Teenagers are known to have expensive needs and wants, but you do not need to break the bank when it comes to letting them have what they want. Here are a few ways to help you to help them and learn how to work with money correctly. Making sure that your kids learn the life skills that they need to be productive adults is very important.
How pocket money should work
Pocket money is always an issue. What parents need to know is that you should make your children understand that money does not come for free. Teenagers should learn that they need to do something in order to get paid pocket money.
As parents, you will need to sit down with them and decide together what chores should be done. They must look after their own bedroom and should also have to do a few other things such as washing the dishes, hanging out the washing and so forth. Older teens can even be given part of the responsibility of some of the shopping.
How much they get as pocket money should be the amount that you feel they deserve, not what you can afford. You also need to think about what they are most likely going to spend their money on when you are deciding on what amount to award them for doing their chores. Never make the mistake of giving them more than you can afford – they need to understand what your financial situation is and the fact that everyone has to work in order to reap the benefits.
An allowance
If you think about it, an allowance should be for the things that your teens want, not what they need! Parents should provide what their children need and then give them an allowance to spend on the things that they want. Parents should pay for their school clothes, activities and so forth. Suppose your child is graduating high school and wants some special apparel for the day, or for high school photos, then it’s up to you to browse around on sites like Jostens (https://www.jostens.com/graduation/high-school/senior-apparel) and find them what they like. If you want to teach your teens how to budget with their money, then you could allow them to make these purchases, but be sure to go with them in the beginning to make sure that you can show them how to compare prices and how to stick to their budget correctly.
Weekend jobs
Even though it may not be that easy for a teen to get a part-time job, it should be encouraged. There are places that will hire young people for Saturday or Sunday work, and there are plenty of jobs to get at 14 so they are sure to find something that they like the sound of and can see themselves doing. Your teen will feel as though they are important and that they are really contributing to the family unit if they have a part-time job.
Letting them create a resume by themselves, or hiring a company like ARC Resumes (https://www.arcresumes.com/) to see how a professional one should be written, is a great way to help them understand the importance of education when looking for a job one day. Show them what your resume looks like and explain to them how having a good one can affect their chances of landing a great job – the job of their dreams!
Banking
Go with them to the bank to open up a savings account in their name. Explain the importance of saving, the concept of credit cards, and the interest that goes with having one. Showing them how to write out a cheque will also be very helpful for when they need to do it one day.
