Key Takeaways:

1. Start the money conversation NOW — and keep it positive Money habits begin forming as early as age 7. Talk about money openly and often at home, but always frame it in a neutral or positive way. Swap “we can’t afford that” for “we’re choosing not to buy that right now.”

2. Give your kids real cash and let them feel the pinch Hand your child a set amount at the grocery store and let them manage it — including figuring it out if they go over. The embarrassment or problem-solving in that moment teaches more than any lecture ever could.

3. Build a saving strategy, not just a savings lecture Instead of just saying “save your money,” use one of Deb’s three systems:

• Dime Dash – save 10¢ per dollar earned
• Quarter Quest – save 25¢ per dollar earned
• Marg’s Method – save 50¢ per dollar earned (the one that helped her son hit $100K by 23)

4. Teach the 3-step Spending Test before any purchase Before your kid buys something, ask:

1. Is it a need or a want?
2. Do you have the money for it?
3. Is the quality worth the price?

If it passes all three — no guilt, they buy it. This removes the battles and builds lifelong decision-making skills.

5. Stop fixing it — let them own it Whether it’s a budgeting mistake at the register or an impulse buy they regret, resist the urge to bail them out. Kids who earn and manage their own money develop a sense of ownership and pride that money handed to them simply can’t buy.