In the next phase, we'll be talking a bit about family and money.

What are you teaching your children about money? Are you giving them the knowledge that they will need to be financially responsible adults? In what ways are you teaching them? What attitudes do you have about money that they are picking up on, even if they are left unsaid?

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I'm not sure what I have been teaching my kids about money but I hope they learn that money is never really the issue. If people have money problems (except in a case of sudden illness or something) or if people fight about money the real problem is a different underlying issue. I hope that really understanding that will help them look at the drive behind money issues and solve any issues they have.

I hope I'm giving them a good foundation. So far, (they are young) they get a weekly allowance. They have to put aside a portion for giving and a portion for saving and the rest can be spent at their discretion (however, I can't help but give my council on this too!). Sometimes they save up for things with this money or the two of them pool their money for something they want together. Or they spend it all. Sometimes I have heard them comment on items being a waste of money, etc. I hope good lessons are being learned.

Also, I know they know that I love coupons, sales, and clearance!

They are still pretty young so I haven't taught them alot. I have pointed out the price difference between store brand fruit snacks and ones with a Princess on them, and they pick the cheaper one. Anytime you can explain it to little ones in a manner that shows you can get more for your money by looking at it a certain way works at our house. For instance dd wanted a pink soccer ball. We talked about the fact it cost twice as much as a black and white one, and she picked the cheaper one.

My parents taught me the value of a dollar. If you want something you have to earn it, was their mentality and honestly, as much as I hated it as a kid, it definitely prepares you for the real world. I want my kids to learn that too and I want them to know that nothing is ever just given to them. Hard work will always have pay offs. So within the next couple of years, as they are approaching five and seven, we will have a chore chart with weekly allowances attached to it. They will know how much they can earn and then we'll start to talk about saving up for big purchases, rather than spending it all in one lump, as they have grown up doing with birthday and Christmas gift money from family.

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More then my parents taught me. I want our kids to be involved in why we make our choices. My parents were very private with there money the first time I found out how much they made was not until I was 20 and I was working an intership where my dad was a sub contractor and doing pay role tracking. They haven't opened up until we were adults. I learned most finance skills in High school and College with the exception of budgeting. So I would like my kids to learn about money early and have responsablity for things.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006 &

Organizer of the Coupon Clippers of Tacoma