Pockets and the Magic of Saving

Pockets had a choice.

He could stay home all day watching television and playing video games, or he could go outside and find something interesting to do.

Pockets loved being outside.

One afternoon, he stopped by Mrs. Eleanor’s house.

“Pockets, could you please go to the store for me? I need spaghetti sauce and garlic bread for dinner.”

“Sure, Mrs. Eleanor!”

Pockets hurried to the store and came back with everything she needed.

“Thank you, Pockets!” Mrs. Eleanor said, handing him a couple of dollars. “Buy yourself something nice.”

Pockets looked at the money and smiled.

“Thank you!”

But instead of spending it, he put it in his pocket.

On his way home, Mr. Jenkins called out.

“Pockets! Would you like to wash my car?”

“Absolutely!”

After washing the car until it was shiny and clean, Mr. Jenkins paid him.

Pockets added the money to the rest in his pocket.

At home, Pockets also had his weekly allowance for doing his chores. He put some of that money into his favorite blue piggy bank.

Day after day, Pockets did little jobs around the neighborhood.

And his blue piggy bank became heavier and heavier.

One evening, Father Pockets picked it up.

“Wow, Pockets! This piggy bank is getting heavy. What are you going to do with all that money?”

“Keep it in my bank!” Pockets said proudly.

Father Pockets laughed.

“That’s your piggy bank. I’m talking about a real bank.”

“A real bank?”

“Yes. I know someone who can teach you.”

The next day, Father Pockets took him to Choice Bank, where they met the bank manager.

“Hello, Pockets!” said Johnny Smart with a big smile.

Pockets looked at his name tag.

“Johnny Smart? Are you smart because your name says Smart?”

Johnny laughed.

“That’s my real name! But I hope I can teach you something smart today.”

Johnny explained that saving money in a bank can help keep it safe and, depending on the account, allow it to earn interest.

“So my money can grow?” Pockets asked.

“That’s right.”

Johnny then explained the other side.

“But remember, Pockets, when you spend money, it doesn’t grow in your pocket. It gets used up.”

Pockets thought about all the little things he could buy.

Then he thought about the future.

“So I have a choice?”

“Exactly,” Johnny said. “You can spend, save, or do a little of both. The important thing is to think before you choose.”

Pockets smiled.

He finally understood why the bank was called Choice Bank.

On the way home, Pockets held his blue piggy bank tightly.

He wasn’t going to stop spending forever.

He wasn’t going to stop having fun.

But from that day on, whenever he earned money, he would remember Johnny Smart’s lesson:

“Spend some if you need to, but save some for tomorrow.”

Because Pockets had learned that the smartest thing about money isn’t how much you have.

It’s the choices you make with it.