🧸Empowering Young Savers: Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Saving Money and Energy
Why Teach Children to Save?
Building the habit of saving money early fosters responsible financial management. Savings goals like an emergency fund or a down payment teach children budgeting, delayed gratification, and critical decision-making. Understanding money and expenses reduces impulsive spending and prepares them for future financial responsibilities such as rent, mortgage, or purchasing a car.
Moreover, savings accounts introduce children to the concept of earning interest, showing them how their money can grow without additional effort. High yield savings accounts typically offer higher interest rates, making them an excellent tool for demonstrating the benefits of saving. Additionally, investment accounts can be introduced to show how saving money can be further optimized through investments, teaching children about the balance between risk and reward.
Understanding Energy Efficiency for Young Savers
Energy efficiency not only saves money but also promotes sustainability. Teaching children to use energy-efficient appliances, like LED bulbs, and to adopt habits such as turning off lights and unplugging devices can significantly reduce energy consumption and utility bills. Linking these practices to savings accounts with favorable interest rates emphasizes the financial benefits of being energy-conscious.
Understanding energy efficiency also introduces children to the broader impact of their actions on the environment. By reducing energy consumption, they learn how their choices contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions, combating climate change, and preserving natural resources. This holistic approach integrates financial literacy with environmental responsibility, fostering well-rounded individuals who value both personal and planetary well-being.
Making Saving Fun: Games & Tips
1. The Savings Jar Challenge 🏆
Provide each child with a savings jar to track their saving money efforts. Encourage automatic transfers from a checking account to their savings account to build an emergency fund. Celebrate milestones to keep them motivated.
Steps to Implement:
Choose a Jar: Select a clear jar so children can visually track their progress.
Set a Goal: Decide on a savings goal, such as buying a toy, funding a trip, or contributing to a family emergency fund.
Decorate the Jar: Let children personalize their jar with stickers, markers, or labels to make it special.
Earn Money: Establish ways for children to earn money to add to their jar, such as completing chores, receiving an allowance, or doing extra tasks.
Track Progress: Use markers or notes to indicate how close they are to their goal.
Celebrate Achievements: Reward children when they reach their goals, reinforcing the positive behavior of saving money.
Benefits:
Visual Progress: Seeing the jar fill up provides tangible evidence of their saving efforts.
Encourages Consistency: Regularly adding money to the jar fosters disciplined saving habits.
Teaches Goal Setting: Children learn to set and work towards specific savings goals.
2. The Budgeting Board Game 🎲
Create a budgeting board game where children make decisions about spending, saving, and investing. Incorporate real-life scenarios involving monthly bills, account fees, and interest rates to teach financial literacy.
How to Create the Game:
Design the Board: Use a large poster board to create a game path with various spaces representing different financial scenarios.
Create Cards: Develop cards that present situations such as paying monthly bills, earning interest from a savings account, or facing unexpected expenses.
Use Play Money: Provide children with play money to manage their finances within the game.
Set Rules: Establish rules that mimic real-life financial management, such as paying account fees or choosing to save or spend earned money.
Encourage Strategic Thinking: Allow children to make choices about their finances, teaching them the consequences of their decisions.
Learning Outcomes:
Budgeting Skills: Children learn to allocate their money effectively between saving, spending, and investing.
Decision-Making: The game encourages thoughtful decisions about financial priorities and the impact of interest rates.
Understanding Fees: Children become aware of account fees and how they can affect their savings.
3. The Savings Adventure Story 📖
Craft stories that involve characters setting and achieving savings goals. Use scenarios that require budgeting, saving, and making informed spending choices, illustrating the benefits of high yield savings accounts and investment accounts.
Creating the Story:
Develop Characters: Create relatable characters, such as a young protagonist who wants to buy a bike or save for a school trip.
Plot Development: Design a storyline where the character faces financial challenges and learns to save money through various strategies.
Incorporate Financial Lessons: Integrate lessons about budgeting, interest rates, and the difference between checking and savings accounts.
Use Illustrations: Add colorful illustrations to make the story engaging and visually appealing.
Interactive Elements: Include questions or activities at the end of each chapter to reinforce the lessons learned.
Benefits:
Engaging Learning: Storytelling makes financial concepts more relatable and memorable.
Encourages Reflection: Children can relate the story to their own saving habits and savings goals.
Promotes Creativity: Creating and discussing stories fosters creative thinking alongside financial literacy.
4. The Saving Squad Challenge 🦸♂️
Form a Saving Squad where children collaborate on a common savings goal. Assign roles like treasurer or fundraiser, and engage in activities that teach budgeting, saving, and community impact.
Steps to Create the Saving Squad:
Form the Team: Gather a group of children interested in saving together.
Set a Common Goal: Decide on a collective savings goal, such as funding a community project or purchasing group supplies for a school event.
Assign Roles: Designate roles like treasurer (manages the funds), fundraiser (organizes events to raise money), and spokesperson (communicates progress).
Plan Fundraising Activities: Brainstorm and execute fundraising ideas such as bake sales, car washes, or craft fairs.
Track Progress: Use charts or apps to monitor the team's savings and celebrate milestones together.
Reflect on Impact: Discuss how their savings efforts contribute to their community or cause.
Learning Outcomes:
Teamwork: Children learn to work collaboratively towards a common goal.
Financial Management: Managing a shared fund teaches responsibility and budgeting.
Community Engagement: Understanding the impact of their saving efforts fosters a sense of social responsibility.
5. Financial Literacy Apps and Online Tools 📱
Introduce apps like PiggyBot, Savings Spree, and Bankaroo to make saving money interactive. These tools help track savings, set savings goals, and understand the difference between checking and savings accounts.
Top Apps for Young Savers:
PiggyBot: An allowance management app that helps kids track their money, set savings goals, and visualize their progress.
Savings Spree: A game-based app that teaches children about saving, spending, and investing through interactive challenges.
Bankaroo: A virtual bank for kids to learn about money management, including checking and savings accounts.
Benefits of Using Apps:
Engagement: Interactive features keep children interested in saving money and learning about financial concepts.
Real-Time Tracking: Children can monitor their savings and spending in real-time, fostering accountability.
Educational Content: Apps often include educational games and activities that reinforce financial literacy.
6. Involving Kids in Household Budgeting 📝
Teaching Moments
Shopping Together: Compare prices and discuss budgeting to save money on groceries. Teach children to look for deals and make informed spending choices.
Energy Bills: Review utility bills to show how energy-efficient habits reduce costs. Explain how automatic transfers to their savings accounts can help build their emergency fund.
Planning Vacations: Involve children in budgeting for family trips, emphasizing savings for down payments on future purchases like a car or mortgage.
Practical Tips
Use automatic transfers from checking accounts to savings accounts to build emergency savings. Discuss the impact of account fees and the benefits of maintaining balance tiers to avoid unnecessary monthly service fees. Teach children to track their income and expenses to understand where their money is going and how they can optimize their saving and spending habits.
Additional Strategies:
Create a Family Budget: Develop a simple family budget that includes categories for saving, spending, and investing. Involve children in the process to give them hands-on experience.
Use Visual Aids: Implement charts or graphs to visualize the family’s budget, savings goals, and expenses. This helps children understand the flow of money and the importance of saving.
Set Up Savings Accounts: Help children open savings accounts at a bank or credit union, teaching them how to manage and grow their savings through regular deposits and understanding interest rates.
Advanced Financial Concepts for Young Savers
Understanding Taxes and How They Work 🧾
Explain taxes as money collected by the government to fund public services like schools, roads, and parks. Use simple examples like sales tax during shopping to illustrate how taxes are part of monthly bills and expenses.
Simplified Tax Concepts:
What are Taxes?: Taxes are mandatory contributions to government funds used for public services.
Types of Taxes: Introduce sales tax when buying items, income tax from earnings, and property tax on owned properties.
Tax Responsibilities: Discuss how adults pay taxes from their earnings and how this money benefits the community.
Activities to Learn About Taxes:
Role-Playing Games: Simulate a simple economy where children earn money, spend it, and pay taxes to fund community projects.
Interactive Worksheets: Use worksheets that calculate simple tax amounts from given incomes or purchases, helping children understand how taxes impact their saving and spending.
Understanding Credit and Loans 💳
Introduce credit as borrowing money with a promise to repay. Explain credit cards, student loans, and the importance of good credit versus debt. Use role-playing to simulate loan planning and credit score improvement.
Credit Basics:
What is Credit?: Credit is the ability to borrow money to be paid back later, often with interest.
Types of Credit: Explain credit cards as tools for making purchases now and paying later, student loans for education funding, and mortgages for buying homes.
Responsible Credit Use:
Good vs. Bad Credit: Discuss how responsible borrowing and timely repayments build a good credit score, while overspending and late payments lead to debt.
Repayment Plans: Emphasize the importance of having a plan to repay borrowed money to avoid financial strain and accumulate interest.
Activities to Learn About Credit:
Credit Score Simulation: Create a simple game where children earn points for good financial decisions and see how it affects their "credit score."
Loan Planning: Have children plan a mock loan for a large purchase, outlining how they would repay it over time with interest.
Exploring Cryptocurrency and Digital Money 🌐
Explain cryptocurrency as digital money and introduce basic concepts of blockchain technology. Discuss the potential and risks of investing in digital currencies through investment accounts.
Cryptocurrency Basics:
What is Cryptocurrency?: Cryptocurrency is a type of money that exists only electronically, like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Blockchain Technology: Introduce blockchain as a secure way to record transactions, ensuring transparency and security.
Responsible Use of Digital Money:
Investing in Cryptocurrency: Discuss how investing in digital currencies can offer high returns but also comes with high risk.
Security Practices: Teach the importance of keeping digital wallets secure to prevent theft or loss, emphasizing safe investment practices.
Activities to Learn About Cryptocurrency:
Virtual Trading Games: Use simulation platforms where children can trade cryptocurrencies in a controlled environment, learning about market fluctuations and investment strategies.
Blockchain Projects: Create simple projects to demonstrate how blockchain technology works, such as using blocks of paper to represent transactions and linking them securely.
Utilizing Digital Tools and Gamification
Interactive Budgeting Tools 💻
Use tools like iAllowance, FamZoo, and Mint Junior to help children manage their money, track savings, and set budgeting goals. These platforms offer real-time tracking and goal setting features.
Recommended Tools:
iAllowance: A comprehensive allowance and chore tracking app that teaches kids about earning and saving.
FamZoo: A virtual family bank that allows kids to manage their own checking and savings accounts, track their spending, and set savings goals.
Mint Junior: A simplified version of the popular Mint app tailored for young users to monitor their finances, set budgets, and track their savings.
Benefits of Interactive Tools:
Engagement: Interactive features keep children interested in saving money and learning about financial concepts.
Accountability: Real-time tracking fosters a sense of responsibility and helps children stay on top of their savings and spending.
Educational Content: These tools often include games and activities that reinforce financial literacy in a fun and engaging way.
Gamification of Financial Learning 🎮
Incorporate games like Monopoly Junior and Savings Quest to teach financial concepts. These games engage children in saving, spending, and investing through interactive play.
Gamified Learning Platforms:
Monopoly Junior: A simplified version of the classic Monopoly game that teaches basic financial concepts like buying properties, paying rent, and managing savings.
The Game of Life Junior: Introduces children to decision-making related to careers, finances, and personal goals, emphasizing the importance of saving and managing expenses.
Savings Quest: An online game where children complete financial challenges to earn virtual rewards and advance through levels, reinforcing saving money and budgeting skills.
Benefits of Gamification:
Engagement: Games make learning about money interactive and fun, increasing children's interest and retention.
Skill Development: Develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills through gameplay.
Positive Reinforcement: Reward systems within games motivate children to achieve financial milestones and practice good habits.
Virtual Reality (VR) Financial Simulations 🕶️
Leverage VR technology to create immersive financial learning experiences.
Potential VR Activities:
Virtual Banking Tours: Experience a virtual tour of a bank to understand its operations and services, including how checking and savings accounts work.
Investment Simulations: Engage in simulated investment scenarios to learn about stock markets, investment accounts, and portfolio management.
Energy Conservation Games: Participate in VR games that challenge children to make energy-saving decisions in a virtual environment, teaching them the impact of their choices on both finances and the environment.
Benefits of VR Financial Simulations:
Immersive Learning: VR provides a realistic and engaging way to explore financial concepts and energy efficiency.
Interactive Experience: Hands-on interactions within the virtual environment enhance understanding and retention.
Safe Environment: Allows children to experiment with financial decisions without real-world consequences, fostering confidence and learning from mistakes.
Practical Projects Involving Energy Saving at Home
Home Energy Audit 🏠
Conduct a home energy audit to identify areas where energy can be saved. Teach children to inspect light fixtures, appliance usage, and insulation to understand energy consumption and potential savings.
Steps to Perform a Home Energy Audit:
Inspect Light Fixtures: Check for unnecessary lights left on and discuss switching to energy-efficient bulbs.
Appliance Usage: Identify which appliances consume the most energy and explore ways to use them more efficiently, such as unplugging devices when not in use.
Insulation Check: Look for drafts around windows and doors and discuss the importance of insulation in energy conservation.
Heating and Cooling: Assess the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems and consider smart thermostats to optimize energy usage.
Water Heating: Examine water heaters for efficiency and explore options like insulating the heater or using lower temperature settings.
Learning Outcomes:
Understanding Energy Consumption: Learn how different actions and appliances impact energy usage and utility bills.
Financial Savings: Calculate potential savings from implementing energy-saving measures and understand how these savings can be directed into their savings accounts.
Practical Skills: Gain hands-on experience in assessing and improving energy efficiency within the home.
Building a Solar-Powered Device ☀️
Build simple solar-powered devices like chargers or fans. This hands-on project teaches children about renewable energy, investment in sustainable technologies, and the financial savings from using solar energy.
Materials Needed:
Small solar panels
Basic circuitry components
Low-power devices (e.g., LED lights, small fans)
Wires and connectors
A breadboard (optional for testing circuits)
Project Steps:
Assemble the Solar Panel: Connect the solar panel to the circuitry components using wires.
Power a Device: Demonstrate how the solar panel can power a chosen device, such as an LED light or a small fan.
Experiment and Observe: Vary the light exposure to see how it affects the device's performance, illustrating the relationship between solar energy and power output.
Optimize the Design: Encourage children to modify their designs for better efficiency or to power different devices, promoting innovation and problem-solving skills.
Learning Outcomes:
Renewable Energy Basics: Understand how solar energy is converted into electricity and the benefits of using renewable energy sources.
Hands-On Experience: Gain practical skills in assembling and troubleshooting simple electrical devices.
Investment Concepts: Discuss how investing in renewable energy can lead to long-term financial savings by reducing reliance on traditional energy sources.
Creating a Family Recycling Program ♻️
Set up a recycling program at home to teach waste management. Use sorting systems and tracking charts to show how recycling reduces expenses related to waste disposal and promotes financial savings.
Program Steps:
Sorting System: Set up designated bins for different types of recyclables like paper, plastics, and metals.
Collection Schedule: Create a schedule for collecting and taking recyclables to the appropriate disposal or recycling centers.
Education: Teach children about what materials can be recycled and the environmental benefits of recycling.
Tracking Progress: Use charts to track the amount of waste recycled and set goals for improvement.
Incentives: Reward children for consistent participation in the recycling program, reinforcing the positive habit of saving money through waste reduction.
Learning Outcomes:
Environmental Responsibility: Understand the importance of recycling in reducing waste and conserving resources.
Organizational Skills: Develop skills in organizing and maintaining a recycling system, promoting financial responsibility.
Financial Savings: Learn how recycling can lead to financial savings by reducing waste disposal costs and potentially earning money through recycling programs.
Encouraging Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
Scenario-Based Learning 🧠
Present scenarios that require financial and energy-saving solutions, such as handling unexpected expenses or reducing energy usage during a crisis. This fosters decision-making skills and strategic thinking.
Scenario Examples:
Unexpected Expenses: How to adjust the budget when an unexpected expense arises, such as a family emergency or a broken appliance.
Energy Crisis: Strategies to reduce energy usage during a power outage, teaching resourcefulness and saving money.
Investment Decisions: Choosing between different investment options based on risk and reward, illustrating the importance of informed financial decisions.
Learning Outcomes:
Decision-Making Skills: Improve the ability to analyze situations and make informed financial and energy-saving decisions.
Adaptability: Learn to adapt financial plans in response to changing circumstances and new information.
Strategic Thinking: Develop strategies to balance financial goals with energy efficiency, fostering a holistic approach to problem-solving.
Problem-Solving Workshops 🔍
Organize workshops where children brainstorm solutions to common financial challenges. Engage them in group projects that implement energy-saving measures, enhancing collaboration and innovative thinking.
Workshop Activities:
Brainstorming Sessions: Encourage children to brainstorm solutions to common financial challenges, such as saving for a large purchase or managing monthly bills.
Group Projects: Assign group projects that require planning and implementing energy-saving measures in the household, such as upgrading to LED lighting or installing energy-efficient appliances.
Debate and Discussion: Facilitate debates on topics like the best ways to save money or reduce energy consumption, promoting critical analysis and communication skills.
Learning Outcomes:
Collaboration: Enhance teamwork and communication skills through group activities and projects.
Innovative Thinking: Foster creativity in finding unique solutions to financial and energy-related problems.
Practical Application: Apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, reinforcing learning and promoting financial literacy.
Understanding the Connection Between Money and Sustainability
The Economics of Sustainability 💚
Explain how sustainable practices lead to long-term financial savings. Discuss cost-benefit analysis, economic incentives, and how market trends favoring sustainability can influence interest rates and investment opportunities.
Key Concepts:
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Compare the upfront costs of sustainable investments, such as energy-efficient appliances, with the long-term savings they generate.
Economic Incentives: Discuss how governments and organizations incentivize sustainable practices through rebates, tax credits, and grants, making investment in sustainability more attractive.
Market Trends: Explore how the growing demand for sustainable products and services influences market prices and availability, creating investment opportunities in green industries.
Activities:
Comparative Shopping: Compare prices and long-term costs of sustainable vs. non-sustainable products, highlighting how energy-efficient choices can lead to financial savings.
Investment Simulations: Simulate investing in sustainable companies and track their performance over time, teaching children about the benefits and risks associated with green investments.
Learning Outcomes:
Financial Literacy: Understand how sustainable practices can lead to economic benefits and financial savings.
Informed Decision-Making: Make informed choices that balance financial goals with environmental responsibility.
Awareness of Market Dynamics: Recognize how sustainability trends influence economic markets and investment opportunities.
Green Entrepreneurship 🌿
Encourage children to explore green business ideas like eco-friendly products or upcycled fashion. This teaches them business skills, innovation, and the financial benefits of sustainable entrepreneurship.
Business Ideas for Kids:
Eco-Friendly Product Lines: Create and sell products made from sustainable materials, such as reusable bags, bamboo utensils, or recycled paper products.
Green Consulting: Offer consulting services to help neighbors implement energy-saving measures in their homes, like installing LED bulbs or using energy-efficient appliances.
Upcycled Fashion: Design and sell clothing or accessories made from recycled materials, teaching creativity and financial management through product sales.
Steps to Encourage Green Entrepreneurship:
Idea Generation: Brainstorm green business ideas that align with children's interests and promote sustainability.
Business Planning: Develop a simple business plan outlining the product, target market, pricing, and budgeting strategies.
Execution: Implement the business plan, managing expenses, saving, and profits through checking and savings accounts.
Marketing: Teach basic marketing skills by promoting their products through social media, community events, or school fairs.
Review and Reflect: Analyze the business's performance, discussing what worked, what didn’t, and how savings can be reinvested or used for other purposes.
Learning Outcomes:
Innovation and Creativity: Foster creativity in developing sustainable business ideas and products.
Business Skills: Learn essential business skills like marketing, sales, and financial management.
Environmental Impact: Understand the positive environmental impact of green businesses and how savings can support sustainable initiatives.
Encouraging Philanthropy and Social Responsibility
Charitable Giving and Philanthropy 🤝
Teach the importance of philanthropy by helping children allocate a portion of their savings to causes they care about. Organize fundraising events and volunteer days to instill generosity and social responsibility.
Teaching Moments:
Allocating Funds: Help children decide how much of their savings to donate to different causes, teaching them about budgeting and financial priorities.
Choosing Causes: Encourage children to research and choose causes that resonate with their values, such as environmental conservation, animal welfare, or supporting local communities.
Tracking Impact: Discuss the impact of their contributions and how they help communities and the environment, fostering a sense of accomplishment and purpose.
Activities:
Fundraising Events: Organize events like bake sales, car washes, or craft fairs to raise money for a chosen charity, teaching children the value of hard work and saving money for a good cause.
Donation Projects: Create projects where children can donate items they no longer need, such as clothes or toys, to those in need, emphasizing the importance of reusing and recycling.
Volunteer Days: Participate in volunteer opportunities together to give time and effort to meaningful causes, reinforcing the importance of giving back to the community.
Learning Outcomes:
Generosity and Empathy: Foster a sense of generosity and empathy by helping others, promoting social responsibility.
Social Awareness: Increase awareness of societal and environmental issues, encouraging children to take action.
Financial Responsibility: Learn the importance of balancing saving and spending with giving back, promoting a well-rounded approach to financial management.
Community Service Projects 🏡
Engage children in community service projects that promote sustainability and financial education.
Project Ideas:
Neighborhood Clean-Ups: Organize clean-up events to beautify local parks and streets, teaching children about the importance of maintaining public spaces and saving money by reducing waste.
Tree Planting Initiatives: Participate in tree planting activities to enhance green spaces and promote carbon sequestration, demonstrating the long-term financial benefits of environmental conservation.
Energy Efficiency Workshops: Conduct workshops in the community to educate others about energy-saving practices and the financial benefits they offer, reinforcing the connection between savings and sustainability.
Learning Outcomes:
Active Citizenship: Encourage active participation in community improvement efforts, fostering a sense of responsibility and leadership.
Environmental Stewardship: Reinforce the importance of taking care of the environment through hands-on projects, promoting energy efficiency and financial savings.
Leadership Skills: Develop leadership and organizational skills by managing and leading community service projects, enhancing financial literacy through practical application.
Discussing Global Impact
Explain how financial decisions and sustainable practices affect communities worldwide. Use global case studies and world map activities to illustrate the interconnectedness of money and sustainability.
Educational Strategies:
Global Case Studies: Use case studies of international sustainability projects to illustrate global impact, such as how investment in renewable energy in developing countries can lead to financial savings and environmental benefits.
World Map Activities: Use a world map to highlight different regions and discuss how saving and energy efficiency can benefit various parts of the world, fostering a global perspective.
Cultural Exchange: Learn about how different cultures approach saving and sustainability, encouraging children to appreciate diverse financial and environmental practices.
Activities:
Research Projects: Assign research projects on global sustainability initiatives and have children present their findings, promoting financial literacy and environmental awareness.
Pen Pals: Connect with pen pals from different countries to discuss saving habits and sustainability practices, enhancing cultural understanding and financial knowledge.
Global Challenges: Participate in global challenges like Earth Day initiatives to understand worldwide efforts in sustainability, linking financial actions to environmental outcomes.
Educational Projects
Project Ideas:
Clean Water Campaigns: Fundraise to support clean water projects in developing countries, teaching children about the importance of access to clean water and the financial efforts required to sustain such projects.
Education Support: Donate to organizations that provide educational materials and resources to underprivileged children, emphasizing the connection between financial support and educational advancement.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Educate children about the United Nations' SDGs and encourage them to contribute to achieving these goals through their financial and sustainable actions.
Learning Outcomes:
Global Awareness: Increase awareness of global challenges and the role of sustainability in addressing them, linking financial support to environmental and social benefits.
Responsibility and Initiative: Foster a sense of responsibility and initiative to make a positive impact on the world, promoting financial and environmental stewardship.
Interconnectedness: Understand the interconnectedness of financial decisions and global sustainability efforts, highlighting how saving and investing responsibly can benefit communities worldwide.
Integrating Sustainability into Everyday Life 🌿
Sustainable Daily Habits
Reusable Items: Encourage the use of reusable water bottles, lunch containers, and shopping bags to reduce waste and save money. Teaching children to avoid single-use plastics helps them understand the long-term financial and environmental benefits of sustainability.
Mindful Consumption: Teach children to consider the necessity and longevity of items before making purchases, promoting thoughtful spending. Encourage them to ask themselves if they truly need an item or if it’s a want, fostering disciplined saving habits.
Digital Detox: Reduce energy consumption by limiting screen time and encouraging outdoor activities, which can also lower electricity usage. Promoting activities like reading, playing outdoors, or engaging in hobbies helps children understand the balance between digital spending and energy usage.