It’s never too early to teach your kids about financial responsibility. That’s why play money is a fun idea. What we find fiscally suspect, however, are plastic pennies from Learning Resources. 100 plastic pennies for the low, low price of $4.50. Yes, that’s four cents per penny, and even more than the U.S. Mint pays to make real pennies.

“You buy this toy to teach your kids the value of money, and pay four times the going rate for pennies,” mused our tipster Mark. To be fair, other play coin denominations cost about the same, but it’s still cheaper in the end to give your kids real pennies. Go with toy twenties and hundreds to stock your pretend cash drawer, though.

Money Skills [Learning Resources] (Thanks, Mark!)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.