I’m not usually one to preach about how things should be done and there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to building good money habits.

I don’t have all the answers, but I try to pass on a few things that I think matter. Here are some of the money lessons I’ve been sharing with my girls (they’re 9 and 12) since they were young. 

1. Money doesn’t just buy stuff – it buys experiences.
I tell them: “Sure, I could buy you more things from Mecca or another Frank Green water bottle… OR we could use that money to go away for the weekend, do something fun as a family, or save up for a trip.” Stuff is nice — but memories last way longer.

2. If you want something, wait a week.
If they still want those plastic Crocs (whoever managed to convince the world to buy those ugly things is a marketing genius BTW) after one week we’ll chat about it….. most of the time, they forget about it. It’s a small habit that saves a lot of regret. 

3. Don’t compare your stuff to your friends.
There’s always someone with cooler shoes, a phone (arghhh don’t get me started on the phone! According to them – they are the only kids in the country without one….).

If you keep comparing what you don’t have, you’ll never enjoy what you do have. That game never ends – and no one wins it.

4. Focus on being useful – the rest will follow.
If you solve real problems or make life easier for others, you’ll always find a way to earn a living. The world values people who contribute and make a difference. I often ask my daughters, “What kind of business or project might you create when you’re older?”

Not because jobs or careers aren’t valuable – they absolutely are – but because I want them to also see that building something of your own is possible, normal, and even exciting. I want them to know that they DO have options and they don’t have to march to the usual 9–5 beat if it’s not for them. Building something of your own, being useful, and backing yourself should feel just as normal.

5. Save a bit from everything you get and invest early
Pocket money, birthday money, whatever – always put a little aside in the bank. It’s about building the habit early and seeing how interest grows. That habit sticks.

At the end of the day, I’m not raising them to grind through a job they hate just to pay bills. I want them to understand how money works – and how to use it to create more freedom and better choices for themselves when they’re older.