Let’s Talk About Spending

Spending is an important part of financial literacy, and one of the easier concepts to teach.

Especially in today’s market, where spending is just one click away and ads permeate everything from search engines to popular video games, teaching children about the value of money and good spending habits is important not only to their future success, but their online safety.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has a number of resources for consumers of all ages, and has been highlighted by Plano Public Library in past programs. You can check out this section on shopping for young children, or peruse their Money as You Grow page for topics relevant to your child’s age group. The website also has a search function for commonly asked questions, connecting you to the most relevant articles and activity guides for your child.

Other resources include Jump$tart Clearinghouse, which has a search tool to find both free and paid resources to teach financial literacy at multiple grade levels (K-12). These include, but are not limited to, games, articles, book lists, tests and more.

Plano Public Library offers a number of books, for parents and children, on spending and other financial topics. Check out these titles to guide you through teaching your child about financial literacy:

Does your child enjoy watching videos or playing games on your electronic devices? You can set parental controls to set limits on in-app purchases, and even screen time. Below are links to relevant support sites with step-by-step instructions for configuring your device. Check here for help with Apple devices and Google Play for Android.

For more information on financial literacy, visit our Thinking Money playlist on YouTube. Check Plano Library Learns for monthly posts, booklists, and upcoming financial literacy programs. Share us with your family and friends, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for all things PPL!