Digitalization has changed payment methods across the globe drastically. Nowadays, people taste financial independence even in their teenage days. They leave their hometown to pursue their desired courses abroad, join internships, or do part-time work. Having a debit card becomes mandatory then.
Apart from these, parents nowadays want their kids to use a teenagers debit card, so they never run out of urgent money in emergencies.
But what is the right time for a teenager to have a debit card? How to understand when your child is ready to use a debit card and take care of it?
Let’s discuss it!
What is the perfect time to get your child a debit card?
Only some children are reliable enough to get a debit card teens. As a parent, you should allow them to have a debit card only when they meet the following conditions:
- They must have their income.
- Your child should have a good habit of saving some money regularly.
- They can take good care of their wallet and don’t lose it usually.
- Make sure your child communicates with you about their regular expenditure.
The actual checklist:
You must complete this checklist before you go to a bank to apply for a debit card of your own.
- They should have a checking account.
- Every child must have a steady source of income before approaching a debit card. The amount of income does not matter here. They can have any salary, and the job can be anything, such as a regular allowance, internship, pirate tuition, part-time job, and chores for relatives and neighbors.
- They must have the practice of depositing a part of their earnings into savings for at least a few months.
- Before they start using any teenager payment app, you must ensure that they refrain from using the independence they already have, like eating at restaurants with friends, late-night driving, shopping, etc.
- You can guide them to get a habit of writing plans for spending their income.
After checking off every item on this list, you may confidently go to your bank or credit union and ask them to issue your kid a debit card. Teenagers typically need to be between 16 and 18 before they are mature enough to hold a debit card.
Risks that come with debit cards:
Some parents are unaware of what can happen if they give their unprepared teen child a debit card. Short-term threats are typically relatively low. It would be best if you instead took care of long-term risks.
There is another threat. If your youngster needs to prepare to handle the responsibility of managing a debit card, there will be the possibility of paying extra debit card costs. In the worst-case scenario, they may be a victim of fraud if the lost debit card is discovered and used illegally.
The teenagers are emotional and innocent. They cannot reject their friends’ requests to give them treats. Friends can quickly drain your child’s bank account by asking your innocent daughter or son to “share the wealth,” buy them lunch or treat them to vending machine goodies and snacks.
