If you're like most parents, coming up with a gift to give your teen that they'll be able to appreciate long-term is probably an overwhelming experience. Videos games, tickets to concerts, and other exciting gifts seem to be a hot ticket among young people, but those experiences come and go quickly. And because teens spend a lot of their time in front of the television as well as in the stands at stadiums, those experiences tend to meld together without creating any long-term benefits to take advantage of.

So why not shake things up a bit by planning a gift that provides value and experience your teen will benefit from as they age into adulthood? Here are three fantastic gift ideas that are sure to teach your teen financial responsibility while providing them with the opportunity to start taking charge of shaping their life:

Valuable Coins

An awesome way to introduce your teen to the world of financial responsibility is to buy silver coins or collectible coins. This set should include a small series of coins that can be saved as an investment as they gain value over time. Along with the set, provide a pricing guide so your teen can gain some insight that will help them plan for the expansion of their new valuable collection.

As time goes on, your teen will learn about making good and bad investments, as well as how to cash in on their coinage when they need funds without affecting the overall value of their collection too much. Thanks to the availability of online coin outlets, it's possible to create exotic coin starter collections for your teen that incorporate everything from middle eastern options to commemorative American coins featuring various presidents from throughout the decades.

A Funded Venture

Another awesome gift that will inspire your child to take financial responsibility seriously is to fund a small venture for them to manage as their own business. Whether it is walking dogs, babysitting, mowing lawns, or running errands, ask your teen to choose an activity they really enjoy and then help them turn that activity into a service company. Take your teen to register the business and fund the needed flyers, business cards, and bumper stickers that will be needed to promote the business.

They'll probably need a few tools to use while providing the services they offer too. You can provide any tools needed (such as a lawnmower or a babysitting kit) to get your teen started, and have them pay you back for those tools a little at a time as they earn an income – like a loan of sorts.

Pre-Paid Credit

If you prefer to keep things simple, you may find that gifting your teen with a pre-paid credit card is enough to teach them some financial responsibility. Pre-paid credit accounts never come with a credit risk, so your teen can learn about the credit world without making any mistakes that will inhibit their ability to buy a car or home in the future.

Many pre-paid credit options are designed specifically for teens, making it possible for parents and kids to come together for the review of expenses, savings, and other financial matters at the end of each month. This is especially helpful if you're playing a hand at financing your teen's card as time goes on. And although pre-paid cards don't negatively affect credit ratings, many companies do report payments made to them by customers, which helps to boost their overall credit scores.

You'll find that while these gifts might not seem too exciting to your teen when they're first received, more than likely they'll end up appreciating both the sentiment and the benefits that are experienced as time goes on.

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