getting kids involved with the food budget..

[markio26]

what do you do? i was thinking when i get my grandkids for the summer..getting them to help with coupons, shopping and showing them the savings from the receipt..
our kids and grandkids have a certain brand of cookie or snack unfortunately it is the expensive kind.. so, i only let them buy, if it is on sale and we have a coupon...

[PrincessPerky]

My two help plan the menu, they pick from an approved list.

For snacking, we look at the cost of it vs the cost of baking, generally mine prefer to bake.

When mine get older I plan on giving them a 'budget' and letting them cook from it. I figure after a week of eating nothing but bread cause they splurged on the first meal, they will start to appriciate me more

I know some people who let the kids keep the difference of the budget. (or the szavings from coupons)

[getforfree]

i guess, my kids don't know that the money exist at all. They are 3 and 1. I usually use cc everywhere (because I get rewards).

But my 3yr old knows about coupons. When we go shopping, I have a coupon for almost every item. Or I showe him the picture of item in the add, and he helps me to find that item. The coupons usually have the pictures on them too. I give the coupons to my son and tell him which coupon is for which item. Then, at the checkout my son gives them to the cashier.

I guess, he thinks that we get the stuff in exchange for coupons. I need to fix that. Should I start using cash? I never even keep cahs in my wallet. Only some emergency $1's and quarters in my car if the place dosn't take plastic.

[markio26]

kids love these:
ground pork patties as well as they like pork chops. Just mold them into patties, season with salt and pepper and fry in a pan. They're just as tasty and save at least $2.50 per package as opposed to chops. they knew it saves on the grocery bill by my son smiling.....

[PrincessPerky]

I imagine sometime before your kid is out on their own either they will get experience with cash (you will eventually teach coin names, ect) or else we will be outdated to know

[randsclan19@msn.com]

I think its a miracle just to get them all to eat the same meal, I have picky eaters. I dont buy the expensive snacks all the time. I like walmart supercenter for cheap snacks, buy bulk. Even better I let the kids splurge at the dollars store snack isle and it dont hurt the wallet.

[markio26]

i have been shopping with lexie and chase lately.... we spend a certain amount on each trip.... today we were at savealot and lexie would not let me purchase the capri sun juices in the foil pack, 10/$2.89 because i told her fresh homemade juice was better, when she came to visit me for the summer, and now she agrees... so, i offered, she had learned and refused... capri sun tastes too sweet, she said.
so, it helps to show them that you can put something back, instead of purchasing it......

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by markio26

i have been shopping with lexie and chase lately.... we spend a certain amount on each trip.... today we were at savealot and lexie would not let me purchase the capri sun juices in the foil pack, 10/$2.89 because i told her fresh homemade juice was better, when she came to visit me for the summer, and now she agrees... so, i offered, she had learned and refused... capri sun tastes too sweet, she said.
so, it helps to show them that you can put something back, instead of purchasing it......

Awesome! she sounds like a wonderful little girl!

[miclason]

LOL! Ale said to me the other day: if the shopping list is short, can I get a chocolate??...and, eventhough Pizza Hut IS her favorite, "we like to come to Little Caesar's because the pizza is cheaper, so we get more pizza for our money"...LOL!

[markio26]

she is a great lil girl.. lexie was promoted to 2nd grade.. she begins a new school again this year.. she had a new school for kindergarden, another for first grade... she has been a cheerleader at all 3 schools.. has to practice even in summer time.. she helps chase alot.. she is 5 yrs. older than him... been trying to potty train him... lil victories...

[PrincessPerky]

ah the potty training trials, I so do not EVER want to do that again!

Ale sounds like she is getting a good head on her shoulders too, we have such smart (grand) kids

[nanamom]

Involve your kids in the shopping and budgeting. My little one (almost 3) is learning about money. Not from my money but from his. We give him 50 cents a week (right now all in dimes) and help him budget it, 10 cents for tithe, 10 cents to his savings account, 30 cents for spending. He has to save for a month to go to the dollar store. The bank account is for bigger things, right now he wants to go to build a bear with it someday. At this rate he'll be 10 before he makes it but his allowance will increase as he gets older and he will change his mind which is part of the lesson I want to get into him (wait and see if you still want it!) Of course if he isn't a "good" boy his allowance doesn't happen that week. Right now his chore is to "set" the table and to be a helpful little one. He does very well at that so far. His chores will increase as he gets older too.

[markio26]

lexie, chase and i have decided to forgo the cedar point trip for now... instead we are gonna use the money to start purchasing xmas gifts.... i offered to buy her a nice bookbag from llbean today... she wants to buy a cheapo one again that has a picture of bratz on it.. she doesn't understand the value of a good bookbag yet... i bought her one years ago from ebags that she uses for cheerleading practice...i tried to explain to her good warranty guarantee, she does not get it yet... maybe tomorrow i will try another approach... we worked on our coupons today and tomorrow we are gonna use some of them at wag and savealot...

[PrincessPerky]

Heh, I still have my highschool backpack, love that thing...

But it can be hard for a kid, DS wanted to buy a cheap truck, we talked about how it would fall apart, even if he was careful. I am not sure he gets it. Repitition, and consistancy. hopefully it will pay off one day

[markio26]

lexie waited around then said okay.. the backpack was sold out...i should have gone ahead and bought it for her... they use cheap sleeping bags, their parents bought them...( they don't even look safe to me). i have camping sleeping bags from llbean.. they have had for a cpl. of years, they use them when they visit... they look like brand new... and yes they have a warranty.

[PrincessPerky]

I let the kids have cheap sleeping bags, but they are only used on gmas floor when visiting, not outside, and not all the time, so I figure the pink butterfly and darthvader are more fun for the short limited need. but mine was a full sized from highschool and it is still good, will be handed to my oldest the first time he really needs one.

[markio26]

the kids love to grocery shop.. we discuss every purchase the nite before and sort the coupons... they even unpack the trunk of the car when we get home and put things away...
very smart kids...

[markio26]

i think the small grocery carts at giant eagle are a great idea... the kids love to shop using them... they have really learned alot from me... lol....lexie told me, get the item from the back... something i have showed her many times... always check the date..... for freshness.
the old items are usually the upfront.

[markio26]

kids have advanced on shopping skills... lexie even scans the stuff with chase and pays with the cc... she knows how to shop and check out now... i am so proud of both of them... they know healthy foods from junk foods now.. yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PrincessPerky]

Wonderful!