Save, Spend, Share

How do you spend the money you earn from chores or get as a gift?

There are so many ways you can use your money! Do you like to buy special treats like ice cream, or candy at the movies? Do you like to save it up for a big toy? Do you have fun sharing your money by buying things for friends? We think the best idea is to do all three: save, spend, and share. A good way to do this is to mark three envelopes or jars labeled “Save,” “Spend,” and “Share” and always put money you earn or get as a present in each jar.

Save

Saving money means you put it away—maybe in a piggy bank, a big jar, or into a savings account at your credit union—so that you can spend it later on something really really big. You could save money for a family vacation, where you’ll want to buy souvenirs or extra treats. You could save for new soccer shoes or extra dance lessons. Saving is all about having a goal in mind and patiently working toward it, even when you want to spend money right when you get it.

Spend

Spending is most people’s favorite thing to do with their money! And everyone likes to spend their money differently—it’s all about what makes you smile. Sometimes that means getting a new toy, a new sweater, or treats like gum and candy.

Share

Sharing your money can mean lots of things. It can mean donating to help the local animal shelter, or to help families around the holidays. Sharing can also mean using your money to buy something you share with your friends, like a fun day out at the roller rink or amusement park. It’s an important lesson that sometimes sharing our money to spend time with friends and family, or to help those who don’t have as much as we do, can make us smile even more than buying a new toy.