We’ve been teaching our young Bluey the value of saving his money.
We recently got a bank account for Bluey and Plum when our bank opened a branch within walking distance of our home. So we periodically take a walk to the bank and deposit a few dollars that we hope will pile up into something big in their future.
But we’ve also been tackling the other end of the saving spectrum: purchasing. We’re trying to help our Bluey learn not to blow through all of his spending money every time he has a few beans in his pocket.
What if, instead of buying a thing you don’t really want so much, you saved your money until another time? Then you could buy yourself one of the bigger ticket items that has caught your eye.
So far, the process is working pretty well. Bluey has a piggy bank allocated for short-term savings goals. When he skips buying a small toy, he puts his money in there. He’s starting to see that if he foregoes a few purchases, he can later afford something really, really cool.
It’s a start. We know Bluey will still be attracted to nifty little things at various gift shops and stores we visit. But our hope is that with each purchase deferred, he’ll learn more clearly the value of saving up for the things that really matter to him.