Hello Smart Money Parent,

Can you believe we’ve been on our Mini Millionaires journey for 11 weeks already?

This week, we’re all about (wait for it…) how to teach kids delayed gratification. So it’s all about putting money away for those savings goals.

Thanks to everyone who’s been telling us about their mini-millionaires’ journey so far. We’ve loved hearing from you, so please keep them coming in.

Let’s get into it: How to teach kids delayed gratification.

Between instant downloads, quick snacks, and “within-the-hour” deliveries, today’s world is built for “now.” 

But helping kids learn to pause, plan, and work toward a future goal, all part of the long waiting game, is one of the greatest money lessons you can teach your mini millionaire.

Here’s the thing: Delayed gratification isn’t just about saying no. 

It’s actually about learning that waiting can be worth it. A 50-year-old Stanford experiment involving marshmallows found that children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes.

“Later” is greater.

In the famous Stanford Marshmallow Study, kids who resisted the urge to eat one marshmallow immediately (and waited for two or more later) grew up to be more successful on several fronts: better grades, higher earnings, stronger relationships.

The ability to delay gratification is linked to better decision-making, resilience, and long-term financial health. But it isn't just something we can chalk up to a personality trait. It’s actually been found that it’s a skill we can teach them over time, with a long list of benefits.

Takeaway: Waiting is a skill, and it grows with practice.

Save first, spend later.

Kids don’t need a trust fund to learn how to manage money (although that would be kinda nice, right?).

They just need a small routine that builds big discipline. Encouraging them to set aside a small part of their pocket money before spending builds delayed gratification into their everyday lives.

Research shows that children who save regularly, even small amounts, are significantly more likely to become adult savers, and have a large positive influence on the amount saved. 

It creates a sense of ownership and confidence, and makes the reward that much sweeter when it finally arrives.

Takeaway: Habits beat willpower, especially when it comes to money.

Make the wait visual.

Delayed gratification can feel like a pretty foreign concept. Especially for a mini millionaire.

But a visual savings tracker brings it to life. It turns waiting into something tangible, with visible progress and small wins along the way.

Studies show that children are more likely to stick with a goal when they can see how far they’ve come. That’s why we’ve created a fun, printable tracker (including an Afrikaans version!) to help kids plan and celebrate their saving journey.

Takeaway: When kids can see the goal, they’re more likely to reach it.

Want to teach your kids how to save (and actually enjoy it)?

Turn Saving into a fun planning activity they can see daily, and celebrate each saving milestone.

This week’s free downloadable resource is a visual Savings Tracker to help kids dream big, plan well, and stick with it. Here’s what’s inside:

📄 Page 1: An example to show how to break down a savings goal and track progress

📝 Page 2: A blank English tracker for your little one to personalise

🧁 Page 3: A bonus Afrikaans version for dual-language homes

Simply get them to write down what they’re saving for, how much it costs, can colour in the progress bar each time they put some money towards that savings goal as a daily reminder of the progress they’re making.

So, whether it’s saving for a toy, a treat, or something big and dreamy, our Savings Tracker is a great first step.

Fintr4Schools is the money education you wish you had growing up. But now, it’s available to kids and learners across South Africa.

This gamified digital platform brings the CAPS EMS curriculum to life, turning financial literacy into a story-driven adventure learners won’t forget.

Think:

💥 Superhero missions

🧠 Money-smarts mastery

🎯 Habits that stick for life

Built for classrooms. Backed by experts. (Pssst. It’s certified 93% by Education Alliance Finland.)

Are you ready to level up your EMS learning experience? Let’s chat about bringing Fintr4Schools to your school.

Last week, we asked, “How many income streams do you have right now?”, and great to see that multiple income streams are already a staple in many households.

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 💼 Just one: My trusty 9-to-5. 

🟩🟩🟩🟩⬜️ 🛍️ Two: Got a lil side hustle going.

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🏗️ Three or more: Building my empire.

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🧠 None yet, but I’m keen to start something.

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 👶 My kids have more streams than I do.

What you said: 

“Building my empire - slowly - hahahaha.”

Slow and steady wins the race. Let’s Go.

What’s one of today’s mindset, habit, or tip you want to try this week?

What worked, what didn’t? Or is there something that’s got you and your mini millionaire excited? 

We’d love to get your thoughts, so hit reply to this email and let us know what's on your mind.

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