4 money skills your child is secretly curious about

Making real-world money make sense to kids.

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Your kids aren’t asking you about paper cheques and bank branches. Instead, they want to know how to make contactless payments, whether gaming currency is real money, and how they can keep their cash safe online. We’re teamed up with GoHenry to answer your child’s curiosity and turn these financial concepts into real-world money skills.

GoHenry kids with card and app

Give your child the head start you wish you’d had, with their own smart money app and card. Get 2 months free plus £20 pocket money with code AFFFDR220.

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A blue and white rosette seal, with a black number 1 in the middle.How does contactless actually work?

Your child will have seen you tap your card or phone to a terminal and probably have been curious about how that actually pays for something. While it may look like magic, this is a real money transaction – and one that’s important they understand.

Here’s how to simply explain how contactless payments work:

When you tap your GoHenry debit card against a card machine, your card gives the machine an invisible signal – like a high five.
Instead of shouting your account number out loud, your card creates a brand-new secret password that only works for the one toy or snack you’re buying.
It whispers this secret code back to the machine, which then passes the code on to GoHenry to say “yep, that’s correct”; you can take the money to pay for this toy.
Top tip. If your kid is a visual learner, then GoHenry’s smart money app has Money Missions – interactive gamified lessons. Level 1 Money basics covers ways to pay and how cards work.

A blue and white rosette seal, with a black number 2 in the middle.Are gaming currencies real money?

Kids today operate in a digital world, including buying virtual items inside games. It can be hard for them to comprehend that when they spend Robux or V-Bucks, these are real-world pounds.

Here’s how to tackle whether gaming currencies are real money or not.

Inside the game. Yes, they are. They act like real money to buy skins, new dance moves or fun game powers.
In the real world. No. Although you’ve used real money to buy them, you can’t then walk into your local supermarket to pay for a banana with your V-Bucks.

The main message to get across is that gaming currency is a one-way ticket. Once you have the gaming currency, you can’t then change it back to real-world money. And the items that they’ve bought in the game hold no value outside of the game.

Top tip. There are Money Missions in the GoHenry smart money app to further explain gaming currency. If you’re worried about them overspending when gaming, you can set parental spending limits – either as a single-spend or a weekly cap – which means they can’t accidentally rack up a huge bill.
GoHenry kids with card and app

Give your child the head start you wish you’d had, with their own smart money app and card. Get 2 months free plus £20 pocket money with code AFFFDR220.

Get started

A blue and white rosette seal, with a black number 2 in the middle.How can I keep my money safe online?

Just like teaching your kids to look both ways before crossing the street, modern parenting means you also need to teach them how to keep their money safe. Here are some practical tools to help them spot red flags and protect their digital balances.

Spot bogus offers. Teach your kids that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, gaming platforms never give away premium currency on third-party websites. So, if your child spots one of these, explain that it’s a scam.
Run a link audit. Show them how to look at web addresses before clicking. Telltale signs of a scam are misspelt URLs, sketchy pop-ups, or websites demanding card details.
Guard their details. Explain that financial passwords, one-time passcodes and debit card details are private.
Top tip. There are Money Mission modules on digital safety that your kids can complete on their GoHenry app. You can also instantly freeze their card using the app if you suspect someone has seen their card details or misplaced their card.

A blue and white rosette seal, with a black number 2 in the middle.How can I earn money?

Understanding the relationship between effort and financial rewards is a key lesson to teach kids – and one they’re certainly motivated to learn! While a regular allowance helps them to practice their budgeting and saving skills, introducing opportunities to earn some extra cash helps make that connection.

Home chores. Set some regular chores around the house that they can do to earn some extra pocket money. This could be loading the dishwasher, putting the washing away or feeding the pets.
Earn outside the house. Even if your child isn’t old enough for a formal part-time job, they can wash cars, water the neighbours’ plants, or give their grandparents a tech tutorial. It’s a great way to show them that money doesn’t just come from you – and that they have the power to earn their own cash.
Top tip. You can set task lists in your GoHenry app. When your child completes their chores, you can send a reward for each one they tick off. Meanwhile, if family or friends want to send money, you can share your child’s Giftlink. They can choose the amount, add a message and send the money straight to your child’s card.
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GoHenry: where kids go to learn money

Kids learn to earn, save, spend and invest with pocket money, custom savings goals, gifted money from family and friends, gamified lessons and more. Give your child the head start you wish you’d had, with their own smart money app and card. Get 2 months free plus £20 pocket money with code AFFFDR220.

Join today!

*T&Cs apply. GoHenry Interest Savings is provided by Bondsmith Savings Ltd, authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. The GoHenry card is issued by IDT Financial Services Limited, a principal member of VISA Europe.

Kate Steere's headshot

Kate Steere is an editor and money expert at Finder, specialising in banking, savings and fintech. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio

Kate's expertise
Kate has written 187 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Banking
  • Savings
  • Fintech
  • Credit
  • Payments

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