tap, click, buy: helping kids understand money in a cashless world

Money can feel like a slippery concept for kids. These days, they don’t often see cash change hands – just adults tapping a card, waving a phone, or clicking a button online. Add in background chatter about the “cost of living crisis” or “recessions,” and money can quickly feel mysterious and even scary.

We grew up with lines like “Money doesn’t grow on trees” or “I’m not made of money.” But this generation deserves something clearer, kinder, and more useful. Here’s how to introduce money to your little ones in ways that feel light, empowering, and grounded in the world they’re growing up in.

1. Keep it Simple and Open

Toddlers and preschoolers are naturally curious but can be overwhelmed by too much detail. The goal isn’t to explain mortgages or crypto, but to make money a normal topic. If they feel safe asking questions now, they’ll keep talking about it later in life – and that’s powerful.

2. Use Real-Life Examples

When shopping, swap the tap-and-go for cash every now and then. Let your child hand over the notes and see the change come back. It makes the transaction tangible.

Or go digital in a way that still makes sense to kids – open a savings account with an app that lets them see their money grow, or set up a visual tracker at home so they can count towards their goals.

3. The Three S-Words: Spend, Save, Share

These three ideas are simple enough for preschoolers, but form the foundation of lifelong money skills:

• Spend: everyday wants like an ice cream or small toy.

• Save: waiting for something bigger, like a scooter.

• Share: giving to a cause, helping a friend, or choosing a gift for someone else.

Try the three-jar system: one jar for each word. This turns money into something physical and visual, and helps kids understand balance rather than “all or nothing.”

4. Rewrite the Script on Money Stress

Many of us carry money anxiety – and kids pick up on it fast. Instead of “We can’t afford that,” try “That’s not in our budget right now” or “Let’s save up for it.” This shifts the conversation from fear to planning.

If your child wants something special, acknowledge the want instead of shutting it down. “That’s cool – maybe we can save for it or add it to your birthday list.” It makes money feel like a tool, not a source of shame.

5. Model the Habits You Want Them to Learn

Kids learn more from watching us than listening to lectures. Show them what mindful money looks like:

• Set a budget before shopping and stick to it.

• Talk about saving for experiences, not just stuff (a holiday, a day trip, a surfboard).

• Repair before you replace – model sustainability and care, not disposability.

• Pause before impulse buys. Normalize waiting a week before clicking “buy now.”

  
  

💡 Modern take: Kids today are growing up in a world of subscription models, in-app purchases, and online shopping carts. The sooner they see money as something real and finite – not just numbers on a screen – the better prepared they’ll be.

By keeping money conversations light, practical, and hopeful, you’re helping your child build resilience, independence, and generosity – skills that will matter more than ever in the future.