Responsible Consumerism

Money smart concept #4

Responsible Consumerism

Money smart kids are smart consumers. They try to get as much value as possible from their money. I watched with pride how the high school girls in our prom committee took to heart heir commitment to mount an expensive looking prom on a shoestring budget. They searched for suppliers, went to Dapitan Market and Divisoria get the best bargains. They were able to easily cut their budget for decoration in half.

            If we don’t watch out, we will raise our children to become passive consumers. We buy their clothes, books, gadgets and things without their active participation. Choice is key to helping our kids going an understanding of responsible consumerism.

            When shopping for an item, practice comparison shopping, by checking out at least three options for the item to train your child to choose the best option.

            Do this when buying their school supplies and clothes. You will be surprised by how quickly they realize that certain brands are more expensive than others, even if they are not necessarily better.

            As they become more responsible consumers, they will be able to evaluate products better.

Comparison shopping

Take your child on a comparison shopping trip. Choose a store that your child frequents. Go grocery shopping if he likes food, clothes shopping if he’s into fashion or go to a bookstore if he’s a bookworm. Shop for a specific thing, like jeans. Bring a small index card with columns: brand name and price. Have fun comparing brands and prices before coming up with the best purchase.

Item	Brand # Price	Brand #2 Price	Brand #3 Price