The twins turn six on their next birthday, and at our house that’s the Allowance Birthday. The kids always get a bank for their sixth birthday, and an envelope with their first allowance in it.
We gave my oldest child this Toysmith Cash Box, chosen primarily because that’s the kind of bank my brother had when we were growing up, so that’s what comes to mind when I think “bank for a boy” (I had a pink pig bank named Piggles). I bought it from a local toy store, not only to avoid the shipping costs but also because please note that the bank I’ve linked to requires you to be okay with them choosing the color for you, which, please.
Here’s another version. This one qualifies for free shipping, but again with the no choice of color. Edward’s favorite favorite most-favorite color is red, so I don’t want the blue (which he thinks of as “Henry’s favorite color”) or the black (which he thinks of as his “least favorite color”).
We bought our second-oldest child the Schylling Piggy Bank: he’d seen it in a store and thought it was so! cute! It’s a great classic pig, and it has a cheery cute expression, and it’s plastic rather than ceramic. The plug on ours is hard to get out: I usually have to line it up just right and then pry it out with my car key.
I don’t think the Money Savvy Pig is anywhere near as cute, but it comes in tons of colors (the blue linked to already, plus red, green, purple, pink, and platinum, plus a football version). The main problem with this one, I think, is the “invest” compartment. Save, Spend, and Donate are excellent categories, but Invest? What does a child invest in? The description suggests that the intent is to train children to think in the four categories they should be thinking of for a financially-healthy adulthood. Wellllll…..okay.
Still, I don’t think we’ll be stunting the children’s financial development if we stick to three categories for now, as with the cute Mudpuppy Numbers Money Bank. This is my favorite design, but there’s also pirates, space, ballerina, flowers, robots, etc.
Oh, a SNUGGLY bank! This is the blue version of the Mary Meyer Sweet Chocolate Piggy Bank, but it also comes in pink on that same page (there are cute florals and paisleys called “print pizzazz,” but not eligible for free shipping). I find that very tempting for boy/girl twins—but Elizabeth wanted the paint-your-own Hello Kitty bank they used to sell at Target, and luckily she mentioned this awhile back so I bought one before they stopped selling them, and now I only need a bank for Edward.
The Russ Berrie is another sweet blue-pig option.
I love the simplicity of the Cilio design, but I don’t think the kids would like it as much. (Note that this one is available in a qualifies-for-free-shipping version under “More Buying Choices” on the right.)
Hey, this one has a sports theme! Or is it gardening?
HA!
Superjules | January 12th, 2011 at 10:03 am
Growing up, we always bought savings bonds for college with half our allowance/birthday money/baby sitting earnings. Wasn’t great as a kid but pretty fabulous when my first year of private catholic college and books was paid for!
Melissa | January 12th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
never to early to invest for college. i put some college money away from my tennage-hood jobs and, believe me, i used it (could’ve used more!).
Beth | January 12th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Beth- I agree, and I was really glad my parents made us do that. But I’d call saving money for college “saving,” not “investing.”
swistle | January 12th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Ooh! We’re giving the two-almost-three-year old the Schylling Piggy Bank on her birthday this month because she keeps asking for a piggy bank and that one is pink and cute and won’t break. And! I got it for $5 during Amazon’s crazy December sales. Score!
E. has my old bank, which is a comically out-of-date globe, and K’s is a white ceramic elephant that her uncle gave her.
Nowheymama | January 12th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Oooo, I want to hear more about allowances, please. Tell me your system!
Misty | January 12th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Maybe ‘invest’ is for long term savings (college, house, car, etc.) and ’save’ is for something that the child can save up for short term (video game, large toy, etc.). And ’spend’ would be for those impulse purchases that kids can’t resist at the grocery store (candy, small toys, comic books (are those still around?)). I love thinking about this, can you tell?
Barb @ getupandplay | January 12th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Ha - I had that first one - the cash box - in pink, when I was little.
Probably still do somewhere in the basement (ugh)
I like the white pig, if the kids maybe could decorate on their own? Like, get some paints from a craft store or something and let them have at it? Gift + activity - win-win?
Farrell | January 12th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Ahahahaha love the caption under the last bank. All are cute options! I like the sleek white pig the best for myself though.
Kaitlin | January 13th, 2011 at 4:00 am
My kids both have banks. But we need to do better with the whole idea of allowance. My son’s is a newer dino version of the fisher price one. His has a twist off plug. My daughter’s plug does not come out. This has cause numerous problems with dumping all his money out on a regular basis and her inability to EVER open hers. I like the idea of a bank with a key, my daughter would love that!
Melanie | January 13th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
I had that first one as a child and I LOVED it. It’s still in my childhood bedroom in my parents’ house, actually.
pseudostoops | January 14th, 2011 at 3:49 pm