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For not having any jobs, teenagers sure do have a heap of money to spend. It’s part of the lifestyle. Teens want the newest and latest thing. If it’s in fashion, they want it. Parents are still in awe that the iPod can hold 2,000 songs when all they had were cassettes and CDs. But teens know the new mp3 players can hold 6,000 songs, album art and music videos and they want it now. How do you get teens to control their consumer wants and get off the impulse buying treadmill?
- You need to accept the fact that there will be fads you don’t understand but that are a live or die must for teens. The more you fight back with “no” and refusals, they are going to want it that much more.
- Teens and their peers are all about pop culture and fashion trends. Marketers know they are out there and spend millions of dollars to get their attention and try to become the next trend. It’s hard to compete. The best thing to do is remind them of previous trends they were into but have moved on from. It will teach them that trends are fleeting and fashion fades.
- Meet them halfway. Concert tickets with backstage passes to the latest teen singing sensation might strain your finances, but letting them get the album and a DVD of the concert is well within the budget.
Enjoy the ride. They are only young once.
