With the increasing prices of fuel, food and just about everything the news is full of ways to save money, to cut down or how to manage money. For many the increasing costs of living are a real problem and more and more we are hearing of Foodbanks running out of food, and debt advice organisations being overwhelmed. It could be so easy to start to look after ourselves in this rapidly changing time at the exclusion of others in need. Thankfully, that is not something I see in this village with every call for help, foodbank collection and community event being so well supported. I am proud to be part of a community that gives so much.
This got me thinking about how we encourage the next generation to be mindful of those in need. I only heard about this after my kids were too old, but I wish that I had heard about it sooner. When teaching kids about finances, give your kids three little piggy banks (money boxes of other animal shapes work just as well). Encourage them to divide the ways they use their money into three categories – save, spend, and share. A simple way to explain this is:
- Save: Money can be used to buy something in the future or prepare for an emergency.
- Spend: We buy or pay for something that we want or need right now.
- Share: We give it to others who may not have enough money for the things they need or to causes we support.
When your child receives money, help them decide how they want to divide it up. There are no right or wrong proportions, but the process of deciding makes them think about the true value of the money to them in the here and now, to their future and to others.
The exercise is one that as adults we should probably do with our own money, in fact with all our resources, and time. How do you balance living for today, with investing in tomorrow and how could you positively impact on others? It is a great check that as the economic situation around us changes we continue to look out for those around us as well as for ourselves.
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done. – Proverbs 19:17
