Help your kids save with a Family Bank

It's a dilemma. We want our kids to learn the value of money, but they can't seem to keep track of it. I dread cleaning up loose change almost as much as I dread hearing my kids fight over the dime they found in the couch cushions. I created this family bank to save me from becoming the referee and hopefully teach my kids a few money saving strategies at the same time.

The bank is a simple three-ring binder kept in my kitchen cupboard. Inside the binder I have one zippered pencil pouch for each of my kids. On the front I keep a statement sheet. The sheet has an simple table for each kid to jot down their deposits and withdrawals.

Behind the kid's pouches, I have another pouch that holds a calculator and a tithing envelope for each of the kids.

Whenever they get their allowance, earn money from a money job, or get money gifted to them. We pull out the bank binder. I help them write out the deposit amounts on the statement sheet and then make a 10% withdrawal for tithing.

I don't force them to deposit their money, but we do have a rule that if someone finds money in the couch cushions…or anywhere else, it goes into the family jar we keep on top of the fridge. When they decide they want to spend their money we simply pull out the pouch and take it with us to the store. On fast Sundays, we pull out the tithing envelopes and bring them to church with us.

It's a simple system, but it has made a huge difference for me. My kids are excited to save and the fights are a thing of the past. As a side bonus, the whole tithing concept is much clearer for them. Just thought I'd pass it on.

Help kids dress on their own with belly button dots

It's inevitable. You want your kids to be independent and get themselves dressed, but all too often they wander out of their room with some of their clothes on backwards. A simple magic marker trick helps my kids with this common problem.

I teach my kids to look for the dot rather than just the tag. It's easier for them to check the front, so I use a brightly colored permanent marker to make an eraser-size dot in the waistband of their underwear, pants, tights, shorts, and pajamas. When they're getting themselves dressed, they just look for the dot and remember to put it close to their belly button. As a side note, I also use a thin-point magic marker to write sizes on the back waistband of any untagged items like tights.

Like the shoe arrows I mentioned in a previous post (http://meckmom.blogspot.com/2006/03/help-your-kids-get-their-own-shoes-on.html), this is a very simple little trick that will save you time and your kids tons of uncomfortable mistakes. Just thought I'd pass it on.

Bunk Bed Bedding Solution

I've always hated making bunk beds. It's such a pain to try to reach up to the top bunk to tuck in the excess. My girls have a hard time too. We struggled with it until I came across this bright solution.

You should know, this solution will only work if you intend to keep your beds up against the wall. My girl's room is too small to have freestanding beds, so this worked great for me.

Rather than buy two twin size quilts. I bought one king size and cut it right down the middle. Luckily, king size children's bedding is almost always the first to go on sale, so I got a steal (as a bonus, they usually come with a pair of shams). After cutting the quilt, I simply stiched up the rough edges. It wasn't particularly pretty, but it didn't matter because no one ever sees the wall side.

The quilts look normal from the room side, but actually only hang down 2 or 3 inches on the wall side. It's so much easier for my girls to make their beds now that they don't have to fiddle with the extra width. The king size is a little longer than the regular twin size, but that actually helps too. I fold the excess length under the mattress and tuck it under the mattress supports. It helps keep the quilt from shifting all over and makes it easier for the girls to straighten.

I've washed these quilts tons of times and so far, the edges have held up well. I'm sure it won't last forever, but getting 2 sets of bedding for under $40 is tough to beat. Just thought I'd pass it on.

Control your mail clutter with this simple file system

I must admit, there are probably much prettier ways to control mail chaos. However, for me, my priority is simply to get it out of my way. I generally get the mail on the way in from running errands or picking kids up from school. Consequently, my hands are always full and I have little to no time to deal with the mess. I created this simple folder system to help me get the mail off my counter and out of the way... in less than a minute.

This file-folder holder, designed for offices, sits on my kitchen counter. I purchased both it and the folders inside for less than $10 at WalMart a few years ago. It's divided into three sections each with two labeled file folders. The first section handles bills, both paid and current. The middle section handles coupons & receipts. The last section handles misc. mail and mailing supplies.

When I bring in the mail, I dump it on the counter in front of this sorter. Any junk mail gets dumped in the trash (it's nearby). I open and throw out all envelopes. Any bills go into the 'Current Bills' folder. Coupons I think I might actually use I put into the 'Coupons' folder. The magazines that require reading I toss over to the basket near the couch. Catalogs that I want to flip through, but don't have time for at the moment, are stashed behind the misc. folder. Whenever I'm stirring something or listening to messages, I grab one of these catalogs from the folder, flip through it, and then toss it.

On Sunday nights after the kids go to bed, I pay my bills. I grab the 'Current Bills' folder and pay all my bills online. Once I've paid the bill online, I write a slash across it, circle the amount (or write it in, if it's different), and jot down the date. When I've paid all the bills in the pile, I add them to the 'Paid Bills' folder. Generally these hard copies stay in this folder for around 3 months and then get shredded.

The 'Receipts' folder holds any receipts I dig out of my purse that day. Every month or so, I go through the receipts and pitch those that don't have any return potential. Those that have an item over $100 I add to the receipts binder (mentioned in a previous post http://meckmom.blogspot.com/2006/05/few-more-bright-binder-ideas.html) in the cupboard nearby.

The 'Misc.' folder holds any mail that doesn't fit into the other categories but that I want to hang on to, like invitations, credit card offers, and addresses from envelopes I want to keep. I also have a blank folder in the back that holds mail supplies. In it I have a few blank thank you cards, various envelopes, and stamps.

Again, this isn't the prettiest system, but it works. It keeps my counters clear while saving me time and late fees…in my book, that makes it worth it. Just thought I'd pass it on.

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