Were you the type of kid who hid your stash of candy, ate a piece or two a day and made it last till the December holidays? Or did you eat as much as you wished, whenever you wished, and it was gone in a week?
How you handled your Halloween candy when you were a kid may reflect how you handle your money today. Consider this:
For Halloween:
A Saver is going to save all of their candy.
A Spender is going to want to eat all of the candy.
A Risk taker is going to want to trade it.
A Security Seeker is going to make their candy last a year.
A Flyer could care less and gives it all away.
For handling money:
Saver: You take pleasure in savings, in discounts, spreadsheets and in being frugal.
Spender: You have no problem parting with your cash.
Risk taker: You’re a gambler. Driven by optimism, you like the thrill of the chase.
Security seeker: Your risk averse. Financial security and planning are your number one and two concerns.
Flyer: You fly by the seat of your pants and don’t think too much about money. Often relationships are more important to you than money.
Halloween is a great opportunity to teach kids about the art of saving and delayed gratification. You can explain the idea of making the candy last by practicing moderation, saving for later. For younger kids, keeping the candy stash out of reach or in the pantry out of plain sight (in a saving place) can help with impulse control. You could bring the candy out once a day and let your child choose one or two.
Have a conversation with your older kids who have more control over their candy haul and use their behavior as a teachable moment to discuss self-control, future reward and saving.
And remember, no matter what age, if they make a mistake, that can be a good teacher too.