{greenlight debit card for kids}

I was debating if this was necessary to dedicate and entire post to. And the answer is YES, yes it is!

I’ve seen bloggers + moms rave about the GreenLight cards for a while now. So, I pulled the trigger and ordered one for Bay. 100% out of curiosity.

This app not only allows your kids to have a debit card, but parents have control over it. Which is key for a kid with a card, am I right?

Here are some quick answers to the questions you’re instantly thinking:

Turn card off anytime – Both parents and kids can turn the card off with a single touch within the Greenlight app.
No cash back – Greenlight cards cannot be used to get cash back from a purchase, ensuring spend controls are followed.
Parent-controlled PIN – A PIN number is required to use the card. Parents can set and manage their child’s PIN number anytime from their app.
Blocked categories – Greenlight blocks certain spend categories like wire transfers, money orders, lotteries, gambling and others.
ATM access controls – Parents can choose whether their child can use their card to withdraw money from ATMs. And if so, how much.
Real-time notifications – Parents receive alerts anytime the card is used, so they know when, where and how much their child is spending.
Activity logs – See all historical activity for spending, saving, giving and earning.
FDIC insured – Greenlight accounts are FDIC insured through our partner, Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC.

Are you intrigued too?

We spent the weekend in San Francisco and Bay used her card. I gave her an amount she could spend anyway she wanted. Within reason, let’s keep it real! Ha! That way she didn’t have to ask for a couple bucks here and there. The GreenLight card allowed us to both stay on budget. And that shit is hard to do on a night in the city, if you know what I mean.

This app legit makes kids feel so damn cool. You HAVE to watch them slide the card for the first time. It’s fucking hilarious!

Okay so here’s the scoop. Click on this link and order your card. I believe you can order up to 5 cards per family.

You then verify your checking account. Which is super simple.

Once the card arrives, your kiddo then activates the card. They select a “top secret” pin number. It’s legit just like a real debit card.

Now I can transfer money to Bay’s GreenLight card. I can give her an allowance. Pay her for chores. Send her money when she goes to dinner with friends. Or just flat out don’t have cash and really don’t want to hit the ATM machine.

There is also a category for saving. I can designate a certain amount that is strictly for saving. Kids can see the money sitting in this account, but do not have access to it.

For example: Let’s say I pay Bailey $20 a week for chores (I personally do not pay for chores, that shit is a responsibly in our household) I can designate $15 for spending. $5 for savings. Or vice versa.

Best part, whenever the card is used, I get a notification. I can see where + when + how much was spent.

Bay’s first transaction was Dutch, of course. I notice that when she’s spending her own $$, she’s way more liekly to rethink that purchase. Funny how she now ordered a small dutch. I know, for a fact, had I have given Bay a $20, she would have ordered a large drink. Kids are wayyy more quick to spend money, when it’s not their own. You know what I mean?

Let’s say the GreenLight card had $20 to spend. Bay spent $12 at Dutch. It will show on her app that she now only has $8 left to spend. Now logging into a bank account to check your balance. It’s right there at your fingertips on the app. Makes them a hell of a lot more responsible with spending.

Next feature, there is an option to designate an amount that can be spent at specific retailers + stores. Let’s say Bay’s going shopping with her friends at the mall. She’s asked to get a new pair of jeans at Abercrombie. I transfer $40 to be spent at ONLY Abercrombie. This is just an example. Any store + any amount can be set.

Lastly, there is an option to choose a category for spending. I can select that a specific amount can be used at an ATM + gas station + grocery store + restaurant. Even online gaming. Ha.

Anyway, I could go on and on about how handy this app has been for us. It teaches responsibility.

NOTE: You get a FREE 30-day trial. Then you will be charged a $4.99/month fee. You can have up to 5 cards per family for that once a month fee. This is not something I plan to use forever. It’s, in my option, a GREAT way to get kids familiar with using a card and how exactly it works. With it also being extremely handy for parents to keep track of spending without handing kids a $20 each and every time they are headed out the door.

If you use this link set up an account, we both receive $10 into our accounts. It’s a WIN-WIN!

Let me know if you have any questions at all. We’re no experts, but Bay has been using her card for about 3 weeks now and we both are still 100% impressed!

And since we’ve both been basically LIVING in this sweatshirt lately, we rounded up a bunch of great crew neck sweatshirts that get their stamp of approval from a teenager and myself! And that’s saying a lot. If you happen to know a teenager…Ha!