Hi there,

Welcome to the first edition of Mini Millionaires! 

We’re here to give you weekly tips on imparting vital money skills to kids. From cultivating the right mindset to instilling good money behaviours that’ll help lessons stick, Mini Millionaires will unpack weekly money topics for parents and teachers, including saving, teaching the value of money, the basics of investing, budgeting for little ones and many more.

Expect a weekly email, every Wednesday at 10:00 packed with loads of information and free visual resources to help you teach your little ones to become mini millionaires in the making.

Note: If you have any questions or aren’t sure why you’re receiving this email hit reply to this email and let us know what’s on your mind — we’ll happily explain everything to you!

For now, enjoy our first topic: How to teach kids about saving…

Game On

• 🐖 Step one: How to teach little ones the value of saving.

• 💸 Use this: Grab your free family savings tracker template.

• 🎁 Think big: Take it to the classroom with this SA schools initiative.

Money Smart

Helping Little Ones Build a Healthy Saving Habit

Most kids aren’t taught to save — they’re taught to spend. From birthday money to allowances, TV to social media, the message is often that money is meant to disappear. 

But saving is a life skill, not just a nice-to-have. It teaches patience, goal-setting, and even emotional regulation. 

If you want to raise financially confident children, teaching them to save early — even a few rand at a time — is one of the most powerful steps you can take.

Here’s one mindset to instil, one habit to practice, and one easy trick to help make it stick…

1. A mindset to cultivate

Saving is planning for something bigger

Instead of framing saving as a restriction (“you can’t buy that”), help kids see it as a purpose (“you’re building toward something great”). 

Research by the US NGO, Prosperity Now, shows that when kids have concrete savings goals — like buying a new bike, going on a school trip, or getting a pet — they’re far more likely to save consistently and stay motivated. 

Takeaway: Take a proactive approach to saving, starting with the goal first before introducing the mechanics (saving). This reframes saving as a form of planning, not punishment.

2. A habit to form

The “4 Jars” system — Save, Spend, Share, Sow

Adapted from the popular 3 jars method used by many parents, including writers at Forbes, the system works like so:

Give your child four physical jars or containers. Label them: Save, Spend, Share and Sow (to teach investing). Every time they receive money — whether it’s pocket money, birthday cash, or payment for small jobs — help them divide it equally between the jars (or use your own ratio, like 30% Save, 40% Spend, 10% Share, 20% Sow).

Over time, the Save jar becomes part of their routine — and that habit builds their ability to delay gratification and plan for the future.

Takeaway: Repetition is key. By saving a portion of every amount they receive, children learn to treat saving as a default, not an afterthought.

3. A tip/trick to try

Make a goal card and stick it on their save jar

From the same study that gave today’s mindset (above), researchers found that a constant visual reminder of a goal is a powerful motivator. Use that like so… 

Let your child choose a goal, then either draw it or print a photo — like a skateboard, game, or day out — and tape it to their savings jar. This visual cue helps keep their goal in sight and turns saving into something tangible and exciting.

Takeaway: When kids can see their goals, they’re more motivated to save toward them. It turns intention into action.

Your Thoughts…

Use This

Download The Family Savings Tracker

Need a concrete way to instil a savings habit in the little ones? Make it a fun planning exercise, focused on their wants and needs.

We’ve created this cool visual savings tracker, complete with: 

• an example (Page 1) of how to use it to capture big savings goals, and then regularly update it.

• a blank English savings tracker (Page 2) where your little one can write in and track their own savings goals.

• and a bonus Afrikaans savings tracker (Page 3).

Plus: Try This

Gamified, Comic Book-Style Money Learning at School

Ever heard of Saverstrain? The supervillain that blocks kids from saving…

We’re calling all saving heroes from your school to join the fight to outsmart Saverstrain with the gamified, comic book-style Fintr4Schools digital tool.

Learners will discover why saving matters, how to do it, take on Saverstrain and challenge classmates in fun superhero-themed missions that promote financial literacy in a fun and engaging way.

Ready to turn saving into a superpower?

Let’s Connect

Have you tried any of today’s featured exercises yet?

What worked, what didn’t? Or did one of them get you particularly excited?

We’d love to get your thoughts so please hit reply to this email and share your thoughts.

PS: Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here.