Giving to others, like sharing toys, food, or clothes, helps people who don’t have as much. When we help, we make others happy—and that makes us feel good inside too! Even small acts of kindness can make the world a better place for everyone.
Why did the penny join a charity?
— It wanted to make a change!
One afternoon Kibry went over to his friend Colby's house for a visit. Whe Kirby got there he saw that Colby was busy cleaning up his room.
"Wow Colby, you sure have a lot of toys!" Kirby said looking around the room.
"I used to have even more!" Colby said as he picked up a toy. " I sold a lot of my other toys when I was trying to save up to buy my bike, and I still have more that I don't play with anymore." Colby looked to Kirby and said "I don't know what to do should I just throw them away?"
"NO WAY!" Kirby replied. "There are places you can donate your toys that you don't play with anymore."
"What does donate mean?" Colby asked. "It means to give something to a person or group so that they can use it." Kirby told Colby.
Colby was still a bit confused "So when I let you use my markers yesterday in class that was me donating them to you?" “No, I just borrowed your markers and then gave them back to you, when you donate you give it away for good." Kirby explained.
"Oh so it is like when my family donates food to the food pantry to help people who are hungry." Colby looked to Kirby as they a started to organize the toys in bins to keep or donate.
"Exactly, we can even donate our time with volunteering." Kirby said smiling at Colby. "I volunteer! I love helping at the animal rescue, where I got my dog buzz"
“That’s great, Colby! I want to come volunteer there with you sometime.”
“So I already donate my time and now I’m donating some of my things,” Colby smiled. “I think I like giving!” “Let’s find more places to volunteer and give! We can give throughout the whole year!” exclaimed Colby.
“That’s a great idea, Colby,” Kirby said. “I’m glad I have such a kind friend!”
Saving money is like planting seeds for your dreams to grow! When you save, you're preparing for exciting adventures and big goals ahead. So, let's be smart with our pennies and watch our dreams bloom into reality!
Remember, being kind and generous feels super awesome! Sharing what you have with others spreads happiness and makes the world a brighter place. So, let's team up and make kindness our superpower!
Just like taking care of your room or things that are important to you, being responsible with money means taking care of our pennies, nickels, and dimes! It's about making sure you know where something is the next time you want to use it. That means not spending it all at once on treats, but saving some for later when we really need it.So, let's be money superheroes and always remember to use our money wisely!
Just like grown-ups have jobs, we can also do little jobs to earn money. Helping out around the house with chores or extra tasks, maybe we help set the table for dinner, walk the dog, or tidy up our room. Every little job you do can help to earn money, and then you can use that money to buy things you want or save it for something really special!
Looking for ways to teach your kids about money? It’s never too early to start growing a healthy path to financial well-being. Come on in to find kid-friendly money activities and ways that you can make smart financial decisions with your kids!
Life insurance ensures your loved ones are financially protected if you unexpectedly pass away. It can cover end-of-life costs, medical debts, and lost income.
How It Works
Life insurance provides a financial benefit (a lump sum or installments) to beneficiaries after you die. You pay premiums based on factors like age, health, and lifestyle. Payment plans are flexible, ranging from monthly to annual options.
Beneficiaries
Your beneficiary is the person or entity receiving the payout. Common choices include spouses, children, or charities. It’s essential to designate 100% of the benefit, ensuring clarity and avoiding disputes. Rules vary—spouses may have automatic rights in some states, and minors require custodial arrangements or trusts.
Types of Life Insurance
Universal life insurance, a type of permanent coverage, provides flexibility in premiums and benefits but often lacks fixed interest rates.
Supplemental Policies
Supplemental life insurance can complement a primary policy, covering unexpected expenses like medical bills or childcare.
Choosing the right policy depends on your needs and goals. Understanding your options can help secure your family’s financial future.
Taxes can feel complex, but understanding the basics can help you stay on track. Here’s a quick guide to what you need to know.
What Are Taxes?
Taxes are mandatory payments to local, state, and federal governments, funding essential services like education, roads, public safety, and social programs. Common types include:
What’s a Tax Return?
A tax return reports your income and determines your tax liability. After comparing taxes owed to what’s been withheld, you may need to pay the difference or could receive a refund. Filing is required by both state and federal governments and is an important step in confirming you’ve met your obligations.
Why File and Keep Records?
Filing ensures compliance with tax laws and helps you avoid penalties. It’s also an opportunity to claim deductions or credits, like the child tax credit or earned income tax credit, which could increase your refund. Retaining records for at least three years is crucial in case of an audit, and for certain issues, the IRS may review records going back six years or more.
Who Needs to File?
If you meet the minimum income threshold (e.g., $13,850 for single filers under 65 in 2023), you’re required to file. Even if not required, filing could result in a refund if you overpaid taxes or qualify for credits.
When and How to File?
Tax Day is April 15, but extensions are available if needed. File using online tools, tax preparation services, or the IRS Free File tool if your adjusted gross income is under $73,000.
Filing taxes may not be exciting, but preparation makes the process smoother—and might even save you money.
Investing is one of the four pillars of financial stability, and learning how to navigate the stock market can be both empowering and rewarding. While it may seem daunting with its complex terminology and numerous resources, understanding the basics is the first step toward making informed decisions and building financial health.
The stock market is a marketplace where shares—units of ownership in a company—are bought, sold, and traded among the public. The terms "stocks" and "shares" are often used interchangeably, but stock refers broadly to partial ownership of one or more companies.
One of the most common ways to invest in stocks is through a brokerage account. A brokerage account allows individuals to invest independently or with the help of a licensed professional. Many brokerage accounts require an initial deposit, which can range from minimal amounts to significant sums, such as $500,000 for prime brokerage accounts.
For those looking to start small, investment apps like Robinhood, Stash, and TradeStation offer user-friendly platforms with little to no initial cost. However, these apps often gamify the stock market experience, which can encourage riskier trades. Always research the integrity of an app before sharing sensitive information.
A strong financial foundation depends on mastering the essentials: spending, saving, investing, borrowing, and planning. Investing is a key strategy for achieving long-term financial goals, such as saving for retirement.
Retirement funds, including traditional and Roth 401(k) and IRA plans, often invest in the stock market. These funds provide a secure pathway to build a comfortable retirement. To maximize your financial future, it’s wise to contribute as much as possible to retirement accounts before exploring other investment opportunities.
When your budget is tight, it’s helpful to look for ways to save. Whether it's adjusting your entertainment habits or being more mindful about food and bills, small changes can add up to big savings over time. Here are some practical ideas to cut your household expenses without feeling deprived.
1. Fun Without the Price Tag
Entertainment is one area where you have lots of control over your spending. Cutting back doesn’t mean giving up fun, just finding less expensive ways to enjoy yourself.
2. Tackling Debt
While trimming other areas of your budget is helpful, tackling debt should be a priority. Paying a bit more each month can help you pay it off faster, avoid extra interest, and free up money for other expenses in the future.
3. Cutting Food Costs
Food is essential, but there are ways to reduce your grocery bill without sacrificing meals. A little planning can help you save big.
4. Lowering Bills
Bills are a necessary part of life, but you can still find ways to reduce them.
Cutting household expenses doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice comfort or fun. By making mindful changes in small areas of your life, you can save money without feeling deprived.
Helping your family understand financial literacy is vital, but where do you begin? Fortunately, the key lies in everyday moments—financial decisions you’re already making. By involving your kids in these discussions, you can teach them valuable money management skills in a way that’s both natural and impactful.
Financial literacy encompasses a range of skills and concepts that enable smart financial decisions. From budgeting and saving to borrowing and planning for retirement, being financially literate means understanding how to manage your personal finances effectively.
Teaching financial literacy doesn’t require formal lessons. Real-life experiences often make the best teachers. By involving your kids in age-appropriate ways, you can provide hands-on learning opportunities they’ll remember.
These activities introduce budgeting and the importance of cost considerations when making decisions.
Talking about finances doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or dull. Frame money conversations around exciting goals, like saving for a family vacation, purchasing a dream home, or planning a fun night out. Balancing the discussion with realistic warnings about overspending and debt is essential, but focusing on the possibilities can keep your kids motivated and engaged.
Financial literacy covers a wide range of topics, some of which can seem daunting, such as taxes, investments, or retirement planning. You don’t need to know it all to start teaching your kids. The willingness to engage in conversations about complex topics will prepare them to handle real-life challenges when they arise.
For more support, explore the resources on this site or visit a local branch to speak with a finance expert.
Frugality is just a fancy way of saying you’re smart about how you use money. It means making thoughtful choices like packing lunch instead of eating out, using coupons, or fixing things yourself instead of buying new. Living frugally isn’t about never spending money—it’s about using it wisely so you can enjoy more in the future.
Imagine this: every dollar you save today could grow into much more over time. That’s because money doesn’t just sit in your bank account—it can grow through something called “interest.” For example, if you save $5 every day by skipping a fancy coffee, you’ll save $1,800 in a year. But if you invest that money in an account where it earns interest, it could turn into $2,000, $3,000, or even more over time.
This idea of your money growing over time is called the time value of money. It’s like planting a seed that grows into a tree—you won’t see the full result right away, but with time, the payoff is worth it.
Here’s a fun trick to teach kids how money grows:
By spending less today, you can save for exciting goals in the future—like a family vacation, a new car, or even a college fund. For example:
By practicing frugality, you’re not just saving money—you’re teaching your child lifelong habits that will help them make smart financial choices. And who knows? That penny saved today might just turn into a dollar tomorrow!
Teaching kids about money isn’t just about explaining how to spend and save—it’s about giving them the tools to make smart financial decisions for themselves. Once your kids hit elementary or tween years, it’s the perfect time to get hands-on with teaching them money basics. They’re starting to understand how money works, and this is when you can help them develop essential skills for managing it in the future. Here are some fun and easy ways to teach your kids about money:
Kids may not realize that money doesn’t grow on trees, but they’re starting to understand that choices have consequences. Opportunity cost is a fancy way of saying, “If you buy this cool video game, you won’t have enough money for that new pair of shoes.” Teach them that every time they spend money, they’re making a choice between two things they want. By comparing the costs of different items, they’ll start to see how their dollars stretch (or shrink) depending on their choices.
Rather than handing out money for no reason, teach your kids that money is earned. Set up a system where they receive commissions for completing chores around the house, like taking out the trash, cleaning their room, or mowing the lawn. This helps them connect work with pay, and they’ll understand that money isn’t just given away—it’s earned through effort. You can talk about this concept in fun ways to make it stick, like explaining that each chore adds a “credit” to their bank account.
"Mom, look at this cute dress! It’s perfect! Can we buy it please? Pretty please?" Kids know how to push the right buttons to get what they want in the moment. To help your child practice resisting impulse buys, teach them the rule of waiting. If they want something that costs more than $15, they should wait at least 24 hours before buying it. The item will likely still be available, and this gives them time to decide if it’s really worth their money. (And hey, sometimes they might even forget about it, saving you both the expense!)
Once your kids start earning their own money, make sure you teach them about giving back. Help them choose a cause or charity they care about, and encourage them to donate a portion of their earnings. Whether it’s a local charity, a church, or even a friend who needs help, giving teaches your kids that money is not only for buying things—they can also use it to make a positive impact. Plus, they’ll feel great knowing their money is helping someone else.
By integrating these simple lessons into your routine, you’ll give your kids a strong foundation for making smart, informed financial decisions. Teaching them the value of money, hard work, patience, and generosity is an investment that will pay off for years to come.
