There are so many simple ways to boost your child’s savings account! Even if you don’t feel like you have a lot of extra cash on the weekly basis there are many ways to continue contributing to their savings fund without pulling from your weekly budget. Before you know it you will have a couple of ways to stay consistent in growing a fund that will help them later in life!
When we became parents one of the things that was really important to us was making sure we had some sort of a savings fund for each of our children to help them in getting started out in the world when the time came.
We made a promise to find ways to contribute to this fund on a weekly/monthly basis so that it could grow over the years with them and would provide them a stable enough sum to take with them when they flew the coop.
“Savings Account” by Got Credit is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Honestly, as a young couple learning how to be financially stable on our own it hasn’t always come easy to continue contributing to these funds. But we have taught ourselves ways to keep our promise even when things were tight elsewhere.
Now we feel confident that when our children are old enough there will be something there worth helping in their start to adulthood.
We have even learned ways to teach them to contribute to it. Learning responsibility within ourselves all the while teaching our children too! A win-win.
If you feel overwhelmed with the idea of saving extra for your children, grandchildren or even for yourselves use some of these tips and before you know it you will be on the right track to a successful savings account…
Simple Ways To Boost Your Child’s Savings Account
“Jar of Change – Change – Coins – Saving Money” by ota_photos is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Keep the change
Yes – as easy as that. How many times can you recall saying, “keep the change” when you are purchasing an item out? Especially if it is only a few cents.
Do you know what $.04 cents can add up to when you drop that line and instead actually keep the change for yourself?
Even when you do take the change back, do you have a designated change purse or cup holder that houses all those loose coins?
Get yourself a change jug. You will be absolutely amazed at how much that adds up to when cashed in. Drop all your loose change into the jug and once a month cash it in directly to that savings account.
Start a deposit return system
Do you drink anything out of a can or bottle that has a deposit you could be getting back? This process is really easy to get into and although it doesn’t amount to a TON of money it does amount to something and it won’t even touch your weekly income.
Make a system so that you are holding onto those cleaned cans/bottles and once a bag or bucket is full return to your local redemption center. This money can go directly into your child’s savings account. It adds up!!!
Money Back Rewards
Do you have a credit card that offers money back rewards? Take that money and cash it out when it comes through.
It may only be a few dollars here and there but it is free money that comes back to you after spending. You might have a designated credit card that you use to pay certain bills or travel with. Keep track of that money back incentive and work towards cash back rewards that will turn into savings!
Thrifted Kid Items
Check your local area and see if there is a consignment store that takes clothes and/or toys in exchange for cash. You could be pulling together the things your child is growing out of and exchanging them for money to inevitably go right back to them.
If you are like me and donate a lot of the outgrown things and want to keep doing that – no worries. You can get linked up to get a newsletter or make a phone call to find out what their most needed or wanted items are (a lot of seasonal things) and pull those particular items aside for money exchange.
You can even do this from home! There are sites such as: Vinted
They allow you to upload your used items or wardrobes and people can view and purchase online!
Opt out of material gifts
How many holidays a year are you or others buying material gifts for your children? When you really think of it…a lot.
You immediately go to the big holidays like birthdays or Christmas but there are so many other holidays throughout the year we purchase gifts for our kids and a lot of the time they are almost take and toss kind of gifts. Especially those holidays like Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc.
We try to incorporate money into all of the holidays. Easter egg hunt has coins, Valentine’s Day has a card with two $10 bills (one for saving and one for spending).
We also ask others to do a book and cash option for some holidays too.
Lets be honest – kids have TOO much these days. More unnecessary toys gifted from all of the family members? No thanks- ask them buy them a book for their book shelf and add in some cash to go towards their savings account instead!
Using Cash Envelope System
This is a really easy and effective way to budget. You label envelopes with your weekly expenses and your dedicated amount goes into each appropriate envelope.
Add in some fun extras like travel, date night, beauty, family fun day, etc. and any extra cash gets divided up and put into those envelopes.
Once you reach a desired amount you “cash it out” and start it over. A great way to put money into your child’s savings account is this system! Even if it is only a few dollars a week!
Check out this Free Printable Cash Envelope System – Strawberry Lemonade to get you started!
“Money” by free pictures of money is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Saving money can really seem overwhelming at times and at other times completely out of reach. These incredibly simple ways can give you the push in getting things going or keeping things steady in ways to boost your child’s savings account.
Time goes by fast as they grow so don’t wait! Open that account, get your systems in place and start saving today!!!
You Might Also Like….
- How to Use a Printable Cash Envelope System for Budgeting
- How to Save Money When You’re Living Paycheck To Paycheck
- How to Create a Master Budget + Free Printables!
Love, light and a little grace…
-Olivia
Olivia Whalen is mama to three young girls who is devoted to creative learning, exploration and free range imagination. Olivia enjoys thinking outside of the box when it comes to preparing homemade baby food or meals for her family. She most enjoys allowing the little minds in her life to flourish and with that you will see her write about creative kid crafts, recipes that fit a family budget and keep everyone asking for more, tips and tricks for a tiny babe, and beginner homesteader fun! Some of her hobbies include gardening, hiking, reading, cooking or just basking in motherhood.