Teaching Teens About Finance and the Stock Market

The general population of the United States have the lowest rate of savings in several decades. Currently, as a nation we spend far more than we save, and as a result our credit levels are at an all time high. One of the biggest problems is that we are not educating our population enough about money and finances. This is especially the case with younger people who are not prepared to handle finances when they reach adulthood. However, teenagers and young adults can learn about the value of money and importance of saving and budgeting.

Money

As we all know money is the key to the economy. People work to earn money, which in turn is used to purchase goods and services. Ideally, people need to earn more money then they spend in order to maintain a proper economic balance. And, any money that is not used for expenses can be either saved, invested or spent on other items.

• Money Management for Teens - informative resource from the FDIC providing money management ideas for teens.
• Money and Taxes – information for kids and teens about how money and taxes are important parts of our life.
• Teen Money Management – helpful information and suggestions on how teens and young adults can better manager their money.
• Learning About Money – resource for kids and older children providing information and activities about the world of money.
• Money Matters – information written for girls on how to better understand how money works in our economy.

Basic Finance

The world relies on money to buy and sell items, which works to stimulate the economy. The balance of the amount of income that a person has to the amount of expenses is important to earn a profit for a business or to be solvent for an individual.  In the financial world, if a person is looking to purchase a large item and can not pay cash, they can finance the purchase. They can get a loan for the item, and repay it back with a set amount of interest. Or, if a person has extra money, they can save it and receive a set amount of interest for the investment. These are just a few of the basic principles of finance.

• Teen Financial Literacy – overview of the financial work for teens and young adults to help them understand how finances work.
• Kids and Personal Finance – information for parents on how to discuss finances with your teen-aged children.
• Teenagers and Credit Cards – useful article providing information for teenagers and young adults on the potential dangers of misusing credit cards.
• Teen Savings – information on how to teach teens and younger children about money and finances.

Saving Ideas

People are always looking for ways to stretch their money. One of the ways to do this would be to utilize ways to save money. People can find simple ways to save money including using coupons, reducing expenses and other ways. The methods of saving can very from easy ways to complex budgets and refinancing loans.

• Start Smart - practical tips on how teens and young adults can make smart decisions on saving money.
• Savings Money – information aimed at younger teens on saving money, with practical information for all ages.
• Basic Banking Skills – basic information presented on saving money, balancing accounts and other useful information for teens becoming adults.

Budgeting

One of the most important tools that older teens and young adults have is creating a budget. By proper budgeting, people have the ability to allocate the amount of money you earn into certain categories. By creating a budget people can ensure that any expenses they have are paid, they don’t overspend within the categories and that they set aside money for savings. Budgeting is a key method that forces people to save money, and is especially helpful if people are looking to purchase a large ticket item such as a house, car or television.

• Budgeting – activities and games teaching financial literacy and providing budgeting guidance.
• Life Skills Resources – helpful information for teens and young adults providing much-needed life financial skills..
• College Student Budget – helpful information for college students on creating and sticking with a budget.
• Budgeting Worksheets – information and worksheets that can be used to calculate a financial budget.
• Money Math Budget – article providing information and activities on personal budgeting.

Stock Market and Investments

Another important part of learning how to handle finances is through investing. There are many different ways that young people can earn money. Financial institutions such as banks and credit unions offer savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit which earn a set rate of interest. For more experienced investors, money can be invested in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. These types of investments also give people a rate of return, however, they have greater risk which can affect the amount earned or lost. Investments, whether in the stock market or in a savings account, can help people by providing an additional income.

• Consumer Credit Education – useful educational information on a variety of topics including stock market and investments.
• Saving and Investing – article showing statistics on savings and investments among teens and young adults.
• Student Investor – informative site providing information for teens on investing.
• Investments – information on how investments work along with overview of the risks and rewards.
• Teen Business Link – useful site providing information for teens on investing in their future business ventures.

Other Resources

Learning about finances, credit and investments is very important for older teens and younger adults. The lessons that are learned can help carry individuals throughout their lives by providing important tools and information. In addition, to the valuable resources on this page, we have included a few other helpful sites:

• Practical Money Skills – program aimed at teaching everyday money and finance skills to teenagers.
• Financial Literacy Resources – helpful program of financial education for teens and young adults.
• Youth and Money – informative resource for young people teaching them about money and finances.
• Teen Entrepreneurs – tips to help teens become entrepreneurs.

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