Teach Kids Real Money Skills That Actually Stick (Age-by-Age Playbook)

Ages 3–5: Plant the First Money Seeds

• Use clear “Want vs. Need” jars: one for needs (food, home), one for wants (toys). Drop coins daily so they see the difference visually.
• Play real store at home with play money. Let them “buy” snacks from you—mistakes are free and funny.
• Introduce the 3-jar system: Spend, Save, Give. Even $1 a week works. They decorate the jars themselves.

Ages 6–8: Make Choices Hurt a Little

• Switch to commission, not allowance. They earn money only for agreed chores. No work = no pay. Teaches work = money link fast.
• Create a “Goal Poster”: they paste a picture of the toy they want and color in progress as the Save jar grows.
• Take them grocery shopping with a $10 bill they control. They feel the pain when the candy makes them short on fruit.

Ages 9–11: Introduce Opportunity Cost & Basic Investing

• Four-jar upgrade: Spend, Save, Give, Invest. Move 10–20 % of earnings to Invest jar.
• Open a real kids savings account (many banks have 3–5 % APY accounts for minors). Show monthly interest—magic money!
• Play the “Stock Game”: give them $100 pretend dollars each month to “buy” real company stocks on paper. Track winners/losers for 6 months. The kid who beats the S&P gets ice cream.

Ages 12–14: Hand Over Real Responsibility

• Give a fixed clothing/tech budget for the school year. They blow it early? They wear last year’s jacket. Powerful lesson.
• Add a debit card (Greenlight, FamZoo, or GoHenry). You see every transaction instantly and can freeze it if needed.
• Require them to comparison-shop 3 places before any purchase over $25. Screenshot proof required.

Ages 15–18: Launch Mini-Adult Mode

• They now pay for wants 100 %: phone bill add-ons, eating out, concerts, gas beyond commute.
• Match their Roth IRA contributions 1:1 up to legal limit (~$7,000 in 2025). Turns $3,500 of their summer earnings into $7,000 invested.
• Run a monthly 15-minute “Money Date”: review bank statements together, discuss goals, celebrate wins.

Pro Parent Hacks That Work Every Time

• Never bail them out of their own money mistakes until age 18. Natural consequences teach faster than any lecture.
• Use the phrase “Is that the best use of your money?” instead of “We can’t afford it.”
• Make the Invest jar untouchable except for real stocks/ETFs—no raiding for new sneakers.

Start any single step this week and you’ll see curiosity replace entitlement in months. Kids who grow up with this system don’t just understand money—they respect it and make it grow.