Let’s face it – the economy if pretty shithouse at the moment. The stock market is falling apart, banks are dropping interest rates – it kind of makes you long for the days when all you had was a ceramic pig with a slot in its back that you could drop your coins into.
Well, Australian company Moose Enterprise has gone one step better by creating the Fish Bank, a digital piggy bank that lets your kids (or you) interact with a digital fish named Gil, who counts your money as you deposit it and lets you set savings goals. It’s also part Tamagotchi, as you need to feed and clean Gil’s tank as well.
With every coin deposited, new animations and features are unlocked. And while they’re hardly exciting for an adult, they’re pretty fun for the kiddies – so much so that the product won the 2008 Australian Development Award from the Australian Toy Association.
The Fish Bank hits shelves in November (just in time for Xmas, of course) for $60. Sure, it might not earn you (or your kid) a heap of interest on your investment, but at least its not going to go bankrupt with the current credit crunch…
Adz
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 2:17 PMWhats wrong with the paper mache pig, my daughter and I made together?
At least we saved $60.
masha creagh
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 10:29 PMTHE KIDS WANTS ONE FOR XMAS DO YOU THINK THERE IS ONE FOR EURO COINS?
Alison Iles
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 10:04 AMWhat a load of rubbish. Didnt recognise half the coins put in and so total was always incorrect. Took item back to shop for a refund. Dont waste your money on this item. Very disappointing.
Goergia
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 2:17 AMThis as absolutly fuck warking shit
James
Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 7:33 AMHaving not seen this new “gadget” I can’t comment. If you really want your child to learn about setting targets and saving. Just a simple piggy bank like adz mentioned will be perfect. To help with counting get your child to complete a little book on how much they placed in the piggy bank. Children under 5 simply just have them count the number of coins no matter what value, least the little one will know they have 33 coins in their piggy.
Though hats of for the idea of this product, its a starting point. But nothing beats a clear jar with a line on the bottle.
Cheers james of littlenomads.com.au
maggie
Saturday, November 15, 2008 at 10:07 PMalison did u put in australian currency because isnt it like australian?
Leonie
Monday, November 17, 2008 at 4:28 PMCan buy them at target for $49.95, but all those people who can’t be bother to check out the price of this item are buying them on e-bay for between $60 and $80 dollars. The idea of getting kids to count there own money is so that they know how to add and subtract when they get older. Not that most young people these days can anyway.
Karrissa
Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 5:29 PMcan u put notes in here or not oh and how do u get the money out?
(blode moment)
jack
Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 4:06 PMiam the kid on the add for fishbank no joke
su morris
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 2:36 AMI live in England and want one ? where can we buy them ? if its an Australian developement will it be in sterling? My 5 year old wants one from santa ? HELPPPPPPP please…..
su morris
Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 4:16 AMI found one…..it is labelled a fish BANK not fish Tank…thats why a search engine didn’t find it !!!
patricia
Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 2:16 PMhi sue am listing one of these money boxes today @bin for $30.00 if you are interested
glenn Foster
Monday, December 8, 2008 at 3:09 PManyone know where you can still find one of these this close to christmas????
christine grzonek
Monday, December 29, 2008 at 4:38 PMhow can i still purchase the fish tank money box thanks
Nardee
Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 2:56 PMIm from Perth Western Australia, and have been looking for these since christmas and havent been able to find them. Toyworld, Toys r us dont have them and neither Target Kmart Big W. Where oh Where
Carolina
Friday, April 17, 2009 at 9:49 AMToys R us around Australia sell them for $69.99
but on their new Catalog start from 22 April the price will reduced to $59.99
helper
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 6:16 PMFishbank can be purchased at Big W Toy Sale starting midnight July 2nd 2009 for $49.64
Beth
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 5:28 AMWe live in California and my son really wants a fish bank for Christmas. Does anyone know where I can get one? Also, will it register US coins?
Ngan Nguyen Thi
Monday, November 23, 2009 at 12:18 PMOh ! I want spend my money for bank . Do you spend your money for bank in Vietnam ? Do you think about
Catherine
Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 2:39 PMYes, you can put your money into a paper mache pig or whatever, but this is also a fun toy for the children – and what is wrong with a little fun? I haven’t had any problems with it, and picked it up for $40 new.
Anonamous
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 1:09 PMWhy is everybody mad about this? This is awesome for kids. Imagine it. Your kid earns a lot of money this way. You will get jobs done just for cute animations. Your kids would love the fish bank. So don’t make it feel bad. Gil probably has feelings.