Money Smart Kids
Chapter 2: Money Buckets – Where Does Your Money Go?

Lesson 2.3: Setting Goals for Each Bucket

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LESSON GOAL

BY THE END OF THIS LESSON,

you’ll learn how to set simple, meaningful goals for each of your money buckets — Save, Spend, Share, and Invest. You’ll start thinking about why you’re using your money, not just how, so your choices are aligned with what really matters to you.

💬 let’s break it down

You already know how to split your money into buckets. But now comes the fun part — deciding what each bucket is for!

This is called goal setting, and it’s how you turn your dreams into a plan.

Here’s what it might look like:

🪣 Save – “I want to save up for a new bike by the end of summer.”
🪣 Spend – “I want $10 this month to buy snacks and stickers.”
🪣 Share – “I want to donate $5 to the animal shelter.”
🪣 Invest – “I want to invest $20 in something that grows over time.”

When you know your goal, it’s easier to stay focused. If you want a new bike, you might skip a toy or treat now — because your goal matters more than quick fun.

Goals don’t have to be big. They just have to mean something to you.

🧠 ANALOGY: Your Buckets Are Like Garden Pots

Imagine each of your money buckets is like a plant pot. You decide what to grow — flowers, tomatoes, or a little tree.

Your goal is the plant. Your money is the water.
The more you care for it, the more it grows!

But if you don’t know what you planted… how will you know what it needs?
That’s why every bucket needs a goal — so you can grow what you actually want.

🤔 critical thinking questions

Why is it helpful to have a goal for each bucket instead of just saving randomly?

What’s a small goal you could set for your spend bucket this week?

Which bucket is most exciting for you to set a goal for — and why?

Have you ever set a goal and reached it? How did it feel?

✍️ journal entry: “What I Want My Buckets to Grow”

Write a goal for each of your 4 buckets:

  1. Save

  2. Spend

  3. Share

  4. Invest

Then write WHY each goal matters to you.
Is it something fun? Something helpful? Something you’re proud of?

Optional: Draw a picture of what your "bucket garden" looks like with your goals growing out of each one.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 ACTIVITY WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS: Bucket Goal Brainstorm

What You’ll Need:

  • Paper

  • Markers

  • A timer or clock

What to Do:

  1. Set a timer for 2 minutes per bucket.

  2. As a group, brainstorm as many ideas as you can for each bucket goal!

  3. Then take turns choosing one goal for each bucket that’s personal to you.

  4. Share your choices and explain why you picked them.

🎯 What This Teaches: Every money decision starts with a “why” — and having a clear goal makes spending, saving, and sharing more powerful.

💵 real-life practice: Set & Track a Mini Goal

Pick one bucket to focus on this week.
Set a small, clear goal for it — for example:

  • Save: “I want to save $5 this week.”

  • Share: “I want to give $1 to someone who needs help.”

  • Spend: “I want to buy a treat under $3 and still have money left.”

  • Invest: “I want to learn one thing about how investing works.”

Write your goal down and track your progress all week. Celebrate when you reach it — no matter how small!

🌟 Bonus: Create a “Goal Tracker” on paper with checkboxes or coloring squares.

  • Add a short summary or a list of helpful resources here.