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Piggybanking: Preparing Your Financial Life for Kids and Your Kids for a Financial Life – A Wall Street Journal Expert's Must-Have Guide for Young Families
Piggybanking is a must-have financial guide that shows couples how to afford kids and how to teach them about money. A longtime personal finance writer for the Wall Street Journal, author Jeff D. Opdyke offers invaluable advice for young families no matter what the financial climate—recession or boom—in a one-of-a-kind handbook for “Preparing Your Financial Life for Kids and Your Kids for a Financial Life.”
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 2, 2013
Really liked thies one! It has wonderful tips on how to approach money with your children. Lots of commonsense tips as well as typical pitfalls parents make, and how to avoid them.
September 25, 2018
Picked this up hoping it would have more information on estate planning when starting a family...
The financial literacy parenting advice is OK but might be more actionable if organized based on the child's age rather than the "earn," "save," etc. chapter headings. It also isn't really relevant until your children are 4+ years old. Ditto the reviewer questioning the wisdom of purchasing variable annuities. I found much better quality and more comprehensive financial literacy parenting advice in Kids, Wealth, and Consequences, even if trust funds, foundations and family businesses are not relevant for us 99%ers.
The estate planning aspects of Piggybanking also paled in comparison to what is available online. The book leaves you to research what uniform gifts/transfers to minors are. The book barely covers 529 education savings plans let alone how to evaluate in vs. out of state offerings, financial aid implications of holding them in your own name vs. the beneficiary's, or engineering something more exotic for the purpose like a Roth IRA. Your time is probably better spent doing online research or talking to an accountant, tax planner, etc. than reading this book.
The financial literacy parenting advice is OK but might be more actionable if organized based on the child's age rather than the "earn," "save," etc. chapter headings. It also isn't really relevant until your children are 4+ years old. Ditto the reviewer questioning the wisdom of purchasing variable annuities. I found much better quality and more comprehensive financial literacy parenting advice in Kids, Wealth, and Consequences, even if trust funds, foundations and family businesses are not relevant for us 99%ers.
The estate planning aspects of Piggybanking also paled in comparison to what is available online. The book leaves you to research what uniform gifts/transfers to minors are. The book barely covers 529 education savings plans let alone how to evaluate in vs. out of state offerings, financial aid implications of holding them in your own name vs. the beneficiary's, or engineering something more exotic for the purpose like a Roth IRA. Your time is probably better spent doing online research or talking to an accountant, tax planner, etc. than reading this book.
September 20, 2017
Some gem techniques, like offering to pay your kids $1 to drink water at a restaurant instead of soda - teaches them to delay gratification and reap benefits from a healthier choice. Most of the financial details I knew, but I welcomed guidance on how to make it interesting and instructive to young kids providing them with financial wisdom necessary to survive in life.
February 15, 2021
Helpful book!
October 23, 2016
Great Info for All Parents
Excellent book, designed to prepare your children for a successful financial future. Better than most other books because:
-- The book begins with getting your own finances in order. Great advice for those who have not yet started a family.
-- The author then moves on to your habits...after all, your kids will mimic what you do.
-- Allowances are treated as educational opportunities, not payment for doing what kids should be doing because they are part of the family. Some of the suggestions mirror the real world (such as paying allowances bi-weekly, or even once a month for older children) to help develop skills with budgeting money
--I've seen the three-jar budget idea before...adding a fourth jar (Future Spending) makes good sense.
--The author provides positive things a parent can say that allows children to make their own (right or wrong) decisions and then supports the children as they learn from their mistakes (instead of "I told you so").
The book also delves into different methods of savings, investments, and the idea of giving back (charity). This is an easy,, quick read with a lot of helpful information for any parent (or, if you didn't do so well the first time, grandparents).
Excellent book, designed to prepare your children for a successful financial future. Better than most other books because:
-- The book begins with getting your own finances in order. Great advice for those who have not yet started a family.
-- The author then moves on to your habits...after all, your kids will mimic what you do.
-- Allowances are treated as educational opportunities, not payment for doing what kids should be doing because they are part of the family. Some of the suggestions mirror the real world (such as paying allowances bi-weekly, or even once a month for older children) to help develop skills with budgeting money
--I've seen the three-jar budget idea before...adding a fourth jar (Future Spending) makes good sense.
--The author provides positive things a parent can say that allows children to make their own (right or wrong) decisions and then supports the children as they learn from their mistakes (instead of "I told you so").
The book also delves into different methods of savings, investments, and the idea of giving back (charity). This is an easy,, quick read with a lot of helpful information for any parent (or, if you didn't do so well the first time, grandparents).
January 15, 2016
Well intentioned, but I disagree with almost all of the advice. Buy a variable annuity for your kid? Come on. Why would I buy something for my kids that I wouldn't buy for myself?
August 30, 2010
This book is starting at the very beginning. How to prepare for a child. I was hoping for better financial insights, but I will slowly keep reading, hopefully it becomes usefull.
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February 16, 2012Really it's an on going read but I'm feeling good with our money system in the house right now.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews