Money Parenting Conversation Starters | Eastspring Investments

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Small chats big changes!

FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-12

The concepts of Earning, Saving, Spending, and Donating lay the foundations for living a money-savvy life. The sooner your child grasps these concepts, the sooner they can confidently develop healthy financial habits and behaviours.

By setting aside a little time each week to have these small weekly chats with our #MoneyParenting Conversation Starters, you can kickstart your child’s journey to a more financially sound future.

Earn

These conversations will teach your child the value of money, and that money has to be earned through hard work. Your child will also understand how to prioritise between needs and wants.

5 min conversation
Save

Whether its preparing for a rainy day, or saving up for the things your child wants, these lessons will pay off as they grow into adulthood and make bigger, more important financial decisions.

5 min conversation
Spend

Encourage your child to think more critically about how they can spend their money by communicating healthy spending practices.

5 min conversation
Donate

These conversations about donating will help introduce your child to values like generosity and empathy.

5 min conversation

Earn

What do you like to do in your free time?

Additional prompts:

"Do you love music? You could teach music when you grow up! Do you like computers? You could become a coder!"

Tip:

Help your child list down what they like to do, and explain what their dream job might entail.

What can you do to earn money?

Additional prompts:

"You can help out with chores around the house to earn a little extra pocket money!"

Tip:

Explain to your child that when they are old enough, they can take on a part time job to earn some extra money.

What is something you want, but do not have enough money to buy?

Additional prompts:

"How much of your pocket money will you set aside every week so that you can buy the thing you want?"

Tip:

1) Get your child to list down items which they want
2) Set a savings goal and work towards it together!
3) Encourage your child by rewarding them when they have reached their goals.

Is it easy to earn money?

Additional prompts:

"You often have to work hard to earn money but you can make it more pleasant by having a job that you enjoy."

Tip:

Encourage your children to help you with household chores for extra pocket money.

Why do you think Mom and Dad have to work?

Additional prompts:

"Most things cost money and we work to earn money to pay for the things we need and to enjoy the things we may want."

Tip:

Get your child to explain why they need pocket money and what they spend it on.

How much do you think the items in your bedroom cost?

Additional prompts:

Help your child list down how much they think the items (e.g. table, bed, chair) in their bedroom cost.

Tip:

Ask your child:

1) Are the items expensive?
2) If they are expensive, how can we pay for such items? By earning money to buy them!

How much money do you want to make when you grow up?

Additional prompts:

"Wow! How do you think you can earn that money?"

Tip:

Look at some of the different career options/occupations your child can explore in future, based on their interests!

Look around your bedroom, which items are ‘wants’ and which are 'needs’?

Additional prompts:

Help you child list what their 'wants' (e.g. toys, electronic devices) and 'needs' (e.g. food, clothes) are.

Tip:

You may set a budget for your child and make them work within the budget to ‘buy’ the items they want.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

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Your email

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❮ ❯

Save

How can you start saving?

Additional prompts:

"You can start by putting some of your pocket money in a bank or a money box. The less you spend, the more you save."

Tip:

Help your child write down their saving goals. You can reward your child for every goal achieved.

Mom gives you $20 to buy food and told you to keep the change. What would you do with the change?

1) Spend it on snacks
2) Save the extra money

Additional prompts:

"The more you save today, the more you have to buy what you need in the future."

Tip:

Have a family savings box, and encourage your child to donate spare change they might have into the box.

Why do you think savings are important?

Additional prompts:

"In an emergency, we can use our savings to pay for important items like medical bills. We can also sometimes use our savings to buy the things that we want."

Tip:

Guide your child to set aside a comfortable amount they should save every month.

You want to buy the latest toy that your classmate has, but do not have enough money. What should you do?

Additional prompts:

"You can buy the things you want if you save and set aside money for it."

Tip:

Encourage your child to start a savings plan - mark out the final savings goal, and highlight steps on how they can get there. You can also talk to your child about needs versus wants.

How can you set a goal and save money to meet it?

Additional prompts:

"Save first, spend later. How much of your pocket money are you willing to save to help meet your goal?"

Tip:

Help your child map out their journey from $0 to the amount of money they want to save so they can track their progress.

Do you think you would have enough savings in an emergency?

Additional prompts:

"During an emergency, money may be needed to pay for items urgently."

Tip:

Help your child list down some emergency situations where a large sum of money is required urgently - sudden illness, accident etc.

You received a $50 birthday gift from your grandparents. Do you:

a) Spend the $50 without thinking about what you really need
b) Buy some items that you need and save the rest.

Additional prompts:

"It is a good habit to save even when you are given extra money to spend!"

Tip:

Help your child to list down some of the items that they would like to buy and discuss whether they really need those items.

Can you give some examples of things you need and things you want?

Additional prompts:

"Some examples of needs include food and bed while examples of wants include desserts and toys."

Tip:

During grocery shopping, ask your child to group the items in the shopping cart into needs and wants. Get them to explain the difference.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

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❮ ❯

Spend

You spent all of your pocket money at the arcade and don’t have enough money for school lunches for the rest of the week. What should you do?

Additional prompts:

"Learn to decide how much money you can spend each day from your weekly pocket money."

Tip:

Discuss with your child:

1) How much should they spend on meals?
2) How much of their pocket money should they save?

You have overspent and do not have enough pocket money for the rest of the week. Should Mom/Dad give you more money?

Additional prompts:

"You cannot get more pocket money whenever you want so you should be careful when you spend."

Tip:

Help your child group their spending into categories like food, transport, books/stationary and savings.

How can you make sure you do not spend more than what you have?

Additional prompts:

"You can create a budget and follow it. It will also help if you keep a record of your expenses"

Tip:

Help your child make use of bills and receipts to keep track of their spending.

You just received your pocket money and saw your favourite toy at the toy store. If you buy the toy, you would not have enough money for the rest of the week. Should you buy the toy?

Additional prompts:

"Having a budget can stop you from spending more than what you have and give you the chance to buy something you want."

Tip:

Discuss needs and wants with your child. Together, set up a budget for spending and saving.

Do you know how much our family spend on groceries a month?

Additional prompts:

Go grocery shopping with your child. Compare prices and educate them on how to get value for money.

Tip:

Give your child some money and allow them to make their own purchases to apply what they’ve learnt.

Were you happy with how much you saved last week?

Additional prompts:

Get your child to reflect on their spending. If they cannot remember, start a savings plan with your child where they can note down how much they have saved/spent everyday.

Tip:

HELP YOUR CHILD SET some savings goal and reward them if they achieved those goals!

Why can't you buy what you want, whenever you want?

Additional prompts:

"It is important to have self-control when it comes to spending money. You need to be careful when you buy something to make sure you will not regret it in the future."

Tip:

Make a budget with your child which include ideas for earning, saving, spending and sharing.

How much money did you spend last week?

Additional prompts:

Get your child to reflect on their spending. If they are unable to recall their spending, get them started on a budgeting plan where they record down their expenses!

Tip:

After setting a budget with your child, reward them if they kept within the budget and saved according to what they have planned!

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

❮ ❯

Donate

How do you think other people feel when you share your things with them?

Additional prompts:

"They would definitely feel happy when you share your things with them - sharing is caring!"

Tip:

Suggest some of the things your child can share - toys, books and more!

Do you need a lot of money to do good?

Additional prompts:

"You can do good even with a little money. You can donate your unused books, toys and clothes. If you like to paint or draw, you can sell your art and donate the money to charity."

Tip:

Pick a charity and volunteer as a family

You have many toys, and you rarely play with most of them these days. What can you do with them?

Additional prompts:

"You can donate the toys to children who would like to play with them"

Tip:

Look through some of the charities which accept donated items and select one together with your child.

Why should you donate and how can you get started?

Additional prompts:

"Giving not only helps others but makes you a better person. As a child, you can also make a positive impact on the world."

Tip:

Create a family donation box that everyone can contribute and nominate a family charity each year. Involve your child in choosing which charity to support.

Do you get something in return if you donate?

Additional prompts:

"We should not expect anything in return if we donate or share. That is okay because we are doing our part to make the world a better place!"

Tip:

Provide examples on how donating a book your child has finished reading would positively impact others.

Tell me about a time where someone was very generous with you!

Additional prompts:

"How did you feel after that incident? Why do you think it is important to share and be generous with others?"

Tip:

Share your own experiences to your child, about a time where someone was generous with you too!

You do not have enough money to buy all that you want. Should you still share with those in need?

Additional prompts:

Help your child understand the difference between needs and wants, and how sharing helps others and makes them a better person.

Tip:

HELP YOUR CHILD SET aside some of their pocket money every month so that they can give to those in need.

What would you do if you were given $100?

Additional prompts:

"Would you give part of the $100 away? Is there someone you think who might need the money more than you?"

Tip:

Examine how your child decides what to do with the $100 and have a conversation around needs, wants and sharing.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email. Invalid Email id. Please enter valid Emailid.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

❮ ❯

Earn

These conversations will teach your child the value of money, and that money has to be earned through hard work. Your child will also understand how to prioritise between needs and wants.

5 min conversation
Save

Whether its preparing for a rainy day, or saving up for the things your child wants, these lessons will pay off as they grow into adulthood and make bigger, more important financial decisions.

5 min conversation
Spend

Encourage your child to think more critically about how they can spend their money by communicating healthy spending practices.

5 min conversation
Donate

These conversations about donating will help introduce your child to values like generosity and empathy.

5 min conversation

Earn

What do you like to do in your free time?

Additional prompts:

"Do you love music? You could teach music when you grow up! Do you like computers? You could become a coder!"

Tip:

Help your child list down what they like to do, and explain what their dream job might entail.

What can you do to earn money?

Additional prompts:

"You can help out with chores around the house to earn a little extra pocket money!"

Tip:

Explain to your child that when they are old enough, they can take on a part time job to earn some extra money.

What is something you want, but do not have enough money to buy?

Additional prompts:

"How much of your pocket money will you set aside every week so that you can buy the thing you want?"

Tip:

1) Get your child to list down items which they want
2) Set a savings goal and work towards it together!
3) Encourage your child by rewarding them when they have reached their goals.

Is it easy to earn money?

Additional prompts:

"You often have to work hard to earn money but you can make it more pleasant by having a job that you enjoy."

Tip:

Encourage your children to help you with household chores for extra pocket money.

Why do you think Mom and Dad have to work?

Additional prompts:

"Most things cost money and we work to earn money to pay for the things we need and to enjoy the things we may want."

Tip:

Get your child to explain why they need pocket money and what they spend it on.

How much do you think the items in your bedroom cost?

Additional prompts:

Help your child list down how much they think the items (e.g. table, bed, chair) in their bedroom cost.

Tip:

Ask your child:

1) Are the items expensive?
2) If they are expensive, how can we pay for such items? By earning money to buy them!

How much money do you want to make when you grow up?

Additional prompts:

"Wow! How do you think you can earn that money?"

Tip:

Look at some of the different career options/occupations your child can explore in future, based on their interests!

Look around your bedroom, which items are ‘wants’ and which are 'needs’?

Additional prompts:

Help you child list what their 'wants' (e.g. toys, electronic devices) and 'needs' (e.g. food, clothes) are.

Tip:

You may set a budget for your child and make them work within the budget to ‘buy’ the items they want.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email. Invalid Email id. Please enter valid Emailid.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

Save

How can you start saving?

Additional prompts:

"You can start by putting some of your pocket money in a bank or a money box. The less you spend, the more you save."

Tip:

Help your child write down their saving goals. You can reward your child for every goal achieved.

Mom gives you $20 to buy food and told you to keep the change. What would you do with the change?

1) Spend it on snacks
2) Save the extra money

Additional prompts:

"The more you save today, the more you have to buy what you need in the future."

Tip:

Have a family savings box, and encourage your child to donate spare change they might have into the box.

Why do you think savings are important?

Additional prompts:

"In an emergency, we can use our savings to pay for important items like medical bills. We can also sometimes use our savings to buy the things that we want."

Tip:

Guide your child to set aside a comfortable amount they should save every month.

You want to buy the latest toy that your classmate has, but do not have enough money. What should you do?

Additional prompts:

"You can buy the things you want if you save and set aside money for it."

Tip:

Encourage your child to start a savings plan - mark out the final savings goal, and highlight steps on how they can get there. You can also talk to your child about needs versus wants.

How can you set a goal and save money to meet it?

Additional prompts:

"Save first, spend later. How much of your pocket money are you willing to save to help meet your goal?"

Tip:

Help your child map out their journey from $0 to the amount of money they want to save so they can track their progress.

Do you think you would have enough savings in an emergency?

Additional prompts:

"During an emergency, money may be needed to pay for items urgently."

Tip:

Help your child list down some emergency situations where a large sum of money is required urgently - sudden illness, accident etc.

Additional prompts:

You received a $50 birthday gift from your grandparents. Do you:

a) Spend the $50 without thinking about what you really need
b) Buy some items that you need and save the rest.

Additional prompts:

"It is a good habit to save even when you are given extra money to spend!"

Tip:

Help your child to list down some of the items that they would like to buy and discuss whether they really need those items.

Can you give some examples of things you need and things you want?

Additional prompts:

"Some examples of needs include food and bed while examples of wants include desserts and toys."

Tip:

During grocery shopping, ask your child to group the items in the shopping cart into needs and wants. Get them to explain the difference.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email. Invalid Email id. Please enter valid Emailid.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

Spend

You spent all of your pocket money at the arcade and don’t have enough money for school lunches for the rest of the week. What should you do?

Additional prompts:

"Learn to decide how much money you can spend each day from your weekly pocket money."

Tip:

Discuss with your child:

1) How much should they spend on meals?
2) How much of their pocket money should they save?

You have overspent and do not have enough pocket money for the rest of the week. Should Mom/Dad give you more money?

Additional prompts:

"You cannot get more pocket money whenever you want so you should be careful when you spend."

Tip:

Help your child group their spending into categories like food, transport, books/stationary and savings.

How can you make sure you do not spend more than what you have?

Additional prompts:

"You can create a budget and follow it. It will also help if you keep a record of your expenses"

Tip:

Help your child make use of bills and receipts to keep track of their spending.

You just received your pocket money and saw your favourite toy at the toy store. If you buy the toy, you would not have enough money for the rest of the week. Should you buy the toy?

Additional prompts:

"Having a budget can stop you from spending more than what you have and give you the chance to buy something you want."

Tip:

Discuss needs and wants with your child. Together, set up a budget for spending and saving.

Do you know how much our family spend on groceries a month?

Additional prompts:

Go grocery shopping with your child. Compare prices and educate them on how to get value for money.

Tip:

Give your child some money and allow them to make their own purchases to apply what they’ve learnt.

Were you happy with how much you saved last week?

Additional prompts:

Get your child to reflect on their spending. If they cannot remember, start a savings plan with your child where they can note down how much they have saved/spent everyday.

Tip:

HELP YOUR CHILD SET some savings goal and reward them if they achieved those goals!

Why can't you buy what you want, whenever you want?

Additional prompts:

"It is important to have self-control when it comes to spending money. You need to be careful when you buy something to make sure you will not regret it in the future."

Tip:

Make a budget with your child which include ideas for earning, saving, spending and sharing.

How much money did you spend last week?

Additional prompts:

Get your child to reflect on their spending. If they are unable to recall their spending, get them started on a budgeting plan where they record down their expenses!

Tip:

After setting a budget with your child, reward them if they kept within the budget and saved according to what they have planned!

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email. Invalid Email id. Please enter valid Emailid.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

Donate

How do you think other people feel when you share your things with them?

Additional prompts:

"They would definitely feel happy when you share your things with them - sharing is caring!"

Tip:

Suggest some of the things your child can share - toys, books and more!

Do you need a lot of money to do good?

Additional prompts:

"You can do good even with a little money. You can donate your unused books, toys and clothes. If you like to paint or draw, you can sell your art and donate the money to charity."

Tip:

Pick a charity and volunteer as a family

You have many toys, and you rarely play with most of them these days. What can you do with them?

Additional prompts:

"You can donate the toys to children who would like to play with them"

Tip:

Look through some of the charities which accept donated items and select one together with your child.

Why should you donate and how can you get started?

Additional prompts:

"Giving not only helps others but makes you a better person. As a child, you can also make a positive impact on the world."

Tip:

Create a family donation box that everyone can contribute and nominate a family charity each year. Involve your child in choosing which charity to support.

Do you get something in return if you donate?

Additional prompts:

"We should not expect anything in return if we donate or share. That is okay because we are doing our part to make the world a better place!"

Tip:

Provide examples on how donating a book your child has finished reading would positively impact others.

Tell me about a time where someone was very generous with you!

Additional prompts:

"How did you feel after that incident? Why do you think it is important to share and be generous with others?"

Tip:

Share your own experiences to your child, about a time where someone was generous with you too!

You do not have enough money to buy all that you want. Should you still share with those in need?

Additional prompts:

Help your child understand the difference between needs and wants, and how sharing helps others and makes them a better person.

Tip:

HELP YOUR CHILD SET aside some of their pocket money every month so that they can give to those in need.

What would you do if you were given $100?

Additional prompts:

"Would you give part of the $100 away? Is there someone you think who might need the money more than you?"

Tip:

Examine how your child decides what to do with the $100 and have a conversation around needs, wants and sharing.

Talk to a money expert

Become the 101st parent to take charge of your child's financial future.

Where do you live?

Singapore

Singapore
China
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Taiwan
Thailand
Vietnam
Others

Your name

Please enter the Name.

Your email

Please enter valid Email. Invalid Email id. Please enter valid Emailid.

I agree to recive personalised content, marketing materials and offers from Eastspring and its parents.

Your privacy is important to us. Learn about our privacy policy and how we protect your personal details.

Please select accept button.

Skip

Contact me

Thanks for subscribing!

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Kickstart your child's journey to a more financially sound future with our #MoneyParenting conversation starters.

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Singapore
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FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-12

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Small chats big changes!

FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-12

Earn

5 min conversation

Save

5 min conversation

Spend

5 min conversation

Donate

5 min conversation

Earn

Additional prompts:

"Do you love music? You could teach music when you grow up! Do you like computers? You could become a coder!"

Tip:

Help your child list down what they like to do, and explain what their dream job might entail.

Additional prompts:

"You can help out with chores around the house to earn a little extra pocket money!"

Tip:

Explain to your child that when they are old enough, they can take on a part time job to earn some extra money.

Additional prompts:

"How much of your pocket money will you set aside every week so that you can buy the thing you want?"

Tip:

Additional prompts:

"You often have to work hard to earn money but you can make it more pleasant by having a job that you enjoy."

Tip:

Encourage your children to help you with household chores for extra pocket money.

Additional prompts:

"Most things cost money and we work to earn money to pay for the things we need and to enjoy the things we may want."

Tip:

Get your child to explain why they need pocket money and what they spend it on.

Additional prompts:

Help your child list down how much they think the items (e.g. table, bed, chair) in their bedroom cost.

Tip:

Ask your child:

Additional prompts:

"Wow! How do you think you can earn that money?"

Tip:

Look at some of the different career options/occupations your child can explore in future, based on their interests!

Additional prompts:

Help you child list what their 'wants' (e.g. toys, electronic devices) and 'needs' (e.g. food, clothes) are.

Tip:

You may set a budget for your child and make them work within the budget to ‘buy’ the items they want.

Talk to a money expert

Save

Additional prompts:

"You can start by putting some of your pocket money in a bank or a money box. The less you spend, the more you save."

Tip:

Help your child write down their saving goals. You can reward your child for every goal achieved.

Mom gives you $20 to buy food and told you to keep the change. What would you do with the change?

Additional prompts:

"The more you save today, the more you have to buy what you need in the future."

Tip:

Have a family savings box, and encourage your child to donate spare change they might have into the box.

Additional prompts:

"In an emergency, we can use our savings to pay for important items like medical bills. We can also sometimes use our savings to buy the things that we want."

Tip:

Guide your child to set aside a comfortable amount they should save every month.

Additional prompts:

"You can buy the things you want if you save and set aside money for it."

Tip:

Encourage your child to start a savings plan - mark out the final savings goal, and highlight steps on how they can get there. You can also talk to your child about needs versus wants.

Additional prompts:

"Save first, spend later. How much of your pocket money are you willing to save to help meet your goal?"

Tip:

Help your child map out their journey from $0 to the amount of money they want to save so they can track their progress.

Additional prompts: