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Molding the Savvy Young Shopper
by Kathleen D. Frassrand
Turn a trip to the grocery store into an educational outing

An everyday trip to the grocery store can become an
educational outing. Getting children involved in the process
from start to finish will teach not only the value of money,
but also improve their organizational skills and problem
solving abilities. Here are seven great ideas for the family
grocery trip:

1. Clipping coupons - When the Sunday paper hits the driveway,
arm your children with a pair of safety scissors and turn them
loose on the coupon section. Young children can cut coupons
and stack them up, while older children can sort by expiration
date and scan the sales flyers for great combo deals. Did we
mention that mom and dad get an extra few moments of quiet to
actually read the paper?

2. Meal planning - Meal planning should be a family affair.
Children learn valuable lessons on creating healthy meals and
are much more likely to eat what is being served when they
have helped plan the menu. Young children may only be able to
pick from options you provide (Pork or chicken? Broccoli or
asparagus?). Older children should be encouraged to rummage
through the recipe box or flip through cooking magazines to
create tasty and affordable menus.

3. Creating a shopping list - Once the meal plan is complete,
a shopping list is needed. Children can act as "runners,"
checking the fridge or pantry for called for staples. They can
also help scan the recipes to identify products you will need.
Have children help visualize the grocery store and where items
are located, then group the shopping list accordingly. An
organized shopping list speeds the trip along.

4. Careful shopping - Invariably, as soon as you walk through
the sliding doors of the grocery store, the children begin to
beg for high-priced, character-themed, brand-name junk. This
is the perfect time for a frank discussion on the benefits of
store-brand products, coupons, and sticking to the grocery
list. Teach them to shop carefully and thoughtfully. Create a
running list of how much money is saved on each item. At the
end of the trip, tally the numbers, amaze your children, and
revel in your frugality.

5. Quality versus price - No lesson in frugal living is
complete without a discussion on quality. Children need to
know that some items are worth the higher price tag. An
inexpensive price can never make up for inferior quality.

6. Cash is king - Children see checks and credit cards as
magic money. No matter how many times parents explain that
they pay off each charge at the end of the month, children
still fail to completely grasp the concept. The remedy? Use
cash. Standing in the checkout line watching mom count out the
bills, provides a concrete correlation between filling up the
shopping cart and emptying out the wallet. Try to use smaller
denominations. You may look a little strange paying for
groceries with five- and ten-dollar bills, but your children
will be adequately horrified at the amount of money you just
spent.

7. Packing, stacking, and putting away - After the educational
stimulation of the family grocery trip, children need a little
manual labor. Emptying the car, unpacking the groceries,
putting things away, and cleaning out the fridge are all great
jobs for children to do. Add the incentive of payment and your
children will happily toil away. Instead of a flat weekly
allowance, offer payments "by the job" to reinforce the idea
of actually earning the money you give them. By helping out
more around the house, children have the ability to earn more
money. Their earning potential is only limited by their
desire.

The family grocery trip is a great way for parents to show
their children what life is really about. It takes work,
organization, and planning to keep good food on the table. The
cart full of groceries comes at a cost, and spending time with
mom is priceless.
_____________________

Kathleen Frassrand is a stay-at-home mom of two young
children. She enjoys the thrill of finding "a really great
deal."

Take the Next Step:
- Decide today that it's time to initiate family grocery trips
into the list of tools that you are using to prepare your
children for adulthood. Getting children involved in the
process from start to finish will teach not only the value of
money, but also improve their organizational skills and
problem solving abilities.
- For other great educational activity ideas, visit
http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-a.htm#childeducational