Teach Kids To Put Away A Penny
Young Americans Bank in Colorado offers savings and checking accounts, credit cards and loans for children ages newborn to 21.
The average savings customer is 9 years old and has a balance of $260. The bank caters to mail-in customers from all 50 states and several foreign countries and is helpful for young savers because, in most cases, monthly service fees are waived and the minimum balance requirements are small.
For more information, write to Young Americans Bank, 311 Steele St., Denver, CO 80206, or call (303) 321-2265.
This tip is one of many packed into a book for parents on how to educate children about money, called “Kiplinger’s Money Smart Kids” by Janet Bodnar (Kiplinger Books, $12.95).
Parents of preschoolers through teenagers will learn how to motivate kids to save, invest and earn money, how to set up and manage an allowance and chores system and how to afford college education.
Bodnar is senior editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and author of “Ask Dr. Tightwad,” a nationally syndicated column. She peppers her book with questions from parents, answering them humorously and concisely.
This valuable parenting resource is available at larger area bookstores.
Child safety seats
To promote safety this holiday season, Midas Muffler and Brake shops nationwide are offering the Century 1000 STE convertible child safety seat to consumers at their wholesale cost of $42 through the Midas Project Safe Baby program.
These brand-new seats are available locally at all Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Midas stores.
When the seat is no longer needed, it can be returned to Midas and the $42 will be credited toward future automotive services. The Project Safe Baby Program has distribute more than 115,000 safety seats nationwide since May 1993.
Additionally, Midas worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create a video and brochure titled, “Tips for Safer Travel with Children.”
The brochure is free, but the tape is $2.50 (for shipping and handling); both are available by calling (800) 868-0088. Specify English or Spanish.
Adoptive parent forum
A free forum will discuss the joys and challenges of adopting a specialneeds child, sponsored by the Spokane Adoption Coalition, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday at the downtown Spokane Public Library in Room 1A.
A panel of parents will share their experiences and pertinent adoption information, and resources will be available. Registration is requested by calling 747-4174.
MEMO: The Family Track is a weekly column of notes and information for families. Send items to Lynn Gibson, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615, or fax (509) 459-5098.