Top money-saving tips and tricks parents are passing on to their children

From saving “little and often”, cutting down on car use, and learning to cook at home Mums are trying to teach their kids a host of money-saving tips from an early age

Parents are trying to teach children about the value of money through everyday chores and tasks (Samm Greenall / SWNS)

A poll of 1,000 UK mums with children aged six to 17 found 79 per cent were trying to pass on money-saving tips and tricks to their children as they grow up.

Having them earn money through chores (36 per cent) and visiting charity shops for designer gear (20 per cent) were popular ways children were being taught the value of money.

Other money-saving tips mums intend to pass down include buying in bulk (16 per cent) and buying a second-hand car instead of a shiny new one (17 per cent).

A spokesperson for Revolut, which created Revolut<18 to help children and teens feel positive and empowered about money and commissioned the study, said: “Money-saving tips from a young age are very important. Sharing quality time with one another to pass on good financial habits sets a child up for life.

“Setting a regular ‘pay day’ and ‘challenges’ for pocket money are great ways to challenge young people to complete tasks in order to receive their earnings.”

The study also found 12 per cent have told kids the supermarket “secret” of shopping at late hours to pick up discounted products.

More than four in 10 (44 per cent) live by the adage that if they can’t afford to buy something three times over, they can’t really afford it.

But 43 per cent remember picking up financial tips from their own mother when they were younger – while 25 per cent got them from their father.

The vast majority of respondents (86 per cent) believe it is their responsibility to pass down money-saving tips and tricks to their children.

While 41 per cent often try to teach children about the value of money, according to the OnePoll figures.

As a result, 42 per cent believe their young ones are at least somewhat canny when it comes to cash – although eight per cent are still “very unsavvy”.

But despite the cost-of-living crisis, 73 per cent have not changed the amount of cash they hand out in pocket money each week – with the average parent shelling out £6.36.

A spokesperson for Revolut, added: “Our survey revealed cashback services are one of the most popular ways to save money, which 28 per cent of mums use.

“Furthermore, we’ve seen a 180 per cent increase in the number of customers using Revolut Rewards for cashback on everyday spending.

“It’s heartening to see from our results that not only are mums keen to hand down money-saving tips, but they have a great list of ways they’re doing so.

“If the young teens of Britain take half of these tips to heart, they’ll be set up on a really strong footing for the rest of their lives.”

25 money-saving tips Mums are passing down:

1) Using discounts

2) Having the heating on less

3) Saving little and often – e.g. a pound a week

4) Cutting back on meals out and takeaways and cooking at home more often

5) Unplug everything at home when not in use

6) Cycling/walking over taking the car

7) Moving money into savings on payday

8) Using cashback services

9) Rounding up spare change for your savings

10) Mending clothes rather than buying new ones

11) Buying a second hand car instead of a new one

12) Using different accounts to create money pots for different things you might want to save for

13) Checking your account balance everyday

14) Buying in bulk

15) Shop at late hours to get discounts

16) Don’t always flush the toilet

17) Not spending one day of the week

18) Making small payments via credit card and paying it off straight away

19) Wash glasses first to save on changing water when washing up

20) Transferring money to someone else’s account so you can’t spend it

21) Go at least a year without buying clothes or shoes

22) Cut your own hair

23) Get condiments from fast-food restaurants

24) Reuse tea bags

25) Turn off your car engine at red lights