Remove the stigma from the phrase: “I can’t afford it.” Teaching kids about money means taking into account the emotional factors we all associate with money and spending. One of the biggest psychological/emotional factors behind our failure to live within our means is attaching feelings of shame, disappointment or unworthiness to the idea that we can’t always have what we want when we want it. Remove the self-judgement associated with “I can’t afford it” by adding the words “yet” or “right now.” Then help them to come up with a plan to budget and save for what they want.