Budgeting

On the "Money comes from machines" note:

My husband and I were discussing money issues one day while we were out with
our two nephews (7 & 5 yrs). We passed a Papa John's Pizza Restaurant.

The oldest says "Papa John's!! You can get money from there!!"

Their dad works part time delivering pizza from Papa John's and whenever
their mom needs money, she stops in and picks up some money from their dad.
:-) Of course the Papa John's that he works at is over an hour away from
THIS one.

Gayle
Mom to bbg (9/24/03)

"Andrea" wrote in message
...
Erin-

When my kids ask for things and then ask why they can't have them I tell
them
"Daddy works hard to pay for our house, clothes, food, electricity, and
for you
to go to preschool. We don't have a lot of extra money for _______." This
answer seems to satisfy them for now. I want my kids to understand that we
have
to spend money for the things they take for granted, like a roof over
their
heads and food on their plates. Since they don't have a concept of bills
it's
a hard thing for them to understand. From a child's point of view it must
look
like adults have an unlimited supply of funds when they see us get money
from
machines, pay with plastic, or write checks. If only it were that
simple,
right?

Good Luck,
Andrea
twin girls-Madison & Jordan
4 yrs old

Money has been tight around here lately and I feel I am always saying
'no'
to everything that costs $. We've decided not to eat out right now and
are
trying to cut corners elsewhere too. We plan on having Grandpa buy school
clothes, not so many after school activities next year etc. Today we went
to
the zoo (free since we are members) but the kids wanted snacks (not the
ones
I brought in the car), they wanted to ride the train $3 for each x 4 and
see
a zoo movie $3 for each x 4. I has to say 'no' 3 times and here I am
taking
them on a great outing. I tried to point this out but just got pouty
faces.
I am starting a home web design company so things may pick up this winter
but right now it's definitely tight. Any tricks for getting the kids
clued
in to a money shortage without scaring them into thinking we'll be
homeless?
--
Erin
Morgan and Megan 2/15/97
Evan 5/14/00

*sigh* I remember when the ice cream man used to be $.50.

Gayle
Mom to bbg 09/24/03)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/d/datriplets/

"Ellen Kmetz" wrote in message
...
Erin,

I think you address a great question. Whether money is tight or not, it
is
hard to get kids to understand that it does not grow on trees. I loved
Andrea's point about why they would think that...I pull up to an ATM and
they
think it's so cool that money just comes out! It is very hard to explain
that
it's really not that simple, obviously.

I have really been working on this with my Erin. She is getting old
enough to
start understanding the value of some things. She had a rude awakening
after
Christmas when we went to the mall to spend the money she got as gifts. I
think she had $50 and just HAD to go to Limited Too. She found two pairs
of
jeans that she loved, took them to the register, and you should've seen
the
look on her face when she found out they were almost $40 EACH! Now, I
briefly
considered just paying the difference, but then I thought, nope...she will
never learn how to appreciate the value of a dollar that way. She had to
decide for herself whether or not she wanted to spend the whole amount on
one
item.

I think for things like zoo outings (we are members too, so I don't plan
to
spend $$ either when we go), just lay down the law before you go. Tell
them
you are bringing food and that you won't be buying any "extras". And if
it
turns into the whining, begging, etc. for the things you already told them
they
are not getting, you just won't go back to the zoo.

I am also really starting the allowance thing with Erin. She is learning
that
the ice cream truck costs about $5 for the three of them every time and
that
I'm not going to pay for that every time they hear that music! Maybe
your
girls could do a couple of chores to "earn" that train ride or movie
ticket.

Good luck,

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

Gayle ) wrote:

*sigh* I remember when the ice cream man used to be $.50.

I can remember when popsicles were a dime. I once tried to get a popsicle man
to take a sixpence that my father had brought back from England, on the theory
that an English penny was worth two of ours, so that a sixpence was worth more
than a dime.

--Helen

Or when I was young (in the early 50's), a medium cone was 10 cents!

Shirley

"The Huwe Family" wrote in message
m...
*sigh* I remember when the ice cream man used to be $.50.

Gayle
Mom to bbg 09/24/03)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/d/datriplets/

"Ellen Kmetz" wrote in message
...
Erin,

I think you address a great question. Whether money is tight or not, it
is
hard to get kids to understand that it does not grow on trees. I loved
Andrea's point about why they would think that...I pull up to an ATM and
they
think it's so cool that money just comes out! It is very hard to
explain
that
it's really not that simple, obviously.

I have really been working on this with my Erin. She is getting old
enough to
start understanding the value of some things. She had a rude awakening
after
Christmas when we went to the mall to spend the money she got as gifts.
I
think she had $50 and just HAD to go to Limited Too. She found two
pairs
of
jeans that she loved, took them to the register, and you should've seen
the
look on her face when she found out they were almost $40 EACH! Now, I
briefly
considered just paying the difference, but then I thought, nope...she
will
never learn how to appreciate the value of a dollar that way. She had
to
decide for herself whether or not she wanted to spend the whole amount
on
one
item.

I think for things like zoo outings (we are members too, so I don't plan
to
spend $$ either when we go), just lay down the law before you go. Tell
them
you are bringing food and that you won't be buying any "extras". And if
it
turns into the whining, begging, etc. for the things you already told
them
they
are not getting, you just won't go back to the zoo.

I am also really starting the allowance thing with Erin. She is
learning
that
the ice cream truck costs about $5 for the three of them every time and
that
I'm not going to pay for that every time they hear that music! Maybe
your
girls could do a couple of chores to "earn" that train ride or movie
ticket.

Good luck,

Ellen
--------
Erin 6/26/95
Bradley & Alex 10/5/00

My mother in law kept trying to get me to do things for her with the promise
of receiving a "yankee dime" but wouldn't tell me what it was. I refused
(My dad is a practical joker and so I grew up leary about things like this.)
As it turns out, the yankee dime was a kiss. :-)

Gayle
"H Schinske" wrote in message
...
Gayle ) wrote:

*sigh* I remember when the ice cream man used to be $.50.

I can remember when popsicles were a dime. I once tried to get a popsicle
man
to take a sixpence that my father had brought back from England, on the
theory
that an English penny was worth two of ours, so that a sixpence was worth
more
than a dime.

--Helen