Now that the pandemic is ending and we're all getting out and about more often my husband and I are quickly realizing that our oldest, who was ten heading into the pandemic, is now 12, on the cusp of being a teenager and no longer a little kid who wants to spend all of his time with us. He's independent, wants to hang out with friends, and wants to be exploring new places and things with this newly found freedom.
It's been a bit of a struggle with how to give him access to money if he needs to buy food or if he sees something he wants to purchase. We've tried all sorts of things from tucking money in the back of his phone case (and crossing our fingers the phone doesn't smash & break!) to giving him a credit card and drilling down how vital it is he keeps a close eye on our card and how bad it would be if he lost it.
Enter the Jassby app. It's opened up all kinds of conversations with our son about safely spending and saving money while giving him the freedom to make choices on his own and learn how to budget. We sat down with our son to talk about the allowance he'd like to start regularly earning, budgeting for things he wants and needs, like a new car in a few years, baseball trading cards, a new book or a treat from a concession stand. Now that he's really analyzing where his incoming chore or birthday money would be going he's being super careful with what he is purchasing and really thinking through if he wants to overspend in one category and take money from another category.
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I like that Jassby has built in parent controls, makes it super easy to transfer money to him through the app and lets me keep an eye on his spending activity. Once connected to my bank account, I could easily add money through the app to his linked account on his phone through the Jassby app. I can set the transfers to reoccur or can send them as needed. It even has a feature where the teen can send a note to the parent to request money in the event you forget to slide them money when you said you would. He can use the money in his account to shop at the Jassby store through the app or with the virtual debit card.
It's never too early to start thinking about financial literacy in teens. I'm so glad we started having these honest conversations with our son about money now and he didn't learn any big lessons the hard (and expensive!) way.
Want to find out more about Jassby? Check their website for more info.
I was provided compensation in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Jassby Virtual Debit Card is issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Inc.
