Use the Economy to Teach Your Family How to Save
Written by admin on December 7th, 2010Financial difficulties can cause a great deal of emotional strain for a family. I think that parents really benefit their kids during times of financial difficulty by allowing them to participate in the problem-solving process.
In the current economy, money is going to be tight as the rate of inflation continues to rise. This is a valuable opportunity to teach younger children, so don’t miss it. There’s nothing wrong with having a family meeting to discuss your financial situation. The children will learn that they cannot get all of the things they want, and also that life has its bumps along the way.
You may want to give your child an allowance so that he or she can begin learning to manage his or her own money. Most children receive some sort of allowance but receive no real training in budgeting. As a result, they begin to expect their parents to fork over even more after it’s gone.
Even though no one likes to be in a financial bind, it’s an excellent chance to bring the family together to work towards a common goal. You can work together as a family to plan a strategy for reducing your family’s spending and to research entertainment and vacation ideas that are affordable. If your kids understand that money is not readily available, they will be more likely to accept the fact that new school clothes are not an option.
Things are much better when a family can talk these things out.
There are ways to live within your means without being a penny pincher. The newly-accepted custom of buying on credit has sent the message to millions of Americans that it is okay to spend money that you don’t have. You can make a big change in this area by making an effort to spend less than you earn and put the difference into savings. As a result, you could turn a financial deficit into savings.
Many businesspeople have gotten their careers in gear simply by making the commitment to spend less than they earn and put the rest into savings. You can then use your savings to finance a new business venture. When you develop a savings habit, you also get peace of mind. This allows you to breathe easier when the bills arrive and, if something unforeseen happens, you have some wiggle room. After you develop a savings habit, the next thing to do is invest your money — you can help your money to grow in an exciting and informative way.
A large number of employers offer employees the option to have savings automatically deducted from their paychecks. Setting a specific goal for a monthly savings investment is a good habit to get into. Lastly, as you and your family begin to appreciate the advantages of saving, you may all find yourself enjoying your time together more than you enjoy going out and spending money. You will become more in control of your life and your kids will learn good self-discipline skills that they can use throughout their lives.
Take a different approach. Many people like to shop and spend money, but very few like to save.
