Looking for an original gift for your child's springtime or communion celebration?
If your child has a springtime or communion celebration coming up, their grandparents, aunts and uncles are likely all brainstorming to come up with an original gift. The result is usually a mix of toys, gadgets and envelopes of cash. Cash is a great gift, but it can sometimes be a hassle to deal with. Thankfully there’s an easy solution!
A cash gift always goes down well, but what happens after the party?
- You’re stuck with a large amount of cash that has to go to the bank
- You don't remember who gave what and who needs to be thanked
- Your child wants to keep their money and spend it on even more toys
- Does your child properly understand the value of money?
- You’re left wondering if there are envelopes you’ve lost track of
What about a digital piggy bank?
If you’re still looking for a meaningful gift for your child's springtime or communion celebration, give them their very own savings account so they have a safe place to keep all the money they’ve received. You can also easily share the account number with those who are unable to attend the celebration but still want to give a gift of cash.
Cash savings: a good idea or a little old-fashioned?
If your child occasionally receives small sums of money, there’s nothing wrong with keeping coins and (smaller) banknotes in a piggy bank. It’s a good way for your child to learn how to handle small amounts. So cash definitely still has its place.
However, the money gifted to your child at their springtime or communion celebration shouldn’t really be kept at home as it can be a little too tempting to just fritter it away. If your child doesn’t relish the idea of putting their money in an account, don't worry, you can make saving fun too!
How to make saving fun
Talk to your child about the total value of the money they received
Explain why large sums of money shouldn’t be kept at home
If necessary, allow them to spend some of it (if your child was already saving for something)
Let your child personally deposit the money into their savings account
Show them the new balance and set achievable savings goals together
Encourage your child to continue saving by providing small rewards for each goal achieved
Agree on a specific goal where they can buy themselves something nice