In an age where parenting advice is often bundled into apps, online courses and expert frameworks, one Indian father’s quiet approach to teaching money values is winning hearts for its simplicity and effectiveness.
A small habit with a big lesson
Mehul Fanawala, a company co-founder, recently shared on social media how he teaches financial responsibility to his daughters—not through pocket money for toys, but through lived experience. Instead of handing over cash freely, Fanawala gives them ₹500 and takes them to a nearby kirana store.
The exercise is deliberate. At the store, his daughters choose what they want, ask the shopkeeper for prices, calculate what they can afford and count their own change. Sometimes they miscalculate. Sometimes they pause, rethink, and choose differently. Each visit becomes a practical lesson in budgeting, decision-making and confidence.
Learning money without fear
Fanawala says the most striking part is not just what his daughters learn, but how naturally the learning happens. There are no lectures or rules. Just responsibility in a safe, everyday setting. The shop staff often smile as they watch the children handle the transaction themselves, turning an ordinary errand into a moment of growth.
He contrasts this with how financial literacy is often discussed today—through complex tools, jargon-heavy advice and long-term planning concepts that can feel intimidating even to adults. In comparison, a kirana counter offers something far more powerful: clarity.
Raising comfort, not pressure
Importantly, Fanawala stresses that this habit is not about pushing children to think about profits, savings targets or entrepreneurship too early. Instead, it is about raising adults who are comfortable with money—who are not anxious at counters, hesitant to ask prices or unsure about change.
Many people, he notes, only begin learning these basics much later in life. Some are still grappling with them as adults. Starting early, through small amounts and low-stakes choices, builds confidence without pressure.
Everyday moments that last
According to Fanawala, financial habits do not begin with spreadsheets or investment apps. They begin with trust, modest sums of money and everyday experiences. In his view, ₹500, a local kirana store and the freedom to make small choices can teach lessons that stay far beyond childhood.