Why Use EarnSum

The EarnSum System teaches your children to work hard

Earning money through work instead of being given an allowance builds self-esteem and reinforces the virtues of hard work. Whereas, an allowance is an entitlement system that teaches children to be dependent on others and is rarely tied to the work they perform. Hard work and earning money builds character and a strong sense of self-respect. An allowance can lead to a sense of entitlement, lazy habits and low self-worth.

The EarnSum System teaches your children sound financial habits

The EarnSum Money & Envelope System is a fun and simple way to teach children to earn and learn sound financial habits. Having them SAVE the majority of their pay, GIVE some to those less fortunate, and SPEND a small portion of their earnings is a real life scenario that is best learned at a young age. In our family, we save 50%. This has quickly reinforced the saving habit and my boys are beginning to save some serious money for their first car or college. We give 20%… 10% goes to the church and 10% to a local charity of their choosing. This leaves them 30% for spending. It is great real world experience for them.

The system comes with SaveSum Envelopes, GiveSum Envelopes & SpendSum Envelopes for your worker to keep their money in. The inside of each envelope has a journal or check register for tracking their earnings and expenditures. This teaches basic math concepts as well as well as how to balance a checkbook. Over time, you can use the information from the SpendSum Envelope to have conversations about wisely using the money they have earned.

The EarnSum System teaches children to connect work with money

EarnSum Money / Work Orders are a unique tool to connect work and money and it helps you organize chores around the house. The EarnSum Money / Work Order has an amount to be earned on one side and a Work Order or job to be performed to earn the money on the other side. This is a tangible connection between the work they are performing and the money they are earning. It also helps you keep chores organized.