No matter how good a game parents talk to their kids, it’s their actions and inactions that leave the most impact. This is especially true regarding money. Parents can pass on poor financial habits to their kids just as definitively as they did their genes.

GoBankingRates identifies some lessons parents should be careful to avoid teaching the next generation:

* Using credit to get everything you want. It’s tough for parents to teach their kids the virtues of living within their means if they pull out the plastic to indulge their whims.

* Equating happiness with things. When kids see you glowing over a new purchase, they’ll equate joy with new stuff. What they may not understand is that the rush is fleeting.

* Winging it rather than budgeting. Some parents struggle to find ways to tell to kids why they won’t buy them this or that, neglecting the easiest explanation: “It’s not in the budget.” The lesson of setting a framework and sticking to it is invaluable.

5 Bad Financial Habits You Could Be Teaching Your Kids [GoBankingRates]

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