Raising Money-Smart Kids

CHERIL CARINGAL writes about family money, parenting, and the everyday habits that build financial confidence. A mother of three, she developed the framework in this book at her own kitchen table—turning a nightly allowance battle that ended in tears and raised voices into a simple jar system the whole family could agree on.

Caringal has spent more than a decade working with families on financial literacy. Through workshops at schools, community centers, and parent groups, she has helped thousands of parents replace money arguments with money conversations—teaching saving, spending, giving, and budgeting in ways that respect children's age and temperament. Her writing on family finance has appeared on parenting and personal finance websites, where readers return for her practical, judgment-free take on subjects like allowance, first jobs, and teaching kids to say no to themselves.

Her core belief is simple: money is a tool for building the life you want, and the best time to teach that is now, in the small everyday moments. She lives with her husband and three children, where the family still holds a money meeting every Sunday night—and, she is happy to report, nobody cries anymore.