The DIMS—DOES IT MAKE SENSE?® SCORE Calculator is a simple, mindful spending tool that gives kids a quick way to think through possible purchases before making them. It culminates in a shareable summary that organizes that thinking in a way most parents are open to receiving. We’re excited to announce a new category in the calculator: PETS.
Why Pets?
In many ways, we’ve just made it official. We knew it was time for a “PETS” DIMS SCORE® Calculator when we realized how many kids were using the “OTHER” category to consider asking for a furry friend. However, deciding whether to bring a pet home isn’t just about cost or appreciation—it’s also about care, time, space, and the impact on family life. These additions make it a different conversation from buying new sneakers, a phone, or concert tickets.
The Benefits
As a result, we decided that calculating the DIMS SCORE for a pet deserved its own set of questions. They take longer (8 minutes versus 3) to answer. However, the information we ask for provides so much context that even if the answer is “no,” it lands differently.
The PETS category is like the others (sports equipment, electronics, events…) in that it provides prompts kids can rely on to think through what a purchase (in this case, pet ownership) involves:
- Who will feed and walk (if necessary) the pet every day?
- What happens when we travel?
- Can we afford vet care and supplies?
- Is our home a suitable environment for an animal?
A tool that lets kids uncover the context for a decision is so handy!
Context transforms conversations. A quick pause before purchasing reveals the background information required to understand almost any consumer decision better. When you realize, for example, that it will be challenging to be on two basketball teams and share in pet-keeping responsibilities, you might decide, all on your own, that a pet doesn’t make sense right now. See how handy a tool is that lets kids uncover the context for a decision? Thinking before buying results in parents receiving fewer, better-quality spending requests.
Mindful spending: a bridge to a better future.
When a child asks for something — a game, a gadget, a trendy outfit, or a pet – it’s easy to default to a flat yes or no. However, “no” decisions made without shared context often leave kids feeling dismissed. Even a “yes” without context wastes a just-in-time moment to deliver money-smarts. The DIMS SCORE® Calculator is more than a purchase filter. It’s a bridge to a future where today’s students are comfortable getting and using financial information to improve their lives.
So, if you want to help the young people in your midst become good with money, consider responding to the question “Can we get a pet?” with “Did you get a chance to calculate the DIMS—DOES IT MAKE SENSE? SCORE? It helps you think about whether a pet makes sense for a family.”
That shift from command to collaboration changes the tone of the conversation in a heartbeat. Kids feel respected. Parents feel less like the bad guys. Everyone feels heard. Which is just one reason we believe thinking before buying is one of the best gifts a young person could ever get.
Happy parenting – which may or may not include pet shopping…
To learn more about our FREE and safe mindful spending tool, click on the pink or blue buttons below.
Child Development Financial Literacy For Parents
