How to Talk to Your Kids About Money in Uncertain Times

Let’s be honest—talking about money with kids can feel awkward even in the best of times. But when things feel uncertain—prices are up, budgets are tighter, and stress levels are high—it’s even harder to know what to say.

The truth? Your kids are already noticing.
They hear your conversations. They see you swapping name brands. They might even feel your tension at the checkout line.

That’s why it’s so important to bring them into the conversation—not to scare them, but to equip them.

Here’s how to talk to your kids about money in a way that builds confidence, not fear, even when times are tough.

Start Small and Keep It Simple (Ages 3–7)

Young kids are naturally curious. Use that to your advantage. If you haven’t heard of the Modeling Method when it comes to teaching children about money, I highly recommend it!

Turn errands into money lessons.
“We’re buying apples today because they’re on sale. That helps us save money for other things.”
Let them help make choices.
“We can buy this toy today, but that means we won’t get ice cream later. What do you want to choose?”
Use play to teach.
Toy cash registers, board games like Money Bags or The Allowance Game, or pretend grocery shopping all introduce basic concepts.

Money is a tool. We make choices with it.

Start Talking About Wants vs. Needs (Ages 8–12)

As kids get older, they’re ready for more real-world connections. They are also ready to handle managing their own money. Starting in this age group we encourage our children to look for ways to earn money. Our boys have mowed lawns and cleaned out garage cans. Our daughter has cleaned neighbor’s baseboards and made bracelets to sell at her brother’s baseball games. This helps to make the conversations around money “stick” because now they get to put into practice managing money that they actually earned.

Teach the budget basics.
“We have $100 for school supplies. That means we need to plan carefully to make it last.” A book I love that I think is really helpful in teaching kids basic money principles is Investing for Kids the workbook.
Introduce savings goals.
Help them divide money into spend, save, and give jars. This builds discipline and generosity.
Talk about trade-offs.
“Gas is more expensive now, so we’re skipping a few drive-thru meals this month. That helps us stick to our budget.” I actually think this is the perfect age group to really dive into Luke 12:15 and to teach our children what comparison, envy, and greed are but also how to avoid them. This age group is where marketers will start targeting them directly for products they want them to purchase when they become a teen. That’s why it’s important that our children know how to handle comparison and the ugly things that can stem from that.

We can’t always get everything we want—but we can make smart choices with what we have.

Get Real with Teens (Ages 13–18)

This is where you shift from “teaching” to “training.” I highly recommend setting up your teen with their own bank account. Our credit union (as well as many others) offer teens their own checking and savings accounts at 13. It’s important that our children learn how to handle money and basic banking activities while they’re still under our roof.

Involve them in real budgeting.
Show them how much things cost—groceries, bills, car insurance—and how you make decisions.
Let them manage their own money.
Whether it’s allowance, birthday money, or earnings from a part-time job, encourage them to practice budgeting, saving, and spending responsibly. Talk openly with them about your own failures and successes with money. This opens the door for future conversations as your children get older.
Be honest about current challenges.
You don’t need to overshare, but you can say things like:
“We’re tightening up our budget right now because prices have gone up. That’s why we’re postponing our vacation.” And yes, this is a perfect okay and normal conversation to have with our children. I think it’s a disservice to our kids to pretend everything is always sunshine and rainbows and fail to prepare for the storms of life. They will one day have to make tough financial decisions too. So let them see you do it. Remember that Modeling Method we talk about earlier? It still applies even long after our children have grown up.

Financial responsibility means making hard choices sometimes—and that’s okay.

Tips for Talking About Money—At Any Age

Answer their questions, even the uncomfortable ones.
If they ask, “Are we poor?” or “Why can’t we buy that?”, respond calmly. Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t.
Model the behavior you want to teach.
Let them see you budgeting, comparing prices, saving up, or giving generously. Kids learn more from what you do than what you say.
Avoid money shame.
If you’ve made mistakes or you’re in a tough spot, be honest without guilt. “We’re learning to handle our money better, and that’s a good thing.” This is a part of being an adult – owning our mistakes but not allowing them to own us.
Keep the conversation going.
One talk isn’t enough. Make money part of your everyday conversations, just like school or chores.

Talking to your kids about money in uncertain times doesn’t mean dumping your stress on them—it means showing them how to handle life with wisdom, flexibility, and peace.

When you open the door to honest, age-appropriate money conversations, you’re not just teaching them about dollars—you’re raising a future adult who knows how to navigate hard things with confidence.

Remember: You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start the conversation.