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Teaching your child about money by giving them a piggy bank or having them earn an allowance by doing household chores is a great start to learning about how to earn and save money.

Spending wisely, however, is another lesson. And it will probably come away from home and without adult supervision.

A debit card"usually linked to a parents checking account"or a prepaid debit card can help children learn how to manage money jointly with their parents. Their spending can be monitored, such as through a phone app from their bank in a joint account that the parent puts money into only for this purpose.

Before giving their child a debit card, here are some things parents should know and discuss with their children:

Age limits: Most banks dont allow minors to have a debit card in their own name until theyre 16. Some allow it at age 13, though a joint account with a parent may be best if a parent is trying to teach them good money habits.

Account features: Look for accounts that have low or no maintenance fees, online account monitoring, lots of ATM access, spending limits and text alerts for balances and large withdrawals.

Accounts aimed at teens: Some banks and credit unions have debit card accounts aimed at teens, offering free checking and other services.

USAA, for example, has a Youth Spending account with a debit card for children whereparents can check spending online or on a mobile app. Teens 13 and older can access their accounts on apps. Parents can specify if their child can transfer money and make deposits, and can receive text messages if a spending limit is exceeded or an account balance is low.

The USAA plan has no monthly service fee, regardless of the balance. Overdraft protection can be tied to an existing USAA credit card or savings account.

No overdrafts: If possible, find an account that doesnt allow the teen to spend more than is in the account. If there isnt enough money to pay for a transaction, the debit card will be declined.

Link to a savings account: To encourage kids to save some of their money, their joint checking account can be linked to the childs savings account. Before linking the two accounts, parents may want to make sure their child has the discipline to leave money in a savings account alone. If they can contribute to it regularly, they may be less inclined to pull money from it when they see something they want to buy but dont have enough money for in their checking account.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are three easy work-from-home upgrades to increase your productivity.

Focus on Furnishings

An adequate desk and comfortable chair are obvious necessities. In addition, a few luxuries"like a coffee maker or a mini fridge for snacks"will help you feel your best.

Tech Essentials

Quality items like a high-definition monitor, noise-canceling headphones or high-end speakers can make a huge difference in your home office.

Video Conference With Ease

Proper lighting in your home office and faster internet speeds with an upgraded WiFi connection will make video conferencing a breeze.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Building good credit in college is one of the best financial moves students can make. Having good credit allows them to qualify for loans, rental applications, auto insurance, phone plans and can help them get a job.

Being responsible with credit is the best way to establish and improve a credit score. For college students without much credit history, there are small but important steps they can take to build up their score.

Obtaining a Student Credit Card

Some credit cards are marketed to students and others who dont have much borrowing history. Federal laws restrict issuing credit cards to anyone under 21 unless the applicant has the independent ability to repay debt or has an adult co-signer who accepts joint liability for the account.

Student credit cards may have low credit limits, such as $1,000, but they are otherwise indistinguishable from other credit cards. They may even have features such as cash back, no annual fees and budget management tools.

Using Credit Cards Wisely

After getting a credit card, students can start using it slowly and for occasional, small purchases that can be paid for on time. This will help build credit history and help them stay out of debt.

Students shouldn’t let a new card sit in their wallet. They must use it or risk the bank closing it due to inactivity. Putting small, recurring charges on it, such as a Netflix account or other website subscription, is an easy way to maintain use at a low cost.

Students shouldn’t make any big purchases unless its an emergency. Having low debt levels on their credit card will allow them to have enough of a credit line available in an emergency, and will increase the credit utilization part of their credit score.

Building Credit With Student Loans

One of the last things college students want is to default on their student loans, as this affects credit.

Borrowers should make at least the minimum payment each month and do it on time. They should borrow only what they need to go to school, instead of using the funds to buy a car or dine out. Once they graduate, they may want to consolidate their student loans to get a better interest rate.

On-time payments and paying off student loans will improve the credit score over time. If students run into problems making payments, they should contact their student loan provider and ask for forbearance. Federal student loans also offer Income-Driven Repayment plans that base payments on a borrowers income.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Buying life insurance can seem like a difficult and expensive endeavor if you havent done it before. Both can be overcome if you have a good insurance agent.

Here are nine ways to save on life insurance, all of which you should ask your agent about:

1. Dont smoke: Smokers are more likely to die younger than nonsmokers, making smoking one of the biggest health risks and reasons to have higher insurance rates " at least double that of a nonsmoker.
2. Weigh less: Your height and weight are an indication of the probability of illness or death, so you want your weight to be at a healthy proportion to your height, as measured with a BMI calculator.
3. Avoid risky behaviors: Risky behaviors such as race car driving, scuba diving and flying a plane are considered hazardous hobbies that increase the chance youll die or have an accident. If youre going to keep doing those things, you may need a rider on your policy to exclude benefits if you are injured or die while doing them. Being a good driver can help lower your life insurance premium.
4. No expensive riders: You can also add riders to a policy for activities, though the riders can be expensive and go beyond the life insurance basics of insuring your life for your familys sake.
5. Improve your credit: Your credit score may be used to determine the probability of maintaining the insurance policy. A good credit record can help you get the best insurance rates.
6. Shop around: Shopping around is a smart idea for many purchases, including life insurance. If you have a health condition, such as diabetes, then insurance rates can vary widely by insurer.
7. Buy young: Dont wait to buy life insurance. Every year you wait, your insurance costs rise.
8. Lower the death benefit: The total amount of the death benefit helps determine the premium. Obviously, a $1 million death benefit costs more than a $250,000 one. But choose it carefully. Your beneficiaries may have a difficult time if you dont leave them enough money, and too much money can cost you a lot more in higher premiums.
9. Save money and invest: Building your assets up to a sizable amount over time can mean you wont need life insurance later in life because your family will already have the money they need in the bank when you die.

In fact, that may be the first thing to discuss with your family: How much life insurance you need, if you need any at all. Then, an insurance agent can help you decide how much coverage you need, and should be able to help you wade through these and other possible discounts.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Worn-out or inefficient appliances can lead to high utility bills.

The Environmental Protection Agency created the ENERGY STAR program to encourage companies to produce energy-efficient appliances that use less electricity and water to save consumers money.

ENERGY STAR appliances cost more to buy and repair, but you would have lower monthly utility bills.

Stainless steel appliances are attractive and durable, but they are expensive and show dirt, dust and fingerprints.

Smart appliances run at off-peak times or use low-energy cycles. Many can be controlled through a smartphone app. They can be expensive to buy and repair.

If you’re thinking about upgrading appliances, compare models, features and prices.

Published with permission from RISMedia.