Where does all the money go?

When parents separate sometimes children have less money to spend. With TV, magazines and your friends urging you to keep up with the latest fashions or trends, it may not be easy to see the difference between things you really need (necessities) and the things you want (luxuries). You might want to spend money on things you don't really need and get upset when you can't do that any more, or when you have less money to spend than your friends.

Most children would like to have the best clothes and the newest brands, especially when everybody in the media, and maybe your friends, make you believe those things are important to be accepted.

Its normal for young people to want to belong and fit in with their peers. But you should also know that what people wear, or how they look, doesn't say anything about who they really are. Real friends will accept you as you are.

There are different ways to get organised with your money

1. watch what you spend
2. developing a spending plan: write down what you spend your money on - what comes in and what goes out
3. learn about the difference between 'needs' and 'wants'
4. put aside some pocket money at the beginning of the month so you'll have some left at the end
5. check different shops and compare different prices before buying
6. shop for clothes in second hand shops and set a new trend
7. think of new ways you can earn money.

There are different things you can do to increase your money:

1. babysitting
2. garden work for your parents, neighbours or relatives
3. washing cars for parents, neighbours or relatives
4. maybe there is some community work for you in the area where you live, such as delivering papers