How Can I Make Managing My Kid's Finances Easier and Teach Good Money Habits?

September 4, 2026

Allowance day, chore charts, and that report card taped to the fridge. Co-op Credit Union's CU Grow financial tool turns moments like these into real money lessons, right from the mobile app you already use. Set an allowance, reward good grades, and let your kids practice with real money, all for free. You're probably already figuring out how to teach this stuff as you go, and that's exactly what CU Grow is built to help with.

Good Habits Come From Practice, Not Just Conversations

You may already be talking to your kids about money. You explain why you can't buy everything at the store, or why saving up for something feels better than asking for it outright. Those conversations are great and matter. However, they only go so far. At some point, a kid needs an actual account, an actual dollar amount, and the chance to make an actual choice, because that's when lessons really sink in. 

You Don't Need Another App

Other financial tools live outside your regular Financial Institution app. A separate download. A separate card. Another monthly fee. The CU Grow financial tool skips all of that. At Co-op Credit Union, we keep it simple:  no new app to install, no extra login to remember, and no fee tacked onto your family's budget. It's just one more thing your Co-op Credit Union account already does. 

What CU Grow Actually Does

CU Grow is a free tool built into Co-op Credit Union's online and mobile banking, designed for kids and teens who already have a Sprouts or Youth Account. Once you're enrolled, you can send an allowance, approve or deny money requests, and set spending limits on a debit card if your child has a checking account. You can also see every transaction, so you always know how your child is spending and saving, all from the app you already have and use. No spreadsheets, no separate sign-ins, just one app that already knows your family. 

Setting an Allowance and Rewarding Good Grades

CU Grow lets you assign chores, tasks, and even small loans, then pay your child directly from your Co-op Credit Union account the moment the job gets done. Good grades count too. If your child brings home a strong report card, you can reward them on the spot instead of promising a payout that never quite happens or happens late.

Creating Good Financial Habits

You and your child can build savings goals or a monthly budget together right in the app. Every time they hit a goal, pay off a loan on time, or finish a set of tasks, they earn a trophy and move up the CU Grow leaderboard. That extra bit of friendly competition keeps most kids checking their progress on their own, without a reminder from you. CU Grow also includes short videos on making, spending, saving, borrowing, giving, and growing money, so the habits your child is building come with context, not just a checklist of tasks.

Getting Started with the CU Grow Financial Tool

If your child already has a Sprouts or Youth Account, you can enroll in CU Grow the next time you log in to online or mobile banking. Look for the CU Grow widget in the menu, and you'll be ready to assign your first task, set your child's first goal, or reward them for their first good grade before the day is out. Enrolling only takes a few minutes, and your child doesn't even need to be in the room while you set it up.

If your child doesn't have a Sprouts or Youth Account yet, that's the first step. Stop by any of our four locations:  Montevideo, Benson, Canby, or Willmar, or visit us online, and a member service rep can get the account opened and CU Grow added in the same visit. Either way, you'll walk away with everything set up in one trip. However you get started, the goal stays the same:  a kid who understands money before it really counts, and you get a front row seat while it happens.

Federally insured by NCUA.