When it comes to teaching kids about money, Seattle-based Moonjar has proven that simple is best.
Since the company launched in 2001, thousands of children around the world have used Moonjars – which are three money boxes cleverly banded together to form one "jar" – to learn the importance key money-management concepts.
The Moonjar program is the brainchild of company founder Eulalie M. Scandiuzzi, who was inspired by oil tycoon and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. The story goes that Rockefeller placed three jars in the family kitchen and asked his children to split their allowance equally into spending, saving and charitable giving jars. This same spend-save- share focus teaches Moonjar users that "good money habits" – including spending – are an investment:
"Moonjar answers the ‘invest' portion of financial literacy in a different way: when you save you invest in your future, when you share you invest in others and when you spend you invest in the economy," says Mary Ryan Karges, Moonjar's sales director.
Moonjar's moneyboxes, printed materials and Web site teach kids to set goals for buying, saving and giving, and offer first-hand experience in how good money choices can lead to huge rewards.
"The Share box is the cornerstone of the Moonjar program," Karges says. "Watching children grow with their ideas about charity is wonderful. We have seen kids use the Moonjar to help so many different people."
Equally important, Moonjar helps kids understand that concept of the rainy day.
"It is important to help kids understand that it is possible to be ready" for those rainy days, Karges says. "Money does not need to be scary and our kids need not ever feel victim to money."
For more information about Moonjar, its programs or other products, go to www.moonjar.com.
