If you have multiple children or grew up in a big family, certain things are often just a fact of life … like hand-me-down clothing. Well, one big brother got really creative with his outgrown clothing and started selling it to his little brother, before he got busted by his parents.
The parents shared a TikTok video about discovering that their older son, Reid, had been hustling younger brother JJ by selling him clothes he would have ended up with anyway. The family’s video went viral and has received more than 9 million views and more than 4,000 comments.
The mom revealed that Reid was saving money to buy a coveted and expensive item. Cue the money-making scheme to sell his old clothes to his younger brother. The kids' parents and TikTok users were both impressed by his ingenuity.
More from CafeMom: 2nd-Grader's Show & Tell Item on 1st Day of Distance Learning Has the Internet Laughing
It wasn't a bad deal.
The parents captioned their video, “Younger bro getting worked,” and the text overlay on their video reads, “We just found out our oldest son has been selling his younger brother his clothes that he would eventually get for free.”
The video starts with the dad laughing and admitting, “I am actually super impressed by Reid.” He later adds, ”You can’t sell your hand-me-down shirts to JJ. JJ don’t buy hand me downs from Reid anymore.” But he can't help but laugh, and neither can the mom, whose recording the video — we can hear her stifled giggles as well.
JJ revealed he got several shirts from his brother for the price of $20, which honestly doesn’t seem like a bad deal — except that he was going to get them for free eventually.
The older brother was saving up for a high-tech device.
The mom reveals halfway through the video what Reid was saving up for.
“Reid’s been looking at AirPods and he’s like ‘I have money’ and I’m like, ‘How do you have money?’ she says. She asks Reid how else he got money. He says, “I also sold basketball cards.”
“Who are you selling them to?” she asks. He responds, “JJ,” and both the parents and brothers erupt with laughter. Big brother justifies his actions in the background, adding, “but they're basketball cards I bought.”
The video ends with mom asking the little brother if he has any money left, to which he replies, “Yeah I got $120 bucks,” and the family bursts into a fit of giggles again.
Sounds like big brother had a whole business plan to buy his AirPods and his little brother wasn’t hurting financially from it either.
It's never too early to teach kids the value of financial responsibility.
Some adults and parents wish they would been taught the importance and value of good spending habits and financial practices when they were younger. Normalizing age-appropriate discussions about money and even teaching money terms, such as saving, giving, earning, etc., can help even young children understand the importance of using their resources wisely.
As Jennifer Seitz, a director of education for the Greenlight banking and investing app for kids and teens, said, “Money is a practical tool in life, so don’t let it be a mysterious concept. At an early age, kids are developing their ability to focus and prioritize, as well as understand trade-offs you're making to choose one thing instead of another,” according to CNBC.
More from CafeMom: How a Family of 18 Went From 'Dirt Poor' to Living in a Mansion
TikTokers applauded Reid's business smarts and shared their own kids' money-making schemes.
TikTok users were amazed by the big brother's resourcefulness and creativity.
“I’m impressed!! Gotta make that money mom and dad!” one person wrote.
“One of these kids is going to be a HUSTLER!!” someone else commented.
“He’s a businessman,” wrote another TikToker.
But Reid isn’t the only kid coming up with creative ways to make money. Many TikTok users shared stories of what their siblings or children did to earn extra cash. As one person commented, “My younger sister was afraid of the dark so I used to charge her rent to sleep in my room with me.”
“My oldest sold an unsuspecting kindergartener a rock at school for 10 bucks when he was in 1st grade,” someone else shared.
Others pointed out that the kids making their own money to buy their own things was a good lesson.
“You are raising some very intelligent and smart young men. They will make money and be able to support themselves and, families. Great job Mom & Dad,” one TikToker wrote.
