I’d really love to be able to create child ‘pocket money’ accounts linked to my main account. Each Pocket money account would have its own card controlled by the parent account and could be transformed into stand alone account when child hits 16/18. Parent can see all child activity, easily transfer funds and lock account.
In the cashless world we live no one offers this functionality today. Would probably also work with only virtual card that kids could add to their phone wallet. Kids have limited functionality app too.
I mean … I had a pocket money account when I was a teenager, but it was just a HSBC bank account to which my parents had no access.
I think this idea is gross and supports parents who like to spy on their children
I think you could take that view of any of these products if you wished.
Others might suggest that it’s would be a great way to help educate your child on how to manage money, something I certainly got NO education in from anywhere when I was growing up.
But that’s just my lens on the world I guess, you do you.
What it does do, though, is enable me to transfer her a set amount each week, as hoc sums, gifts from relatives and she feels really grown up at 10yo having a debit card and managing her own money.
I don’t think it’s gross; oversight is required at a young age. But the account shouldn’t stay the same up to age 16, that’s weird (for a lot of young people).
100% agree with @gmclean, it’s educating them to manage their finances properly to avoid the mess society has got into with payday loans, the necessity for an overdraft and so on… I’ll certainly be using it for my daughter when she is old enough.
The goHenry video below explains all the use cases. I particularly like the task list feature - another good way to teach kids that they need to earn their money if they want fancy things, not rely on handouts from the bank of mum and dad
I gave my (now 12y) daughter a goHenry card last June. It’s been a revelation. The task list is a really great feature and overall it really has taught her about earning money instead of getting money.
It’s also given us a sense of security too - I can transfer funds to her card instantly if needed for emergencies.
Highly recommended (and I don’t have time to spy on her either). Next up in a year, the 11y old boy - now there may be a different story…
Well, in as far as they’ve said anything on the subject, Monzo have been clear that if a Family Account comes along, they’ll be looking to charge for it. I’m not surprised really, they won’t make any money out of the sums the accounts are likely to turnover so they’d have to look elsewhere for a financial return in order to make it worth bothering with.
