Dollars & Sense for Kids (Paperback)

~ Janet Bodnar (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Bodnar--a senior editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine and, as "Dr. Tightwad," author of a nationally syndicated column--has written another wise and witty tome on teaching children financial responsibility. Similar to Dr. Tightwad's Money-Smart Kids, this new book gives advice on choosing an allowance, considering pay-for-chores, dealing with advertising, distinguishing wants from needs, answering questions on family finances, budgeting, and saving. Bodnar also points out that the most important part of teaching children the value of money is setting an example as a parent. The practical advice, web resources, and helpful organizations she presents will help parents deal with the demands of constant financial temptations and, at the same time, teach their children about money and choices. Public libraries will want to purchase this for parenting collections.
-Susan C. Awe, Univ. of New Mexico Lib., Albuquerque
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Janet Bodnar addresses everything from curing a case of the "gimmies" and determining allowance levels to budgeting, earning and saving.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Kiplinger Books; 1 edition (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938721674
• ISBN-13: 978-0938721673
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,401,720 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource - bad title?, June 26, 2000

By A Customer

I'm not exactly sure what the previous reviewers disliked about this book. I found it to be a frank discussion of money issues related to kids. Maybe the "for kids" in the title was misleading, the content is clearly for parents. With this book a parent can get a grasp on a large number of ideas and resources to help kids manage money. The author has done a good job of putting together a work covering everything from handling money discussions with preschoolers to working out money issues with teens and everything in between. This is a great reference book containing ideas about guiding kids who are making money, and also has information to help kids manage that money and manange the situations surrounding it. There are web sites, a generous bibliography and plenty of ideas and advice for different age kids and different situations. The book is worth the price for the three chapters on savings, investments and kid businesses alone. If you are looking for a well written, no nonsense book about kid finances you would do well to give this book a second look.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The "Dr. Spock" of kids and money, December 12, 2001

By	Janet Bodnar - See all my reviews

As the author of this book--which Library Journal has described as a "wise and witty tome"--I was appalled to read a couple of the negative "reviews" on this page. In fact, I question whether they're reviews at all. Based on their similar content and wording, I suspect they have been planted on behalf of another author. They certainly don't describe my book, which is neither "nasty," "mean-spirited" nor "bossy."
Here are a few quotes from "Dollars & Sense":
--"What works for you won't necessarily work for your neighbor."
--"There is a comon theme in how you should teach your kids about money: Be candid, be consistent and use your own good common sense."
--"All the advice I give has been used successfully by some parent--though not necessarily by me. Like any family, we've had our successes and failures."
--"My aim is to offer reasonable solutions in a readable form that real people will find useful--and even entertaining."
--"Kids are people, too, and they deserve to have their questions taken seriously and answered thoughtfully."
Are my own kids "quaking in their boots"? Hardly. They are quite secure, and have a great sense of humor about having a mother who writes about kids and money. They've also picked up a thing or two along the way. My oldest went off to college this fall, and I'm confident he won't bounce any checks or run up a big credit card bill.
My thanks to the two reviewers--both unknown to me--who obviously took the time to read "Dollars & Senses" and gave it five stars. The reviewer from Boston thinks it's "worth the price for the chapters on savings, investments and kid businesses alone." The reviewer from Washington finds it "direct and to the point," and invites readers to "look at the content. Good stuff."
I second that invitation. I also invite readers to come to our Web site, www.kiplinger.com, and read my weekly column on kids and money.
By the way, the previous edition of this book, published as "Dr. Tightwad's Money-Smart Kids," was chosen by Amazon as one of the year's top-ten business books. And the audio version (read by the author) has won awards from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and the Audio Publishers Association. Good stuff!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Direct and To the Point, April 17, 2001

By A Customer

Dollars and Sense for Kids is right on the money. Janet Bodnar has been writing about kids and money for over 20 years and knows what she's talking about. Although it may sound harsh, Ms. Bodnar instills values that WILL work. If one looks at the state of the economy right now in the US and sees that most kids never learned about finances from their parents, they will see many parents weren't doing their job. While Ms. Bodnar's kids will be financially set, other such authors, who chose to candy coat financial issues with their kids, will be the ones who will be bailing their kids out in 10 - 20 years. Their kids won't know what to do with the little they earn. Kids need a parent who will be frank with them, especially about finances. Not a parent who wants to be their kid's friend. I read Ms. Bodnar's columns in both Kiplinger's Personal Finance, as well as on Kiplinger.com whenever they come out to get information that will help me. Dollars and Sense for Kids is loaded with information that you can pass on to your kids, however you choose to do so. Look at the content. Good Stuff.