You want to save for your child's future and you want to know that they will be taken care of and be given the best to succeed as they grow up. But you're not quite sure how or where. With trust funds for kids being cancelled and different news stories arising about missing funds, you can be confused about where to start.

In recent news there has been talk of a Junior ISA.

What is a Junior ISA?

As the initials imply, it is an individual savings account for children and a simple and transparent way to save for your child's future education and needs. It will help you to save financial aid for them for when they reach adulthood. And who doesn't want that for their child?

Some information included in the article mentioned above is that:

• Children that don't have a trust fund and that live in the UK are eligible to have one

• There is a total annual limit of £3,600 for all payments into the account

• The money will belong to your child until they reach 18 years of age and they won't be able to withdraw from it until then

• There are no taxes charged on interest rates for you or your child

• Anyone with an interest in your child's future can deposit money there, as long as it doesn't exceed the annual limit

• Tax Free Junior ISA's are covered by the FSCS which ensure that your investment is safe.

Different news articles talk about the two kinds of Junior ISA that exist: cash Junior Isa or an Investment Junior ISA. Your child can hold one of each account with different providers, but keep in mind that the combined investment allowance between the two accounts must remain at £3,600 per tax year.

Finance is a subject that many people, even in their adult life, find hard to grasp. Therefore, you should cultivate a culture of finance in your children while they are still young. The following are some of the benefits that they stand to gain from money lessons at an early age.

When it comes to money and finance, time is a major factor. Kids have time on their side and are able to save money as they grow up. If you save money daily, you will end up with plenty in a year. Kids have many years ahead of them and have plenty of time to accumulate their wealth. Teach your kids to start saving today and they might become the millionaires of tomorrow.

In all aspects of life, the best ways people learn are through their own mistakes. You may read a lot of material and speak to people, but eventually you will have the desire to try it out for yourself. In the case of finance, it is safer to let your kids make these mistakes while they are still young and growing. The consequences would be small scale and they can learn, so as to be wise later in life. Your child should not make financial mistakes in their adult life as it may be much more destructive.

Most people have the wrong conception about saving. The idea of saving is not to be able to buy something in the long run. Experts refer to that as postponed spending. When teaching your kids about money, you should let them know how to save. Saving entails keeping money aside for emergencies. The money they save should not be used unless for emergencies.

When you teach your kids about money, you will be installing in them a strong work ethic. It is inevitable to learn about money without learning the principles that comes with it. Your kids will be able to know that they have to work hard so as to earn their own money. This attitude of working in order to obtain things they want will spread and include other aspects of their life.

As a single person you may not have taken the time to budget your finances, at least not seriously. But things have changed now and you are now the proud parent of one or more children and you will not be able to get by on just “winging it”. If you do so, your money will be flying out the window as fast as a speeding train. So, what can you do?

Here is some simple advice on making a budget to follow and different ideas on how to cut back on expenses:

• Involve your kids and family in your budgeting goals and keep your records simple

• Open a notebook and write down what you make every month

• Write down EVERYTHING you spend in a month from food to utilities, snacks and newspapers (This may be something you will need to spend a few days on to take into account all that you actually spend throughout your day)

• Once you have both written down, compare income to expenses and see if you are overspending

• If so, think about which expenses and costs you can cut down on.

As some have maybe noticed, the winters are getting colder. Each year seems to be a little colder than the one before. How are we going to stay warm, and keep our little ones warm, is a good question. Perhaps we can learn from people who live further north than ourselves.

Kids usually get all excited when the snow comes. Most just rush outside to play in the snow, and maybe have a good snow ball fight. It seems to be inbuilt in children to move around and exercise, and we could all learn from them. Exercise and lots of fresh air is exactly what keep us warm and healthy. In order to keep the bills down, it is necessary to have a good amount of time outside daily. Fresh air is what keeps the body fires burning, and it keeps us from catching colds.

In Scandinavia children are prepared for the cold. They have hats, scarves and mittens ready, it seems, at a moments notice. This winter it may be a good idea for all of us to be that prepared. Now is the time to get a hold of those warm sweaters, water proof coats and extra layers like “long johns”. “Long johns” have been out of fashion for a while, but it would be smart to get them back in, in a hurry, or we are all going to be way too cold, and probably get sick.

Financially it is a difficult time for most of us, and we would probably all want to save on the heating bill this year. Some people only put the heating on 2-3 times a day, and perhaps that is ok, if no one is at home, but if people are home all day, like perhaps small children, it is important to have the heating on all day. It is possible to have it on a minimum setting, or perhaps only heat up parts of the house. Gas heating is cheaper than using electricity for heating the house; or for a few of us who don’t have radiators, using wood is a lot healthier than burning coal. Remember never to use gas heaters unless there is a window slightly open nearby.

Do you ever watch ants? They work hard all spring and summer, preparing for the winter. The squirrels also labour in order to save up enough food for the cold, long winter period. Last winter the first snow came in November, and many people were caught off guard. Before long, there was too much snow in many places, and the delivery trucks could not get through with supplies, and many items in the shops and even supermarkets ran out.

We do not want to fail our children this year. So what do we do to make sure that we don’t run out of food and other things we need? First of all, making a list of the things we cannot do without, like food that can last like oats, rice, spaghetti, beans and other dried food stuffs. Then think about protein such as tinned or dried meat and fish. Certain people might opt for filling the freezer with meat, and that is a good idea as long as the electricity stays on. If problems with the electricity occurs due to too much snow, having tinned supplies might come in handy.

One of the first things that usually run out is milk, eggs, butter and cheese. These are all important proteins that children need for growing. Milk can be purchased both in tins and as powdered milk, and it would be wise to get a hold of quite a lot, if there are small children in the household. Cheese can be bought as parmesan, which will last a long time. Eggs can last in a cool, dry place for quite some time, but powdered eggs are also available, and they have a long shelf life. Bread is easy to make, so when the shops have no more bread, it can be made at home. Buy as much flour and dried yeast or baking powder as possible now, before the snows come.

Replacing the boxed cereals, which many children eat, with dry cereal that is healthier and lasts longer, like oats, rice or semolina might be good, because it is usually healthier and takes up less space in the car, so it is possible to buy more in one go. Also eating a nice hot cereal for breakfast on cold mornings warms the body all the way through, which is a good start to the day.

Feeding our children properly, and covering all the different vitamins and minerals they need, can be a challenge, and may require proper planning. As parents we need to be prepared to do a good job of feeding and taking care of our precious children. Some people seem to do shopping every day and just buy whatever they or their children fancy that day. Perhaps it would be better to make a meal plan in advance, write a weekly shopping list, and agree when would be the best day to do the weekly shopping. It could even be a family event, something to do together. There are some foods that have to be eaten daily: fruits high in vitamin C, vegetables, protein and whole grain. It is important to include different types of fruits, vegetables of every colour, meat, beans, eggs, cheese, nuts, and some sort of milk whether cow's, soya or almond.

Suggested meal plan for one week:

Monday- Breakfast: Muesli served with milk or natural yogurt.

Lunch: Mixed salad of tomatoes and lettuce and cheese. Or whole grain bun with cheese and salad.

Dinner: Oven cooked chicken served with brown rice and corn on the cob. (a sauce of personal choice).

Tuesday - Breakfast: Oat porridge with apple slices and milk.

Lunch: Fresh fried sardines with small potatoes with parsley and lemon slices. Served with mixed salad.

Dinner: Fried turkey fingers in yellow corn flour batter with brown rice and green peas. Serve with fresh carrot sticks. (sauce or remoulade)

Wednesday - Breakfast: Scrambled eggs on whole grain toast and baked beans (maybe bacon) Drink: fruit juice or herbal tea.

Lunch: Chile con carne with kidney beans and grilled bacon instead of mince meat. Salad: baby spinach and tomatoes

Dinner: Cauliflower or broccoli cheese (as a sauce) with carrot sticks, celery sticks, and potatoes.

Thursday - Breakfast: Muesli.

Lunch: Fish fingers with mashed potatoes. Served with pickled red beets or Low fat coleslaw.

Dinner: Chicken meal served with red lentils and brown rice. A mixed salad.

Friday - Breakfast: Semolina with milk, a banana. (Semolina is delicious sprinkled with cinnamon and a little brown sugar) Drink: milk or herbal tea.

Lunch: Whole grain bun with smoked salmon and lots of salad. Dessert: Mixed fruit salad.

Dinner: Chicken stir fry with lots of vegetables like broccoli, thinly sliced carrots and corn. Served with noodles.

Saturday - Breakfast: Eggs (fried, scrambled or boiled) Whole grain toast or buns with marmite. Drink: herbal tea or juice.

Lunch: Tuna salad with baby spinach, tomatoes, and cucumber.

Dinner: Your favourite meat (whatever it is) or grilled chicken with grilled potatoes and green peas or beans. (Gravy)

Sunday - Breakfast: Pancakes with lemon sauce, chocolate sauce or fruit of any kind. Drink: milk.

Lunch: Rich homemade soup (vegetable, onion or chicken) with a whole grain bun. Snack: Homemade cake and milk.

Dinner: Pizza with red and yellow pepper salad and olives.

Dessert: Something small and yummy, like fruit yogurt.

Its holiday time again! Your kids are begging to go to an expensive amusement park such as Disneyland or to another country or to visit relatives. You have every intention of meeting their requests, but how? Money is tight and although you may be able to afford the entrance to Disney or travel, what about the cost of staying somewhere?

• Look into staying with friends or family. Ask your family members if they’d like to swap residences or if they have a guest room or two to lend to you for a few days on your holiday. Not only do you get to go on holiday with your children, you may also be able to spend time with your family as well. A great way to spend holiday!

• If that’s not an option, look online for discounts on hotels or opt for staying somewhere with less stars. It may mean packing your own shampoos and conditioners, towels and whatnot, but if you got to save a few pounds and still have fun, what’s the hassle of carrying your extra toiletry bag?

• If you already know a hotel that would be just right for you, check online for coupons by typing in ‘coupon code’ that may help you spend less than the cost of a regular room. It’s worth trying.

Having a family is wonderful. Learning to appreciate each other is important, and to do so we must spend time together, having fun and communicate on a daily basis. Most family problems arise from misunderstandings and not listening to each other properly. Dinnertime together, around the table, can solve a lot of these difficulties, if we as parents try to create a cosy and happy atmosphere. Kids look forward to spending time with both mummy and daddy, and making this a priority can be very rewarding.

Taking time to talk with each other at the dinner table can be relaxing, and also a good time to teach the children good manners and courtesy. Saying “please“ and “thank you“ should be the first thing small children learn when it comes to table manners. Learning not to talk with food in the mouth is also something children can learn at an early age. Teaching manners should be gradual yet insistent, with realistic expectations for the child’s age. We don't want to overwhelm our young children with too many table rules at once. Avoiding anger at mealtime is very important, if we want our children to be well balanced. Should a child become unruly at the table, take him away and talk to him in a separate room, not to further upset the atmosphere. Good manners actually start with the parents being kind and considerate of the children, and the dinner table is an excellent place to practice. Kids are copy cats, and they will copy both the good and the bad, therefore teaching etiquette and politeness by sample stars at an early age: praising the children when they are good and polite helps a lot. Children usually want to please, and grow happy when they are appreciated.

Children like to have fun. They like to go places and do new things. As a parent you may often be looking around for ways to meet their play needs and ensure that they are having fun, because, after all, this is their time to be a child and to enjoy childish games and activities. Growing up and having responsibility comes all too soon as we know, so finding time for them to just be kids is important.

But with the economy the way it is, it can sometimes be difficult to know how to meet these needs and supply the little tykes with all the laughter and fun they deserve.

Here are a few cheap yet equally fun ideas to help you and your children enjoy fun filled days and activities.

• Home film nights. It is a lot of fun to go out and watch the latest films at the cinema, but you can make it equally as fun by renting classics or your children’s favourite films and buying their favourite snacks. Making it a double feature can make it even more special than just one film at the movies.

• Kids love animals and when they’re young, they may enjoy going to the local pet shop just to look at the animals. It’s free and it doesn’t cost you anything to watch the adorable puppies, kittens, lizards and other types of animals that can be found there.

• An idea that your older children may enjoy is going to museums. A lot of museums have days where you can get in for free or special offers for children under a certain age. Find a theme that your child likes such as art or history and look for a museum that suits their interest.

Saving is an important activity, especially for parents; but it's also not easy. One reason for this is that the cost of living is constantly rising. Mostly though, poor saving strategies come into play. However, when effort is concentrated on saving, and it becomes a priority for you, then nothing is impossible. Once you are conscious of the need to save, then you will be more aware when an opportunity to save arises.

The first saving tip you can employ is to track your monthly spending. Make a record of how you spend your money. You can make this easier by keeping receipts and carrying a running list of expenditures in your wallet. If you do this for at least a month or two, you will have a good idea of your monthly spending and from this, estimate your annual expenditure. You are bound to discover certain expenses that could be reduced or even eliminated.

Next, budgeting; determine by how much you want to reduce your expenses. Having considered basic needs and bills that are unlikely to reduce, deciding on a set amount for you to spend in a month will encourage care during spending. A good idea is to only use cash, such that in a week, you only take out the money that's needed. This way, it will be much easier to notice when you sidetrack your spending and purchase something you did not budget for.

Another tip for saving money is to shop smart. This includes looking around for the best prices. Rather than shopping regularly at your local store, you can plan to do your major household shopping on a monthly basis at a supermarket, where items are cheaper. Rather than buying your usual brands of things like detergents, look around and sample more affordable brands that will work just as well.

Back at home, you can decide to make your own snacks, especially if your children snack regularly. Snacks bought are unnecessarily expensive, and you can save largely by making your own snacks and storing them. If making your own snacks is too difficult a task, you can also choose to buy them in bulk, which is cheaper, and then repackage them in handy bags at home.

Another great tip for parents is to cook for two meals as opposed to one. This way, you will buy recipes in bulk, which is definitely cheaper, and simultaneously save on cooking time. This may even save you more money in case you run out of time; and rather than eating out, you can just take out the food you already made.