Pocket money apps, like Rooster Money from NatWest, are helping children learn the value of money. GoHenry is one of the options which you could choose. But, given that it’s not a fully-fledged bank account, how does it work? And how could it help you? We look to answer those questions here as well as investigate what the GoHenry app features and its advantages are.
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What is a GoHenry child’s account?
A GoHenry child's account is not a traditional bank account. Instead, it's a prepaid debit card and app a child can use, which you can control. So, for example, your grandchild can look at the app and see how much they have to spend and use the amount left on their card in a shop or use their phone to buy something online. There's a monthly fee for your subscription, currently at £2.99 a month - though you get one month free when you start.
GoHenry account and app features
Knowing the full range of features for the app is crucial to determining whether it's suitable for your grandchild. With so many banks and financial institutions moving into the world of child accounts, understanding what GoHenry offers will help you decide if it will suit your family.
GoHenry Card
One of the most notable features of GoHenry is its prepaid debit card. You can load the card with however much money you want or need through your phone. When or why you put cash on the card is up to you, but as you can see how much is on it from your app, you can check if they have enough money for the day or week ahead. Or, if they are out and about and running low on funds, you can top it up to ensure they have money to get home. It’s great because, as it's prepaid, your grandchildren can’t go into an overdraft.
Custom card
You can choose from over 45 designs and customise your grandkid's card. They'll love that they can change the name of Henry on the card to their name. So GoHenry can become GoOlivia, for example. A custom card costs a little more at £4.99, but one of the benefits of customisation is that, hopefully, they will take a little more care of it, so they'll not lose it. Looking after their card is an excellent first step to learning that they will need to take care of debit and credit cards in the future.
GoHenry App
GoHenry isn't a bank; it's a financial technology company, so its app is one of its main offerings to consider - particularly if you are comparing GoHenry to standard children’s bank accounts from traditional banks. The app has a load of features that should grow with your grandchild. They can have a GoHenry account from six up until they turn 18. The app is 'smart' and tailors their experiences to their age.
Spending limits
Being able to set boundaries for your grandchild’s spending is not only a safe way of teaching them the value of money, but it's also practical. They can't spend money that you don’t have. You and any parents have parental controls over the amount of money they have on their card, so you can limit what they have if you need. However, if you think they need more cash for a good reason, you can lift their limits too. You can set those limits at particular shops or online companies. So you know they won't spend all their pocket money on Minecraft, for example, when they also need funds for the bus home from school.
Set savings goals
In addition to setting spending limits, you can also encourage your grandchildren to save. By providing them with 'mini money missions' on the app, you can let them see the value of their savings pots grow. It means they could potentially save enough to buy a high-value item of their choice.
Financial Education
One of the features that parents and grandparents will undoubtedly love the most, especially for parents of slightly older kids, is that it helps teach good money habits. Plus, it provides your grandchildren with financial independence by giving them money for which they have financial responsibility. Excellent financial habits are nurtured from a young age as a result, while you, as a parent or grandparent, can track their progress from a distance, offering you comfort.
Mini money missions also help accelerate their financial learning. They can watch videos, take quizzes and more through the app. They earn points and badges as they go. It makes for a fun way for them to go through the national financial education guidelines, with minimal input needed from you.
Advantages to GoHenry
There are many benefits to using a GoHenry prepaid card linked to your own account. They add up to one larger, compelling reason to use the app to help your grandchild manage their money.
Peace of mind
Undoubtedly, one of the best things about GoHenry is the peace of mind it gives you as a grandparent. As children grow, they want an increasing amount of independence from adults. Giving them a card for which they are responsible is one way to provide them with that. Yet you can control that through real-time information and spending limits. You can also top up their card easily and quickly, which is excellent to know for emergencies.
Reviews
Trustpilot reviews are awash with parents and grandparents happy with their decision to sign their child up for a GoHenry card. Most of the time, they say the monthly subscription fee is well worth paying. Again, that offers you peace of mind that you are actually going to gain something from using the app and card. While, as adults, we're not always used to spending a monthly fee for our bank accounts, it looks to be money well spent in this instance.
Cancel any time
While the app is so slick and easy to use that it is unlikely you'll want to cancel it, what's great is that you can stop it at any time should you need to. That offers yet more peace of mind as you know that if it doesn't work out for you, you can stop the service. You're not locked into it for an incredibly long period, which could be extremely costly. Plus, of course, situations change. What once worked for you and your grandchildren may stop working quite so well - or a child turns 18, so you need to cancel the card account.
Customer support
While the technology that supports GoHenry is efficient and well-designed, that doesn't mean you won't ever need some help. The customer support at the company is easy to contact and get answers to the questions you may have. You can email for support at help@gohenry.co.uk. The company usually responds promptly with directions on how to rectify any problem.
Ease
GoHenry is a slick operation. It does what you need it to and takes all the fuss out of giving your grandchildren hard cash. You can top up any time, and your grandchild can take money out at an ATM or spend in-store with their card too. It gives them lots of freedom without you having to nag them or stress the importance of leaving enough money aside for something. Personal finance for your grandkids is far more straightforward than it ever has been as a result.
GoHenry cards
Giving a child physical cash for their pocket money or completing their chores can be riddled with problems. First, you have to have the actual money to give them. In an increasingly cashless society, having the funds available to hand when you need them is not always as straightforward as it once was. Secondly, kids could go out to spend that cash and burn through it, leaving them with no funds, which they may have to rely on later.
Using this app means that is never a problem you have to worry about. By electronically transferring them cash, they can see that they’ve received their pocket money or ‘earnings’. You can top up their card from afar should they need it.
But it is more than that. It’s also fantastic for educating a child about the trials and tribulations of money. The app is a brilliant resource for teaching financial literacy and how to be responsible with money. Having savings goals, completing mini missions, and earning points will be incredibly satisfying for a child and will help them become more consistently accountable for their own cash.
