With 90% of children in the UK playing video games and YouTube being the most-used platform for 88% of children aged 3-17 who go online (Ofcom, 2023), the internet offers endless entertainment for children and young people. But the ways games, apps, and social platforms make money are becoming increasingly sophisticated – and often hard to spot.
As the digital world evolves, it can feel difficult to keep up and to know how to help young people make smart choices online.
Follow along with us this week as we unpick some of the clever techniques used to encourage online spending. We’ll share practical tips to stay safe, spot advertising, and set healthy boundaries with screentime and digital money habits.
Here’s what we’ve got coming up this week…
The Big Money Lesson
This week, we’ll host the second webinar in our Big Money Lesson series. This time we’re tackling the world of gaming, online shopping and social media.
- What: The Big Money Lesson: Free to Play? The True Cost of Gaming, Online Shopping, and Social Media
- When: Wednesday 5th November, 10am-10.45am
- Where: Microsoft Teams
- Who: The free live webinar is aimed at 9–13-year-olds
- How: Sign up your group or class now
Find out more about the topics covered and what to expect at the webinar: The Big Money Lesson: Free to Play? The True Cost of Gaming, Online Shopping, and Social Media
Social Media Tips
Follow along with our social media channels @moneyreadyuk this Talk Money Week as we explore:
- The hidden costs of gaming and in-game gambling
- The power of advertising and social media influence
- Online shopping and the temptation to overspend
We’ll be sharing simple, practical tips to help young people make good money choices online, protect their digital wellbeing, and build healthy habits that last.
Get Involved
We’d love to hear from you if you are joining in with us this Talk Money Week!
- The Big Money Lesson: If you’re tuning into Wednesday’s webinar, share your classroom selfies or lesson highlights with us on social media. Tag us @moneyreadyuk and use the hashtag #BigMoneyLesson
- Social media sharing: Please like and repost our content with your networks or share with anyone you think might find it useful
- Post your own: Download our Talk Money Week graphics and spread the word about the work we’re doing this week to raise awareness of digital spending. You can use the following caption or write your own:
Start a conversation about money and digital habits! It’s #TalkMoneyWeek and we’re proud to support @MoneyReadyUK who are sharing great resources about digital hobbies and our relationship to money this week.
Whether you’re a gamer, online shopper, or social media scroller, it can be easy to forget there are hidden costs behind our digital activities. Follow along with Money Ready this week and let’s work together to set healthy digital habits!