New Year Resolution: Learn to Live Within Your Means

Money!How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution to get your finances under control? You’re not alone. Millions of people have a similar goal each year and most of them haven’t managed to succeed. If you’re one who hasn’t learned to live within your means, now is the perfect time to try again.

What is the definition of “living within your means”? It simply means that you don’t spend more money than you make. If your combined income, after taxes and insurance are taken out, is $1,200 a month, you won’t purposefully choose to spend $1,500 a month.

Many people who use credit cards and have several loans often fall under the category of living outside of their means. Before you can determine if you’re living within your means, you have to know how much you make. Here’s how to start: Continue reading

Parents — You Hold the Key to Fun!

As Space Cadet recruiters, trainers and explorers in our own right, we realize that learning while your young is an important component to leading a successful life. Bong and I have endeavored to provide each child with free access to much of our training videos, games and other entertainment. But there comes a time when a young cadet wants to explore further and that’s where you, as the parent are a vital component to their continued success.

And that is why we’ve provided each Space Cadet’s parent with the ability to create a parent account which links to their children’s accounts. Then, based upon your assessment of their needs you can either purchase KEYs on a monthly basis or perhaps as an incentive periodically during the year. In either case, you have a part in controlling the level of game play your children experience.

KEYS, besides being valuable to the cadets in the MyTinyPlanets, are used throughout the Tiny Planets’ universe. Parents and children can use them to watch special videos, read rare books and more. Another good thing about KEYS is that they can be used as a real-world teaching moment.

Discuss with your children what their monthly “KEY Budget” it and help them to plan the best way to use  them for future purchases.  It’s also a good time to compare features and help them to discern which purchases will give them  the best bang for their KEY. Kids can save their KEYS from month to month and save up for that really “must have” rocket ship!

The economic lessons they learn in our universe will be a good beginning on the road to handling their Earth finances in a responsible manner. Once they’ve developed a healthy respect for their KEYS, you might want to introduce some of your Earth currency to the mix to extend their good financial habits into their own world.

How cool is that?!