their grandparent's house to earn extra money, on top of saving their birthday/holiday money.

This time, they will be 6, 8, and 10 when we go and the saving started over 6 months ago for our trip in February 2020. We also told our two oldest if they reached the goal (that they set), we would get them any special treat when we are on vacation that they want. Our youngest doesn't earn as much money, but he still saves and does not have a "goal". We fully intend for the oldest to be able to buy all of their own souvenirs and we will spring for something extra special when we're there and help the youngest.

Our kids like to save because they've seen how it works in the long run. It's still tough sometimes when they see random_toy_01 at Target, but they weigh out the options and proceed accordingly.

Best of luck to your kids!

 

[QueenIsabella]

What we used to do was, when they got Christmas and birthday money from their grandmother, we put most of it in the bank (she would give them $100-500--WAY more than a child would need!) They would always have tons of gifts, anyways. Then, they would take out $50-100 to bring for souvenir money, and the souvenir was a gift from Grandma. While I don't think young kids should necessarily be buying their own souvenirs, this made the choice that much more special--and by and large, they chose more wisely when it was their money.

 

[tink89]

DD saves money given to her for xmas, bdays and just through out the year grandparents and godparents will give her any where from $1 to $100. If it is more than $20 she will save and can spend anything under that on something she wants. She also recycles bottles/cans and takes them with DH to get recycled. We only accumulate one or two bags full every few months. She will take the cap off and squish them down, and get them in the car and DH will take her.

I do not pay her to do chores she should be doing like making her bed, brushing her teeth and/or cleaning up after herself. If I do see she helped me a bit extra at times by washing some dishes or helping fold all the laundry not just hers or actually taking all her crap out of the car with out me having to tell her for weeks then i might give her a little something. She isn't much of a spender and the only time she really takes out from her piggy bank is when we go on vacation. But its always just $20 - $50.

At DL she is like me and we do not buy many souvenirs but we will eat about 20 churros. She usually ends up spending her money on buying a gift for a friend.

 

[mmbrad02]

My DD is 8.5 and we have a Disney cruised booked for October. She isn't normally a huge spender or wish list maker for that matter, but I want her to have some of her own money to decide what to do with for the trip. For example, on Disney trips she will usually ask for one stuffed animal and maybe one other item the whole week.

So for the cruise, we casually let her grandparents know that she is trying to save up some money, so one set offered her a nickel a stick to pick up sticks/twigs from their backyard one Sunday afternoon Her cousins had a lot of fun doing it and she made $4 with grandma giving her an additional $1 tip. My mom gave her a roll of dimes this past weekend and plans to find some fun chores for spring break. She is at an age where this is still fun for her It's sparked an interest in her so she found coins in my sisters car this past weekend and claimed those (less than $.50) and I plan to give her some Saturday projects (like $1 for helping me empty the contents of my Tupperware cabinet so that I can reorganize it).

And she is saving for her Disney cruise in a Carnival cruise piggy bank - haha

 

[iivye]

Mine gets $5 a week for cleaning the bathroom. I go half with her on any activities she does with her friends. I used to cover everything but she started being the one to pay for her friends; she's a lot more thrifty now that her money is on the line.

 

[Shughart]

We always give Disney gift cards as ideas for birthday/Christmas a year out from our trip and they usually end up with enough money and don't have to save. My kids are each bringing $200 of their own in gift cards to spend on our next trip.

 

[KellyHonos]

If you guys happen to be pop drinkers, I'd suggest allowing them to have the $ that comes from the can returns. If you let them accumulate to a decent amount, you'd be surprised at the amount of $ you can collect. I'm not sure when you guys are leaving, but if you do that for 6 months to a year, they can accumulate a good amount of $$! Also, they could offer to do chores for family members. Like shoveling snow, raking leaves, mowing the lawn, vacuuming, dusting, etc. If they got $20 for the larger projects like shoveling, raking and mowing, and got $5-$10 for vacuuming and dusting, that could add up to a nice amount over time! Also, if they have any clothing that is in decent shape but they no longer fit into or wear, you could try taking up some clothing items to a resale shop like platos.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

If you guys happen to be pop drinkers, I'd suggest allowing them to have the $ that comes from the can returns. If you let them accumulate to a decent amount, you'd be surprised at the amount of $ you can collect. I'm not sure when you guys are leaving, but if you do that for 6 months to a year, they can accumulate a good amount of $$! Also, they could offer to do chores for family members. Like shoveling snow, raking leaves, mowing the lawn, vacuuming, dusting, etc. If they got $20 for the larger projects like shoveling, raking and mowing, and got $5-$10 for vacuuming and dusting, that could add up to a nice amount over time! Also, if they have any clothing that is in decent shape but they no longer fit into or wear, you could try taking up some clothing items to a resale shop like platos.

Not all states let you collect. I'm in NJ. No money for bottles. When I lived in upstate NY as a kid we always collected on our bottles and cans.

 

[KellyHonos]

Not all states let you collect. I'm in NJ. No money for bottles. When I lived in upstate NY as a kid we always collected on our bottles and cans.

OH YEAH! I'm a Michigander, we turn in cans every few months! Completely forgot about that not being a nation-wide option. WELL, if it is an option, there ya go

 

[bigbabyblues]

Our travel dates usually fall around my kids' birthdays (not planned that way, just convenient travel times), so they usually have birthday money. MIL/FIL give them money for good grades on their report cards, they usually get gift cards before a trip, shoveling snow for neighbors if we have snow, etc.