I can unfortunately relate to an infinite number of memes that joke about how unhelpful math class was for real-life money management. I also didn’t have the benefit of having parents that were great at handling money, or talking about it, which left me making some questionable credit decisions in my early adulthood that took a while to recover from.
Luckily, I learned how to make better financial decisions and began money conversations with my own children at a fairly early age. “Kids are super smart, and they see everything you do,” Ben Jones, CPA and founder of EduCounting tells POPSUGAR. “If you waste money or are anxious about it, they’ll see that and learn from it.”
I started talking to my children about money when they were each around 4 years old. It began with conversations around things like the difference between dollars and coins and how we buy things at stores. Then, my husband and I started giving our kids allowances at age 5 (one dollar for every year of their age) and helping them learn what those dollars could be used for.
Originally, we used the MoonJar toy bank but I could only handle so many trips to the store watching my kids carefully count all their coins to buy Pokémon cards before I figured there had to be a better way to improve their financial literacy (and our shopping trips).
So, I delved into the world of financial literacy apps for kids, and was pleasantly surprised to see the options out there. “Kids live on technology and want money,” BusyKid CEO Gregg Murset says. “Why not combine the two to instill a foundation that can help them avoid life’s basic money pitfalls?”.
Best of all, financial literacy apps aren’t just for older kids. “Kids generally understand the concept of money by the time they’re preschool age,” says Jennifer Seitz, certified financial education instructor and director of education at Greenlight. “That means parents can introduce age-appropriate basics – like what money is used for, how we earn it, and how much things cost – at a pretty young age.”
My research helped me find great financial and allowance apps for kids of varying ages, ones for larger households, and even an option that helps older kids start building credit. Below, we cover the pros and cons of the five best financial apps for kids.
As for which app is ultimately right for your family? Seitz suggests a few considerations: “Choose apps with parental controls that fit your needs. Be aware of any fees or costs associated with the app and compare different ones to see their value for the services provided. Finally, consider the app’s long-term viability and potential to grow with your child’s evolving financial needs. Having a solid foundation of financial literacy during childhood can set the stage for lifelong financial wellness as your kids transition into adulthood.”
