Plan Your Allowance: Save, Spend, Give
Lesson preview: the Mini Lesson and Vocabulary are open to everyone. Guided practice, exercises, the parent checklist and the printable PDF worksheet come with full access (free 7-day trial or membership).
What you will learn
- 1Name the three jars: save, spend, and give
- 2Split an allowance into the three jars before spending
- 3Set a saving goal with a picture on the jar
- 4Count the jars each week to check the plan
Mini Lesson
An allowance is money your family gives you, often each week. With a plan, a little money can do a lot. One easy plan uses three jars: SAVE, SPEND, and GIVE. Each time you get money, you split it into the jars. Then you always know what each dollar is for.
🏠 The Life Skills Way (step by step)
- SET UP three jars: write SAVE, SPEND, and GIVE on them.
- SAVE jar: money for something bigger later, like a toy or a book you really want.
- SPEND jar: money for small things now, like a snack or stickers.
- GIVE jar: money to help others, or for a cause your family chooses.
- SPLIT it first: before you spend anything, put the money in the jars. For $10, try $5 save, $3 spend, $2 give.
- COUNT each week: count each jar and see how close you are to your goal.
🎯 Your Saving Goal
- PICK a goal: choose one thing to save for, and find out how much it costs.
- ADD a picture: stick a drawing or picture of your goal on the SAVE jar.
- WAIT for it: waiting can get you something better than spending a little at a time.
Plan your jars with a grown-up. Keep your jars in a safe place at home, and ask a grown-up before you spend or give any money.
Words to know
allowance
Money your family gives you, often each week.
e.g. My allowance is $10 a week.
save
Keep money now so you can buy something bigger later.
e.g. I save $5 for a new book.
spend
Use money to buy something.
e.g. I spend $3 on stickers.
give
Use money to help other people or a good cause.
e.g. We give $2 to help animals.
goal
Something you plan and work toward, like a thing you save up for.
e.g. My goal is a $20 kite.
split
Share an amount out into parts.
e.g. I split $10 into three jars.
💡 Handy Tip: always fill the SAVE jar first. When the money for your goal is put away before you shop, it is much easier to keep saving.
Unlock the full HSEA system for 7 days.
Add your first kid profile and your 7 days start: every lesson in every grade, saved progress for each child. Nothing to set up, no card required, nothing to cancel.
- ✓ All 1,880 lessons, Grades 1–6, every subject
- ✓ Profiles + saved progress for every kid
- ✓ Printable lessons with answer key