Teens & Money

Strong financial knowledge and skills are critical to future success. Down the road, when today's teens head off to college or begin careers, they will face choices and responsibilities that will have long-term effects on their financial futures. They must be prepared to make wise decisions about earning and spending, credit and budgeting, and saving and investing.

For Students

Taylor & Tyler

Start a new business and learn about revenues, expenses and the break-even point. Watch the video:

 

See how fast $25 earning compound interest can add up. Time is money! Watch the video:

Download the Taylor Compound Interest Poster (PDF 325 KB)

See how fast credit card interest can grow. Budget your money! Watch the video:

Download the Tyler Poster on the Cost of Debt (PDF 399 KB)

Buying a car can be more expensive than you think. Start saving now! Watch the video:

Want your own apartment? Begin with a monthly budget! Watch the video:

How Fast Will Your Savings Grow?
Plug in your numbers to see how fast your savings will grow using various interest rates and time periods. Go to the Savings Calculator.

The Power of Compounding
Regardless of the type of investment, saving regularly and reinvesting your interest income can turn even modest amounts of money into sizable investments through the remarkable power of compounding.

Play Moneytopia
Play Moneytopia!

Your goal is to successfully manage your money throughout life, until you achieve your "big dream." To win, keep careful track of your finances, pay your bills on time, and take care of all the little day-to-day things that can impact your finances. Want to know more? Check out the preview or dive in and play.

The Gen i RevolutionGen i Revolution Game
This competitive online game includes 15 missions in which students complete a variety of activities to beat back the insidious "Murktide"—a mysterious infestation that is causing confusion about basic personal finance principles. Developed for middle and high school students, Gen i Revolution was created by the Council for Economic Education with a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. Join the Revolution.

For Teachers

Learn More about Compound Interest
These lesson plans explore the mathematics behind compound interest and compare annual percentage rate and annual percentage yield. The lessons get progressively more challenging as the students get older, beginning with middle school and continuing through high school.

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Assessment: 

Assessment Answer Sheet: 

Now You Try Worksheet: 

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More Money Math

These lessons also address the mathematics of personal finance.

Understanding the Break-Even Point:

Calculating the True Cost of Owning a Car:

Creating an Emergency Fund:

Understanding Opportunity Costs:

Eliminating Debt:

Revenue, Expenses and the Break-Even Point:

Dividend-Paying Stocks:

Money as You Grow
This website, developed by Beth Kobliner and the Youth Subcommittee of the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability, offers 20 essential, age-appropriate financial lessons that kids need to know as they grow. Written in down-to-earth language for children and their families, Money as You Grow will help equip them with the knowledge they need to live a fiscally fit life. Visit the site.

Financial Literacy Training for High School Students
Download eight independent instructional modules and handouts developed by The Center for Financial Studies at Southern New Hampshire University with a grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

NEFE High School Financial Planning Program
While most financial education programs focus on subjects to be learned, this widely used program turns the focus on the students, so the curriculum isn’t about creating a budget, it’s about creating their budgets, their financial plan, their saving plan. This makes the lessons personal and helps the students immediately apply what they are learning. Visit the site.