The Day My Son Thought “Buy It Now” Was Free
(A Love Letter to Every Parent Who’s Ever Said “We’ll Figure It Out”)
Hi, I’m Josselyn. A mom, small business owner, wife, nature lover, former dancer turned Pilates teacher… and a proud member of the “trying to teach my kid about money while still figuring it out myself” club.
Welcome to The Kids Piggy Bank, where we believe raising money-smart kids doesn’t require a finance degree (or even having your own financial act entirely together). Around here, we’re big on real conversations, small steps, and laughing through the chaos.
Moment That Started It All.
It was Halloween season, and I was online costume shopping with my then three year old son. Every single option he saw (Jack Skellington, Elephant, Pikachu…) got the same response:
“Just buy it now, Mom!”
After about the tenth costume, I took a deep breath and said,
“Honey, we can’t buy them all. They cost money.”
He looked at me like I’d just told him Santa was on payroll.
“What?!?!? But it’s BUY IT NOW. Just push the button!”
Houston. We have a problem.
That’s when I realized my child truly believed the “Buy It Now” button was some kind of magic switch that made things appear instantly. (Honestly, with how quickly Amazon delivers these days, I sort of understand the confusion!) Instead of criticizing myself for not enrolling him in some toddler finance course, I decided to create a different kind of piggy bank. A “skills bank” meant not only to handle these moments (and avoid the inevitable meltdowns from not receiving a stack of Halloween costumes), but also to turn everyday money situations into teaching moments that will last a lifetime.
Why I Built The Kids Piggy Bank
I went searching for ways to teach kids about money and what I found was mostly information geared toward helping parents save for their kids' future. That’s great, not knocking the importance of that at all. But I wanted something that helped kids understand money themselves. I wanted ways to discuss money in an age-appropriate manner that would help families better navigate our frictionless world of cash apps, one-click purchases, and endless ads telling us to consume more.
Not just where money comes from and goes, but how it works.
Not just secretly saving for “someday,” but building skills for right now.
So, I decided to build a different kind of savings account for my son:
A tool kit filled with confidence, patience, and the ability to make thoughtful choices (even when everything around him screams “buy it now!”).
That’s how The Kids Piggy Bank was born.
What You’ll Find Here
This isn’t another “perfect parent” blog (promise). It’s a place where you’ll find:
💬 Blogs: about the messy, funny, sometimes uncomfortable money moments that happen in real life.
🧾 Free downloads + printables: like the Smart Allowance Framewor, “Tricky Money Moments” scripts, and reflection sheets to help your kids (and you) think before they click “add to cart.”
💡 Mini-guides + e-books: bite-sized, sanity-saving tools for real families who want to raise kind, confident, money-smart kids without turning into spreadsheet robots. And some more technical tools for grown ups to set your kids up for success in the longer term.
My goal: an entire ecosystem of resources, from conversation starters to trackers to actionable guides, all designed to make money talk feel a little less awkward, secretive and complicated.
The Truth: You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Start
I know what you’re thinking:
“I should probably get my finances perfect before I teach my kid anything.”
Spoiler alert: you don’t.
Kids don’t need perfection, they need participation. They learn more from watching you figure it out than they ever will from a perfectly planned PowerPoint on compound interest.
So consider this your official permission slip to start before you feel ready.
Because the goal isn’t to raise mini millionaires. It's to raise kids who are curious, confident, and capable of making choices that reflect their values (not the algorithm’s).
Let’s Do This Together
If you’ve ever looked at your kid’s finger hovering over the “buy it now” button and thought, yep, this world has created a tiny consumer and I’m done, you’re in the right place.
Welcome to The Kids Piggy Bank where we trade guilt for growth, overwhelm for action, and one day for today.
👉 Start with the Smart Allowance Framework. It’s free, funny, and designed to get your family’s first money system running in less than 15 minutes.
Because starting, even imperfectly, beats waiting for “someday” every single time.
💡 Disclaimer: The Kids Piggy Bank is here to make money lessons fun and practical for families. But remember, we’re not financial advisors, CPAs, or attorneys. Everything here is for educational + entertainment purposes only. Use your own judgment (or call in a pro) for financial decisions.