3 Clever Ways to Teach Your Preschooler About Earning & Saving Money! by Marylynne Schwartz

Kids are expensive, and my 3-year-old is no exception. However, she’s too young to mow lawns, wash cars or man a lemonade stand. Here are a few ideas of how to empower your little one to earn a bit of dough – or at least start grasping the concept of earning and saving money.

• Clip coupons! Those circulars can be gold mines. My daughter scours them for things we use anyway, and we split the savings 50/50.
• Garage or yard sales are great for reducing clutter, and give us a chance to get rid of any old or unloved toys. I admit that I “buy” any that don’t sell to donate to charity. She takes her proceeds straight to the toy store for replacements.
• Save the planet and earn some cash by recycling used cans. There are 10 states that offer $.05 to $.10 per can, and the other 40 pay $.50 per pound (about 30 cans). It’s not the biggest windfall, but it’s for a good cause.

Money skills are so important, and it's never too early to start!