Kids Saving Money

My young kids (Ages 1 1/2 and almost 3) have never given me any trouble while at the store. When we go to the store, I let them play and look in the toy section with no problem. Sometimes my oldest will ask to take a toy home, but I will simply tell him that we have to leave the toy at the store. I have even had comments on how well they act at the store. WELL, I guess those days are over for me! At least for now until I have conquered this issue!
This past week I actually had to go to the hospital for a few days to get an IV. Luckily I am home now and feeling SOOOO much better, but my mom being the great mom that she is and worrying about her daughter flew into town to help out while I was recovering.

Well... with grandma in town we may or may not have spoiled the kids a bit too much... me included, because how often IS grandma in town!?

My oldest (Bryce) threw a great tantrum yesterday at the store because of a fire truck engine that he wants soooo bad! I am not the sort of mom to give in to things and can see the long run effects of giving in, so of course I was not going to buy a fire truck engine for no reason. I tried telling him to ask for it for his birthday (September), but NO that didn't work.

SO, my bright idea was that he can earn it, and hopefully realize that he cannot buy things everytime we go to the store.

This idea WORKED.

I made up that picture above with all the coins on it and printed it out! He is still so young so doesn't understand money very well, but does understand quarters (that go into candy machines and such).

I put that paper on his dresser with a red sharpie marker and a clear jar.

He has been asking NON stop for ways he can earn money. AND he is actually following through with it all! So far, he has taken out all the small trash bags to the trash can outside, and cleaned up all the millions of animal toys that was left out, and before bed he picked up all the pillows and toys and shoes that was out in our family room. He gets one quarter for each task he completes (unless you are grandma and give him 2 quarters for taking out the trash). He is then given the quarter or 25 cents worth of money and gets to put it in the jar. Then he gets to color in the number of coins he is given. Then he gets to look at all the other coins he has to earn before he can get that fire engine.

I think this will really help him to SEE that things DO actually cost a lot of money! I am also hoping that by the end of this all, that we actually are able to go to the store just like we used to be able to do! CAN'T WAIT!

What are other ways that YOU have fixed this problem????

Stefanie