The Nest Egg #10: What's your kid saving for?
Turn extra chores into savings, plus a way for family to chip in on a goal.
Por el equipo de UNest · 6 min de lectura
Hi there,
We're about six weeks into the school year, which makes it a good time to check in on how your kid is doing with money.
This week: what new research says about kids and their own money, a way to turn extra chores into savings, a way for family to help with their goals, and a quick market read.
Let's get into it! Mitch, from The Nest Egg team
💡 FOR PARENTS
86% of kids ages 7 to 14 have money of their own
Imagine checking in on your 14-year-old's finances and finding thousands of dollars in their digital wallet. That's what happened to one dad in a recent CNBC story, a retail leader at PwC.
His daughter isn't unusual. According to a PwC survey cited in the story, 86% of kids ages 7 to 14 have money of their own, and 97% say they make spending decisions on their own at least some of the time.
If your kid has money of their own, they're already making choices with it. Ask what they want to do next, then give them a way to work toward it. Below, we've put together a chore chart that turns extra help around the house into deposits toward a goal they pick.
Source: CNBC, "Gen Alpha kids are earning money. Here's how parents can help them save and invest," October 3, 2026. Survey data: PwC survey of 1,004 kids ages 7 to 14 (margin of error ±3.7 percentage points) and 1,009 parents of children in that age range (±4.1 points), conducted January 29 to February 13, 2026, as reported by CNBC.
🧹 CHORE CHART
Turn extra chores into savings
Pick a few chores that go beyond the everyday and give each one a value. Keep a tally as your kid finishes them, then add it up and deposit the total into their account. They see their hard work turn into money set aside for them.
EXTRA CHORES, SAMPLE VALUES
Clean the kitchen counters $2
Rake the leaves $5
Clean the windows $3
Help cook dinner $2
Clean out the garage or a closet $5
Example values only. Set amounts that work for your family.
1
Agree on the chores and what each one is worth.
2
Keep a tally on the fridge as they finish each one.
3
Add it up at the end of the week or month and deposit it together.
TALK ABOUT THE GOAL
Let your kid know they can use their savings for purchases like:
✓ Sports gear, like a new bike, cleats or a skateboard
✓ Starting money for a kid's business, like a lemonade stand or lawn mowing
✓ Summer camp
✓ Driver's ed or a first car
✓ A laptop, tablet, or school-related tech
Or they can keep saving and once they reach adulthood, the account becomes theirs to use however they choose!
Chore values are examples for illustration. Deposits are invested according to the account's selected portfolio and are subject to market risk; investments may lose value. UNest accounts are UTMA custodial accounts. Funds belong to the child and must be used for the child's benefit. Control transfers to the child at the age of majority set by state law, typically 18 or 21. Withdrawals may have tax consequences. Nothing here is investment, tax, or legal advice.
🎁 GIFTING
Let family chip in on the goal
Once your kid picks something to save for, like a new bike or a first car, let family know about it. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can chip in toward the goal through your Gifting link, right alongside the chores your kid is already doing. When they reach it, they'll know the whole family helped them get there.
🚲
SAVING FOR
A new bike
Almost there
Start 🏁 Goal
Extra chores
From Grandma
From Aunt Jen
Hypothetical illustration. Not actual account values; invested balances can rise or fall.
Find your link: open the UNest app and tap Gifting on your home page. Family can give without downloading the app or creating an account.
Gifts are invested according to the account's selected portfolio and are subject to market risk. Investing involves risk and investments may lose value.
📈 MARKET, IN BRIEF
S&P 500 could report earnings growth above 35% for Q3, FactSet projects
Every three months, public companies report how much profit they made. Before they do, analysts publish estimates, often based on cautious guidance from the companies themselves. This usually makes the forecast easier to beat.
Here's how a beat changes the growth number, using FactSet's example of one company's earnings per share:
PER SHARE EARNINGS GROWTH
Same quarter last year $1.00 —
Analysts’ forecast $1.05 5%
What the company actually earned $1.10 10%
Hypothetical example. The 10% is real growth; it only looks like a jump because the forecast was lower.
The same thing happens across the whole S&P 500. As of October 9, FactSet estimates third-quarter earnings growth for the index at 29.6%. As each company reports, its actual results replace the estimate. Actual growth has come in above the estimate in 37 of the past 40 quarters.
FactSet's projection: if companies beat estimates this season by their five-year average, the index would report 35.6% growth for the quarter. That's the most conservative of the three historical averages FactSet looked at. It's an estimate, not a result. So far, 19 companies have reported, and 84% of them beat the forecast.
What this means: When a headline says a company "beat expectations," it means results came in above the forecast. Most do. This quarter, the forecast is already high: it would be the third straight quarter of earnings growth above 25% for the S&P 500. That's the kind of steady growth we like to see.
📈 Read FactSet's full analysis →
Source: FactSet, John Butters, "S&P 500 Likely to Report Earnings Growth Above 35% for Q3," October 9, 2026. Figures as of October 9, 2026. The 35.6% figure is FactSet's projection based on historical averages and is not a reported result. The per-share example is hypothetical. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index and cannot be invested in directly. This is not investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Know a parent who would like this? Earn $20 when they complete 3 consecutive monthly deposits.
How was this issue? Reply to Mitch and let me know what you think.
Referral: when your friend signs up using your link and sets up monthly recurring deposits for their child, you receive $20 once they complete 3 consecutive monthly deposits. The $20 is added directly to your UNest account.
UNest · The Nest Egg
Instagram · TikTok · X · LinkedIn
© 2018-2026 UNest Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
This newsletter is provided by UNest Holdings, Inc. Brokerage services are provided by UNest Securities, LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC.
Client accounts are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) for up to $500,000, which includes a $250,000 limit for cash. SIPC protection does not cover market losses. For details, please visit www.sipc.org.
UNest does not provide investment advice on bank products or any investments that are guaranteed or insured by the FDIC or any other government agency. Investing involves risk, and investments may lose value. Please consider your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and UNest pricing before investing. Past performance does not guarantee or indicate future results.
Any investment projections, performance charts, or illustrative outcomes shown are hypothetical, for informational purposes only, and do not reflect actual investment results. They are not guarantees of future performance.
UNest does not provide tax advice. Please consult a qualified tax professional for such information.
Links to third-party sites are provided for convenience. UNest does not endorse and is not responsible for their content.
Testimonials, statements, and opinions presented in this newsletter may be provided by current or former clients, as well as by individuals who are not clients of the Firm. Some individuals may be compensated in cash and/or equity for their statements, which creates a financial incentive and potential conflict of interest that may influence the content of the testimonial or endorsement. Testimonials and endorsements are not indicative of future performance and may not be representative of the experience of all clients.
