The future of pocket money
未来的零花钱
There are many things we remember from our childhood - the games we played, the music we listened to; but what about earning pocket money? This was our first ever wage for completing tasks such as tidying our bedroom or sorting the laundry. Our reward was a handful of coins that we safely stashed away. But now, it seems, parents' attitude to handing out cash is changing.
我们童年有许多回忆——玩过的游戏,听过的音乐;但是赚零花钱这件事呢?这是我们第一次拿工资来完成打扫卧室、整理衣物等任务。我们得到的奖励是一把硬币,并把它们藏在安全的地方。但现如今家长们给现金的做法似乎正在改变。
There was a time when cash was king - it was the main currency for financial transactions. These days, though, using credit or debit cards, or making contactless payments, are the most convenient ways of paying. So where does that leave handing over pocket money? Research has found that 84% of British parents currently give notes and coins to their children - typically an allowance, including some discretionary spending, of £7 a week.
曾经有一段时间,现金为王——它是金融交易的主要货币。然而现如今,信用卡或借记卡或者非接触式支付成为了最方便的支付方式。那么,现在哪里的人还会给零花钱?研究发现,目前84%的英国父母都会给孩子纸币和硬币——通常是零花钱,包括大约一星期7英镑的零花钱。
But banks predict that by 2028 only one in ten transactions will be with cash, and that it's something today's children will have to deal with. One particular issue is that children may not understand the value of cash because they never see it. Parents face a dilemma too - finding a new way to transfer pocket money, or maybe not bothering to pay it at all.
但银行预测,到2028年,只有十分之一的交易会使用现金,而到时候面临这个问题的就是现在这些孩子了。一个特别的问题是,孩子们可能不理解现金的价值,因为他们从来没有见过。父母们也面临着一个两难的境地——采用新方法给孩子零用钱,或者干脆不给。
Giving children lessons about finance at school is important, and the UK's Money and Pensions Service advises parents to get children started with money as young as possible. Sarah Porretta from the service told the BBC that for parents who no longer carry cash "The trick is to go and get some coins, just so your children have the opportunity to interact with them. Talk about what you are doing with money. If you are paying with a card or with a phone talk to children about that and link it back to those coins they have handled."
在学校教授孩子们相关金融知识是很重要的,英国货币和养老金服务中心建议父母让孩子在尽可能小的时候就开始理财。该机构的萨拉·波雷塔告诉BBC,对于不再携带现金的父母来说,“一种方法是携带一些硬币,这样孩子就有机会接触现金。告知孩子现金的用处。如果你使用信用卡支付或手机支付,教孩子时把这些知识和他们见过的硬币联系起来。”
But, of course, many of the goods that young people want to buy - such as add-ons for a computer game - only allow digital transactions. This has led to a number of apps being set up that allow children to track and spend their hard-earned pocket money and parents to transfer money electronically and monitor their child's spending. Banks also suggest setting up accounts for older children which gives them a cash card to use. But whatever method a parent chooses to adopt, they need to teach their kids that money doesn't grow on trees!
但肯定的是,许多年轻人想买的商品——比如电脑游戏的附加组件——只能通过线上交易。这就导致了一些应用程序的出现。孩子们可以通过这些软件追踪和支付辛苦赚来的零用钱。父母可以通过这些应用软件线上转账并监控孩子的支出。银行还建议为年龄较大的孩子开设账户,让他们使用现金卡。但是,无论父母选择采用什么方法,他们都需要教育孩子钱来之不易的道理!
词汇表
earn
赚取,挣得
wage
工钱,工资
reward
奖赏
stash away
存起来
cash
现金
cash was king
“现金为王”
currency
货币
financial transaction
财务交易,金融业务
contactless payment
非接触支付
hand over
交给……,支付
note
纸币
coin
硬币
allowance
零用钱
discretionary spending
任个人支配的开支
value
意义
transfer
把(钱)转到另一个账户
digital transaction
数字交易
hard-earned
来之不易的,辛苦挣得的
account
账户
money doesn't grow on trees
“钱可不是从树上长出来的”,钱来之不易