Kids & Money

(PODCAST) Saving for college is always easier if you start early. And even if you don't, there are many innovative ways to save or give a gift.

(VIDEO) Come on, Millennials: help me to understand the situation surrounding your investment strategy (or the lack thereof). It's time to get a handle on things before you pass along bad habits to your kids.

(VIDEO) My Work-For-Pay Allowance system is based on a specified series of chores that are over and above what is expected of your child as a contributing member of your household.

(VIDEO) The mere mention of “teens and money” may send shivers up your spine. And it should. The point is these kids are about to leave the nest (we hope) and venture out into the real world where the cocoon of comfort may start to unravel when it comes to money matters.

(VIDEO) Enter the world of Green$treets where kids play with a variety of characters, each with their own unique financial and ecological personalities, designed by Neale and award-winning Tom Hester, the creator of Shrek.

(PODCAST) More parents are now choosing to homeschool rather than sending their children to public or private schools. The homeschooling movement is on fire and Neale finds out what's involved for parents who want to educate their kids at home.

(VIDEO) Digital game play is all the rage when teaching children financial literacy. To make money lessons real, you need to start with real money and work your kids into the online world slowly.

So...why is a budget important? Explain to your children that “a good budget enables you to pay for what you need and save for what you want.”

(VIDEO) Tipping can cause bad feelings or embarrassment, so it’s a skill that must be learned. Why? Have you ever seen a group of teens out to dinner and baffled when it comes time to leave a tip?

You ask yourself, is my child being disruptive or anti-social or is he simply being inquisitive and shy. Many parents struggle with understanding their children's personality traits and how they may or may not affect their interactions with others.

(VIDEO) A monthly family meeting provides a great opportunity to teach your children about budgets, goal-setting, problem-solving, transforming, and a host of other life skills. Your school-age children, even your 5-year-old, can participate.

I am a definite advocate of teens working, however you need to help your children balance work, school, and some time off. Be involved with your teen in choosing a job but take care not to take on responsibility that should be theirs.

(VIDEO) When kids start saying, "I want (fill in the blank)", it's time to teach them financial basics. You can start by being transparent with your children about money. Lay the bills in front of them and show how much income you make and how much it costs to run the household

How much should you talk about family finances in front of the kids? How much should they know about the family’s overall financial health?

This is the most frequent question I receive from parents: is it OK to pay for good grades?

The stats are in: women are better savers and investors than men. Mother knows best. But “Mother” has to take the plunge and have confidence in herself.

How do you teach your offspring that we live in a global community in which products are grown, manufactured, and sold by someone and that we all share one planet to make that happen? There is a way–and it's called the Eco-Effect...

You have all witnessed the following scene at your local convenience store: The total bill comes to $11.93 and you hand the 16-year-old cashier a $20 bill and three cents. The teenager looks at the amount you’ve handed them with a blank stare, struggling to figure out the change....

You are the most important guide in your child’s or grandchild’s life. When it comes to making money matter, your role is even more critical because many of our children are unprepared for life’s financial realities. Here is a fun brain-teaser and quiz that can open up a lifetime of conversations.

Why did I choose the above title for my latest money article? Because we spend more time discussing sex, drugs, and nuclear war with our offspring than we do discussing money.

Teaching your kids to be financially responsible does not end when they begin their "terrible teen" years

On 8/27/17, I was prominently featured in this USA Today article which sparked a lively discussion on the Today show. Who knew allowances could spark such spirited debate?

(VIDEO) Money secrets within a family can have some disastrous consequences. We need to get past the old money stories that may be tinged with guilt, shame, anxiety, miscommunication, and painful memories of poverty or of the use of money as a weapon of control.

(VIDEO) Buck up: Neale has four can't-miss strategies for back-t0-school shopping. This short summer season is the second-largest seasonal shopping period of the year in terms of consumer spending. What's a mom to do?!?

(VIDEO) Credit is much more than just collecting plastic cards in your wallet. Credit is a reflection of your trustworthiness. Your kids may have a challenge getting a charge card at first but here are some can't-miss tips that make financial sense.

(VIDEO) Talk about a taxicab confession! Take a ride with Neale Godfrey, the # 1 New York Times best-selling author of 27 books who has helped millions of families achieve financial freedom.

Before you start bugging your kid about the fact that Bill Gates had made his first real money in his teens, encourage your business-hopeful to speak to some real entrepreneurs.

Although many people see gold (and other precious metals) as the ultimate defense against the collapse of the US or world economy, in reality the price of gold is determined by simple supply and demand. Is it really a good investment for your family?

If your children are juniors in high school, you know it’s time to think about the visits you will need to make to colleges during their senior year. This process is not easy—on your children or you. Where should you start?

If you're an expectant parent, you have probably learned enough medical terminology to pass for a fledgling ob-gyn. But studies indicate that you should be paying as much attention to the jargon of financial well-being.

Don't sweat it - not everyone's a natural-born money saver. But now that you've got baby to consider, knowing how to budget is a definite must.

Pregnancy itself can also be quite costly, especially for women who find themselves unable to continue their jobs while expecting. Women in low-wage jobs are particularly at risk for this kind of financial hit.

When it's time to teach your kids about money, Neale Godfrey's #1 iOS app is the can't-miss tool you'll need...

Moms deserve a lot of credit for the things they teach kids about money, and with Mother’s Day this weekend what better time to celebrate their financial tutelage? More than eight in 10 Americans say they learned something about money from their mother, a new survey shows...

Being a single mom doesn’t mean you can’t have an full life — including a meaningful career and abundant money — no matter your family status. But single moms have a bad habit of doing dumb stuff with their money. I get it, and have made plenty of single-mom money mistakes myself...

When your young kids are nagging for something they want, do you ever say, “Money doesn’t grow on trees”? If you do, you are like most parents, who become frustrated about the fact that kids just seem to think that money magically appears...

Our kids need to understand that we live in a global community and that people buy and sell things all around the world. Money connects us. People want to buy things from people they trust...