Two weeks after
Hyperjar's public launch they have added another feature - free Kids Cards for 6-17-year olds. Children get their own prepaid Mastercard, paired to an adult HyperJar account, while parents get instant payment notifications and can set individual spending limits for each child via the app.
HyperJar Kids Cards features:
- Free for parents and kids to use – zero monthly subscription charges
- Kids aged 6-17 can manage their money in virtual Jars in the adult app
- The Kids Card can be linked to any of these Jars to spend from directly
- Multiple free Kids Cards per adult account (contact customer support for more than 2)
- The cards – which have glow-in-the-dark features on the front - can be used with chip and PIN or contactless, anywhere that accepts Mastercard (age-related restrictions apply)
- No fees for transferring pocket money for kids to spend
On average, parents give their kids £2,670* pocket money between the ages of six and 17, but very little guidance on how to save and spend it. Using HyperJar is a simple, intuitive way to teach kids how to budget and give them some spending independence.
Zero fees to add money to a HyperJar account
Transfer money from your bank into the app using their HyperJar sort code and account number, and then move money into virtual Jars for each child with a Kids Card. You control how much and how often money is added to a child’s Jar. Unlike some pocket money apps which, on top of monthly subscription fees also charge 50p each time money is added to the account, there are no fees for transferring money into
HyperJar.
Creating Jars in the app
You can create any number of Jars for kids in the app, encouraging your child to divide money between the Jars depending on how it’s going to be spent. For example, a Jar called
Games to pay for V-Bucks or Robux, or for longer term plans a
Bike Jar, or even a
Uni Jar.
Indespendence: using the Kids Card
From your Account screen, the Kids Card can be linked instantly to any Jar in the app created for your child. You manage this process and set spending limits where appropriate. A Kids Card can be linked to one Jar as a default – for example, for spending on games such as Fortnite or Roblox – so that subscriptions and in-game purchases can be managed and monitored. As the card is prepaid, it’s impossible to spend more than is in the linked Jar.
You will get an instant spend notification each time the Kids Card is used and the transaction is logged in the Jar the payment came from. If a Kids Card is lost, just freeze it in the app and unfreeze it if it’s found. And, just like the adult card, there are zero fees on spending abroad or shopping in a foreign currency.
As well as glow in the dark highlights on the front of the card, the parent and child can also customise their Kids Card when ordering it, choosing from a menu of messages, including Being kind is never wasted and Save a bit, spend a bit.
WhatsApp for money: sharing Jars
All Jars created for children are automatically shared with the adult account holder. Friends and family on
HyperJar can be invited to share any Jar with the child and can pay in money for birthdays and other special occasions. Share the Jar's QR code, or invite them to share via text or mail. And of course sharers can leave notes for each other inside the Jar – not-so-subtle hints for presents from kids, or exam encouragement from grown-ups - like a WhatsApp group for money.
CEO and founder Mat Megens says: “Jam-jar budgeting may be the world’s simplest money management system, but it’s still a brilliant way to teach valuable personal finance lessons to our kids. Visualising our money clearly gives us a better idea of how much we have; dividing it according to what we want helps us decide where it’s going to go; and setting goals for the future teaches the importance of planning ahead. Getting kids used to spending with their own prepaid card is so important - they’ll make some mistakes, but they’ll learn in a safe environment.”
