I want BIG money ... please !

Is it too early to discuss money with small children (say, a three year old)?

Although my toddler doesn't quite grasp the idea of money or how much he REALLY has in his piggy bank, he sure knows that he wants lots of it. When we gave him a dime instead of his usual penny to put in his piggy bank, he thought we were giving him less money because the dime was smaller in size than the penny. And he insisted that we give him "big money".

When I was growing up, I knew the concept of saving money but I didn't really understand what was really done with the money on a day to day basis or how to manage it, for that matter. I want to change that and go further with my kids and teach them about money. I want to teach them that spending is just as vital as savings. What is the point of saving all your money if you never spend it? When I was little, I wanted to save and save ... and save even more. Perhaps that 'saving' mindset has made me turn into the coupon clipper that I am today.

I want my kids to be smart with their money and spend it wisely. Mismanaged money has caused a lot of people to be homeless or lose almost everything. The one course I would have used in life was not taught in my engineering program–money management. I’m hoping that I can be a good teacher to my kids and I will be delighted when they protest for their penny allowances :)