One of my goals in raising my children was to teach them a sense of financial responsibility.  I showed them how to shop for the best mortgage and not to buy a car that was beyond their means.  I taught them to have credit cards but to pay them off at the end of each month so that they could establish a good credit rating for themselves.   By the time they were out of college they both had good credit and were able to purchase their own cars.  Now, because of their good credit,  they are able to buy thier own homes.