“Money doesn’t grow on trees.” - let’s be honest, which parent hasn’t uttered these words before? It’s often the go-to phrase whenever we want to teach our children the value of money.
But have you ever taken the conversation further? Or does your money advice usually stop there? If it does, you’re not alone. Because it turns out not many parents feel confident enough to talk about money with their offspring.
In November 2024, we carried out a survey of 2,000 parents who have children between the age of 10 and 20. We discovered:
- One in three parents are shirking conversations about money with their kids – because they don’t want them to make the same mistakes they did.
- 85% worry they will give their offspring bad financial advice.
- 51% want to give their kids the best footing in life financially but feel like they aren’t qualified to give them what they need.
As a mum to daughters in these age brackets, I can absolutely relate to these findings. It can seem easier to avoid the subject, rather than talking about something that can make us feel uncomfortable for many reasons.
But the truth is – these chats can be invaluable
Money is one of the most important topics you can discuss with your children. The more they learn from you, the more chance they have of making better decisions with their money in the future. It could even help them avoid making mistakes you might have made by not having the right information.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with financial expert, Tayo Oguntonade, who is keen to encourage these important conversations in households. He explains, “Teaching your children good money skills is more vital than ever in today’s digital world. With the use of coins and banknotes dwindling, it’s harder for children to grasp the concept of money. And this can make it harder for them to understand bigger financial topics – like saving into a pension.”
Getting to know your own financial situation is key
Talking about money isn’t the easiest conversation to have with your children – especially if you’re not familiar with the topic yourself. And as we’ve found from our survey, this is a shared problem among many parents.
Growing up, we were taught maths skills that most of us barely use as adults. But at school, we never learned about key money matters – like mortgages, pensions, and investing. I feel that there’s a real gap here. And not knowing enough about these topics can leave you feeling unable to teach your own children.
Our survey results back this up. 76% of parents wish they had received more financial education as a child. It leaves many lacking confidence to give advice on investing (29%), budgeting (25%) and credit scores (23%).
A great way to educate yourself is by understanding your financial situation. From my own experience, knowing more about my finances has helped me have better conversations about money with my daughters.
It’s a bit like when you go on a plane, and you’re asked to “put your oxygen mask on before helping others”. If you sort out your finances first, you can feel better equipped to help those you love and care for.
There are 3 simple steps to help you
Use the save or spend rule
Create a monthly budget to develop a good idea of your monthly income and outgoings. This can help you work out what you can afford to spend and save.
This is something I do myself – and I like to encourage my children to do the same with any birthday or Christmas money they get. Spending some and saving some can help you manage your money better – and enjoy it both now and in the future.
Set financial goals for the short, medium and long term
A lot of us focus on the here and now – but the future is also really important. A clear idea of your goals further on the horizon is an important first step towards helping you achieve them.
Short-term goals – emergency costs like bills and anything unexpected. For your children, this could be a treat such as a trip to the cinema.
Medium-term goals – something in the next year or so, like a holiday. Your children may have things they want to buy but can’t afford yet – like a video game or expensive trainers. Encouraging them to do this is a great way to teach them the value of money.
Long-term goals – priorities at least five years away, such as retirement or saving towards your children’s financial security. Preparing for these goals can encourage your children to think about their own future – and save for things like a car or home.
Our survey found two-thirds of parents believe budgeting is the most important financial topic children should be able to understand, followed by being able to spot a financial scam (49%) and investing (45%).
We also discovered around a third of parents rarely or never seek professional advice about their own finances.
If this sounds like you, it might be time to do something about it.
Speak to an expert
Financial advice could help you learn more about your financial situation and give you a better chance of achieving your goals. With the help of a friendly expert, you could feel more confident about your financial future and more knowledgeable about money.
Sharing the benefits of speaking with an expert could positively impact your children later in life. Because one day, they might need advice to help them with big financial decisions.
The great news is – at Skipton, this is something we can support you with. I lead a team of financial advisers who could check over your plans, help you make better sense of them. And look at ways you could get your money working harder – with no pressure to act.
Our recommendations are likely to include stock market-based investments. These aren't like building society savings accounts. The value of your investments and any income can go down or up and you may get back less than you invested.
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