Teaching little ones how to save can be fun! PNC Bank's 'S' is for Savings

I've always been a bit crazy tight with money...refusing to pay full price for anything even if I actually {really} need it, insisting on attending the 4 PM matinee instead of the late show, stockpiling enough 25 cent toothpaste to last us through the apocalypse, making my husband wait a few months to buy the new release DVD he wants so the price will go down significantly...you get the idea.

Being smart with money and saving as much of it as possible is really important to me. Now that Carina is showing an interest in counting and numbers, I was excited to learn that PNC Bank has recently launched a fun, friendly, and free online learning experience to help little ones learn about saving! With interactive activities that explore the concepts of spending, sharing, and saving, I think it will be really easy (and entertaining!) to help her develop strong financial skills from an early age.

The ‘S’ is For Savings Account is designed for children and parents to use together in a lap-learning fashion. With the assistance of their favorite Sesame Street characters, children will learn about saving, spending, giving, the value of things, and making smart financial choices. The account includes:

• An interactive online banking experience that allows you and your child to set goals for spending, sharing, and saving. Kids can even drag and drop their money into virtual jars. You can track progress with sound effects and animation (yay!)


• A Learning Center to further explore savings concepts through video and audio clips, fun activities, and tips from Sesame Street. The screens can even be personalized with your kiddo's name!


• The option to create a separate login, allowing you and your child to enter the experience directly, without access to your other PNC Bank accounts

• Interest on balances starting at $1.00

• Just $25 minimum balance to open and no service charge for account holders under 18

• An Auto Savings tool that lets you start a routine to help your child achieve their savings goals. Parents can transfer money from their own account using this feature - online allowance!

I'll be spending some time over the course of the next month using the 'S' is For Savings Account myself, and seeing how Carina likes it! It is geared towards preschool age children, but the concepts are useful up to age 8 as well. Carina is a little on the young side, but I think at the very least she'll enjoy commandeering Mommy's computer mouse and clicking around the screen for the time being ;) I'll report back on how we like the interactive learning experience and 'S' is For Savings in general in mid-September.

In the meantime, if you're interested in learning more about PNC Bank's ‘S’ is For Savings Account, visit your local PNC Bank branch, contact their call center, or visit their website at http://pnc.com/SisforSavings

How are you currently teaching your little ones about money and saving?