A chip on one of the best credit cards for kidsA good question to ask when discussing money management is, “How young is too young?” Financial planning is a crucial part of everyone’s life, so it stands to reason that people should begin doing so as soon as possible. That being said, some people never even teach their children about money, so they have to learn for themselves as they go. With that in mind, when is the perfect time to teach children about money? Our opinion is: right away! And one of the best ways to do it is with credit cards for kids. For kids, debit cards provide an opportunity to gain practical experience with money management. They can learn to budget and save money with the help of a debit card while enjoying the ease of making electronic payments. Therefore, today we will be going over what the best credit cards for kids are.
Best Credit Cards for Kids
Many stores these days no longer accept cash; digital payment methods have taken over the commercial landscape. Giving your child an allowance via a debit card will give them more freedom to spend than an actual cash sum. There is an inherent risk when using a debit card, however. To prevent card loss or unauthorized use, you should establish guidelines for how and when your child can use the card. This will help them slowly get into a budgeting habit and maybe even investing at some point.
Is It Safe to Give a Child a Credit Card?
Determining whether or not to give your kid a card involves weighing the pros and cons. How much personal information you feel safe disclosing online should be your first consideration. While the specifics vary by issuer, most will want basic personal details from you and your child, like:
- Birthdates
- Social Security numbers
- Addresses
- Phone numbers
Additionally, if you are looking to make use of mobile banking, you might also need to give your GPS location data and purchase history to the firm. This way, the app can provide more relevant product and service recommendations. While the same safeguards are in place to protect both children’s and adults’ debit cards, it’s important to stress that disclosing any information about a child online raises their risk level. Accounts, including personal information like names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card details, have been exposed to huge data breaches on the internet in the past. Therefore, if you don’t want to expose your child to such risk, you may be better off not giving them a card in the first place.
Credit Cards for Kids
With that said, if you don’t mind the risk, here are some of the best credit cards for kids.
1. BusyKid
The BusyKid Visa Prepaid Debit Card is a great tool for parents who want to educate their children about the importance of budgeting, and it’s also the least expensive paid option out there. Children may choose to save the money, invest it in the stock market, or give it to charity. BusyKid is upfront about tracking kids’ activities and selling parents’ personal information to third parties. Yet it makes it clear that this policy solely applies to parents and that “the personal information we gather regarding children is not made publicly accessible or otherwise shared, unless as specifically indicated in this Privacy Policy.”
2. GoHenry
This card is an excellent option for parents who want to encourage their children to take on additional home duties and reward them for doing so, thanks to its customized assignments, such as specified chores and savings objectives. For example, if you are moving, you can give them tasks to accomplish and help you move in. When helping kids adapt after an interstate move, you can reward them for their effort, which will help them feel at ease. A card like this will not only make everything more fun but will also help instill a sense of worth and responsibility in your child. The most intriguing aspect of this card is that the company will not disclose personal information about you or your children to any third parties without your permission.
3. Greenlight
Greenlight is one of the most popular prepaid card applications for children out there. There are a few reasons for this. The first reason is that it is incredibly easy to use. The second reason is that it enables parents to:
- Direct their children’s allowance to particular retailers
- Pay interest on rising balances to show compound interest
- Establish concrete financial objectives
However, Greenlight may share your personal information with “ad and marketing vendors,” “insurance companies,” “collection agencies,” and the undefined “other service providers,” according to an older version of their privacy statement.
4. Step
There is no official age restriction for joining Step. However, this card is most appropriate for youngsters who are already somewhat financially savvy. In the same way you can with a traditional debit card, you can load Step with money and use it to make transactions. Since the Step card is not a debit card and instead treats all purchases as credits, your child can safely build credit without the risk of overdraft fees or interest.
However, Step’s privacy policy leaves room for interpretation on sharing personal information with third parties. The document itself reads as follows: “We may provide you with options for how we share your information with our business partners and other parties. The privacy policies or notifications you get in conjunction with the goods or services you acquire from us will detail the options you have for controlling the disclosure of your information.”
Conclusion
So, when it comes to the best credit cards for kids, you really can’t go wrong with any of these four options. Each one has its own unique advantages that make it an ideal option for kids of all ages. You can definitely choose the best for your child, depending on your circumstances. While all four cards are geared toward children, they are not limited to just that demographic.
Therefore, if you are looking for a card to help your children establish good financial habits from a young age, we recommend checking out all of the options above to see which one is best for your family.
