Those were the three words that tumbled out of my mouth at the checkout counter of my local pharmacy. It all started when the youngish – about late 20’s – clerk asked me how I was. I answered my usual, “Good!”. But then I stopped, looked up at him and said, “How are you? Your shift almost over?”

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The first person to have said “Practice makes perfect” is an open question. John Adams? Benjamin Franklin? Cannot say for sure. But I can say that the principal of “practice makes perfect” is solid gold advice. Many have expanded this saying by enhancing “perfect” with “permanent”. Indeed. Consistent practice of any skill shapes behavior. And the way to shape money behavior is to give your child the opportunity to practice – and that starts with allowance.

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I have often said that allowance is the gateway to budgeting.  Allowance gives the child in your life directions – how to make choices, how to set goals, how to delay gratification and so on.  All good things.  Budgeting is then the next level up in financial empowerment.

Budgeting allows you to live your best life – maybe just not all at once – but over time.  In this “A Seat at the Kids Table” podcast segment from the Seven Figures Podcast, I offer some steps that can help make budgeting fun vs. a “chore” for kids.

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It’s here – summer and the “peak wedding” season.  In this podcast, we asked kids how much they think a wedding costs and who they think should pay for it.  Their answers may surprise you!

Discussing the costs of a wedding, who pays for what and how much to spend can be an awkward and an emotional conversation after the engagement happens.  (Saying “no” to your daughter standing in front of you in the dress of her dreams is a gut-wrenching moment for any parent or guardian.) But painful conversations and disappointed expectations between the bride and groom-to-be and their families can be avoided.  The key – start well before the couple are ready to head down the aisle – way before (earlier than you might think).  In this podcast I offer for some ideas to help your family with that conversation.  Here are a few highlights:

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