Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Rhymer Rigby

‘Save a little, when you can’: does putting money aside for something special help you recapture some of the magic of childhood?

Picture of family
By saving regularly you can try to rediscover the childhood feeling of reward. Composite: Guardian Design/Stocksy United

When you look back on your childhood, it can often seem like a golden age – hazy sunshine and happiness, a kind of endless summer’s day. As children, many of us had few responsibilities, and very little to worry about – and a big factor in this was money. We had no bills, no credit cards, no mortgages and no dependents. Many of us will have been fortunate enough to receive some pocket money from our parents, which we spent or saved as we chose.

“Remember that feeling as a child – saving up your pocket money until you reached your goal and then taking all your pennies and pounds (now a phone or bank card) to the shop to make your long-awaited purchase?” says Rachel Jones, senior marketing manager at Coventry Building Society. “That emotional response doesn’t leave us.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.