Worked example 1
Ava wants a £12 book and saves £2 a week. How many weeks?
- £12 ÷ £2 = 6.
Answer: 6 weeks
Financial Literacy · Foundation
Saving pocket money: needs, wants and saving goals
Children learn money habits early. Saving for something they want teaches patience, planning and simple maths.
- 1Learn it
- 2See it worked
- 3Try it online
- 4Print it
- 5Check your answer
Before you start
Who it's for and what to know first
Adding and counting in 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s.
Learn it
How it works
- Needs are things we must have: food, a home, warm clothes. Wants are nice to have: toys, sweets, games.
- A saving goal is something you want to buy and its price.
- To find how many weeks: divide the price by the amount saved each week. If it does not divide exactly, round up — you need the extra week.
- Spend, save, share: some families split money three ways.
Worked example 2
Leo wants a £25 kite and saves £3 a week. How many weeks?
- £25 ÷ £3 = 8 remainder £1.
- After 8 weeks he has £24 — not enough.
- Round up.
Answer: 9 weeks
Try it online · print it · check it
Practice questions
Tips
Common mistakes
- Rounding down when saving — you would be short of money.
- Saving whatever is left at the end, which is often nothing. Put savings aside first.
Last reviewed: 25 September 2026