By Andrew Lendnal
DEBT-PROOF YOUR CHILD
• Do you have a plan to educate your children about financial matters?
• Do you think about the values that you are communicating to your children through the way you handle money?
• Are you uncomfortable talking about money with your children?
• Do you sometimes use money as a bribe to get your children to do what you tell them?
• If you feel you’ve been too busy to spend time with your children, do you try to make it up to them by buying them things?
• Do you frequently argue with your spouse about money in front of your children?
• Do you ever talk to your children about the importance of charity and helping others less fortunate than your family?
• Do you give your children a consistent allowance?
• Are you worried about Generation Debt: how your child will succeed in getting through university or college?
If any of these issues worry you, then this book is for you. Gold Start has been written by an expert in the field of educating children about money, and will appeal to parents, older children, students, teachers, educationalists, and anyone working in the field of finance or banking. It is jam-packed full of excellent tips and advice on how to make your child’s life (and your own!) much easier in the future. The book is interactive too: full of questionnaires, tables and even games which can be worked through together to find out the best financial plan for your family. The book also includes a chapter on “Teens and money”, written especially for older children to read themselves.
Wellington financial adviser Andrew Lendnal says his work as a financial planner has shown him that many people don’t have a basic understanding of money skills. “They might know how to earn money, but not how to save, spend, share or invest. When I looked into it, it was apparent those skills weren’t being developed from a young age. People take their kids to basketball, ballet, music classes but nowhere is financial management included in these extra curricular activities.”
The book covers ground rules around allowances, why piggy banks as we know them are a flawed concept, breaking the materialism trap, and finding age appropriate chores for your children. There are constructive ideas on how to talk to kids about money, involve them in discussions, and help them work out their needs from their wants.
Release Date: May 2011; RRP $34.99
