Helping your grandkids learn to save

Helping children learn about money early is one of the most meaningful gifts parents and grandparents can give. Long before kids think about careers, college, or retirement, they begin forming habits around saving, spending, and planning for the future. That’s why early financial education for kids matters more than we sometimes realize.

Why teaching kids to save matters

Saving for those special kiddos is generous, but teaching them how to save is what really sticks. These early moments are where financial lessons for grandchildren take shape — lessons about patience, goal setting, and making thoughtful choices. The good news? Those lessons don’t have to be complicated, just intentional.

Grandparents can play a special role here. Sharing stories about how saving helped you reach a goal — or even a mistake you learned from — can spark meaningful conversations and lasting memories.

Start with everyday moments

Lessons in saving and giving can begin at the same time. It’s a natural opportunity to help young savers see how money connects to choices, priorities, and even caring for others — whether that means giving at church or helping someone in need.

You don’t need a formal lesson plan to teach kids to save money. Everyday moments do the work:

• Counting birthday or holiday money together
• Talking through choices (“Do you want this now, or to save for something bigger? How much?”)
• Setting small goals

One simple approach many families use is “Spend some, save some, share some.” For example, if a grandchild receives $5 in birthday money, you might suggest:

• Spend $2
• Save $2
• Share $1

To make the decision even easier, you could supplement an uneven total to create a nice, even split — or take the opportunity to turn it into a quick, real-life lesson in fractions (extra points for that one!).

No matter how you divide it, these small, hands-on moments help kids build confidence, feel ownership over their money, and begin to understand how they can make a difference in their church, their community, or someone else’s day.

Make saving a family experience

The important thing is to make saving something you do together. When kids see adults talking openly about saving, setting goals, and making choices, they learn that managing money is empowering rather than stressful. (Kids often hear the most about money when we’re trying to make it go farther.)

Even the simplest bank visit can become a great opportunity for a savings lesson. Bringing a child into the branch helps illustrate that money isn’t just something we spend, it’s something we plan for, take care of, and grow over time.

Another bonus? Trips to the bank show that financial institutions can be trusted partners in reaching goals — whether that’s saving for something small or something bigger down the road.

Make it fun (that’s how it sticks)

Kids are far more likely to stay engaged when saving is fun. For example, families can explore Piggy Pursuit, our fun summer savings game designed to help kids learn money concepts through simple challenges and activities. Parents and grandparents can print it out, play along, and celebrate progress together.

Take the next step with a savings account

While a piggy bank is a great start, a savings account for your grandchildren helps turn an abstract idea into something real. A Simply Savings Student account from UBT introduces important benefits like goal setting, tracking progress, and watching money grow over time. For many families, opening a grandparent savings account becomes a meaningful milestone — and one that kids remember. (And though this account can be opened online, we’ve already established that great money lessons take place at the branch.) 

To make that first step even more rewarding, UBT is offering a special savings match this summer: From June 1 through August 31, families can take advantage of Piggy Bank Match, an offer of up to a $25 deposit match* designed to give young savers a strong start.

Here’s how it works:

• Open a new Simply Savings Student account for a child age 13 or under
• Bring in a piggy bank if you’d like (fun, but not required!) or open the account online
• Make a first deposit
• UBT will match it dollar-for-dollar — up to $25*
• Limit one account per child

This type of deposit match savings account creates an immediate connection between saving and reward — one of the most effective savings account incentives for kids.

A gift that grows over time

Toys break and trends fade, but financial confidence sticks. Helping your grandkids open a savings account is a way to invest not just in their future balance, but in lifelong habits of planning, patience, and responsibility. Stop by your local UBT branch this summer or visit us online and help a young saver take their very first step.