"When I grow up, my bills won't be so high."
"In real life people don't spend money every day."
"When I graduate from college, I'll make a lot more than this."
After teaching 10 – 12 year old scholars through the BELL program, I gained some pretty good insight into misconceptions kids have about money.
For six weeks I had the kids manage a checking account. They received “paychecks” every other week, they had to ”spend” money every day on grocery shopping, supplies, and other incidentals, and they received utility bills that were due periodically throughout the program.
The kids loved managing the paperwork and doing the math to keep their check registers updated. Their “shopping” cards would say things like “You dropped your cell phone in the toilet. Pay $85 for a new one,” or “Buy a gift for Mother’s Day. Pay $50.”
The biggest complaint heard was that the kids didn’t want to spend their money! After receiving their $500 paycheck ($391 after taxes), they felt that it was unrealistic that they should have to spend so much of the money. They made comments like, “In real life people don’t shop and spend money every day.” Other kids couldn’t believe the amounts of the bills were realistic. “I won’t spend $87 every month on an electric bill. I’ll use less than that.” And ultimately, many kids thought they would make much more than the amount I was giving them, saying things like, “When I graduate I’ll make $80,000 a year, so I won’t have to worry about bills.”
The reality is that we are not sharing with our kids the actuality of what it costs to live when they get older. Some of us teach our kids to save and possibly how to shop for bargains, but many kids don’t understand what goes into the day to day life of living on a realistic salary.
It really comes down to teaching our kids the value of money. The only way they are really going to understand this topic is to show them what we spend on a daily basis to live. Let your kids see what’s in the checking account. Help them understand what you as parents bring home as a salary and how it is spent to run the household.
Many parents are not comfortable exposing their personal financial details to their teenagers, but I believe the information is invaluable. How else will kids understand how much money actually comes into a home and how much is spent for it to run? Yes, you can tell them that $1,000 is not really a lot of money to live on, but until they actually try to pay some bills with it, they really won’t know. Usually teens are only aware of the money needed to provide for their needs, like a car and cell phones.
However, opening up your financial world to your teens could pose other problems as well – forcing you, as a parent, to take a clear look at your own financial situation. Many parents don’t have a clear picture themselves at what’s going on with their money. Why would they want to show their 16-year-old son details on how they spend money if they don’t want to go through the math themselves? Especially when money is tight.
We have to start changing our attitudes about having money, the daily managing of it, and communicating information about it to our family. It’s a huge obstacle to overcome in allowing our economy to heal during these difficult times.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Teaching Financial Literacy at BELL
Over the next six weeks I’ll be crazy busy teaching kids about money. There’s a program called BELL here in Boston – Building Educated Leaders for Life. Their mission is to enhance the educational achievements, self-esteem, and life opportunities of elementary school children living in low-income, urban communities.
They offer a six week summer program that teaches kids literacy and math in the morning. In the afternoon the kids take enrichment classes on topics like music and art – or any other topic that may seem interesting. I approached them about teaching financial literacy and they agreed.
I’ll be working with 10 to 12 year old kids teaching them everything about checking accounts, budgeting, paychecks, and taxes, as well as credit cards, credit reports, savings and investing. I get one hour a day, four days a week for six weeks with these kids. The classes are split up by grade level, but there are almost 50 scholars total.
I created a program where the scholars get a “paycheck” every two weeks that they have to “deposit” into their pretend checking accounts. I created personalized paychecks, designed to look as real as possible, showing all the tax deductions, calculated as realistically as possible.
The scholars will also receive pretend checkbooks with check registers where they’ll learn to write out checks and maintain their check register. Throughout the six week program they’ll go “shopping” everyday, which involves reaching in a bag and pulling out cards I’ve designed that say things like “You’ve gone shopping at Stop & Shop. Pay $64.35.” “Your TV is on the blink. Pay $41.50 to the repairman.” Every weekend I’ll gather up their folders and paperwork and check all their math to make sure they’re maintaining their checkbooks properly.
I’ve also designed realistic utility bills personalized to each scholar. They each receive five bills with different due dates. The scholar has to remember to pay their bill by the appropriate date, or they pay a late fee. They also pay fines if they lose or forget their folders or checkbooks, if they mismanage their money (don’t update their register, etc.) or if they misbehave in class (Tickets of Disrespect). Twice they’ll be given mini-tests where they can earn bonus checks based on their performance.
I’ve priced the program so that by the end of the class, if a scholar does everything perfectly, they should have $100 left in their “checking account”. Although BELL offers a small stipend for the program, it basically just covers some of the supplies. I would love it if a sponsor would step in and actually provide real dollars for a percentage of the amounts in each scholar’s checking account. I’ve suggested it to the Program Directors, but no promises yet.
Tune in for more updates on how the classes are going and how the students are responding.
They offer a six week summer program that teaches kids literacy and math in the morning. In the afternoon the kids take enrichment classes on topics like music and art – or any other topic that may seem interesting. I approached them about teaching financial literacy and they agreed.
I’ll be working with 10 to 12 year old kids teaching them everything about checking accounts, budgeting, paychecks, and taxes, as well as credit cards, credit reports, savings and investing. I get one hour a day, four days a week for six weeks with these kids. The classes are split up by grade level, but there are almost 50 scholars total.
I created a program where the scholars get a “paycheck” every two weeks that they have to “deposit” into their pretend checking accounts. I created personalized paychecks, designed to look as real as possible, showing all the tax deductions, calculated as realistically as possible.
The scholars will also receive pretend checkbooks with check registers where they’ll learn to write out checks and maintain their check register. Throughout the six week program they’ll go “shopping” everyday, which involves reaching in a bag and pulling out cards I’ve designed that say things like “You’ve gone shopping at Stop & Shop. Pay $64.35.” “Your TV is on the blink. Pay $41.50 to the repairman.” Every weekend I’ll gather up their folders and paperwork and check all their math to make sure they’re maintaining their checkbooks properly.
I’ve also designed realistic utility bills personalized to each scholar. They each receive five bills with different due dates. The scholar has to remember to pay their bill by the appropriate date, or they pay a late fee. They also pay fines if they lose or forget their folders or checkbooks, if they mismanage their money (don’t update their register, etc.) or if they misbehave in class (Tickets of Disrespect). Twice they’ll be given mini-tests where they can earn bonus checks based on their performance.
I’ve priced the program so that by the end of the class, if a scholar does everything perfectly, they should have $100 left in their “checking account”. Although BELL offers a small stipend for the program, it basically just covers some of the supplies. I would love it if a sponsor would step in and actually provide real dollars for a percentage of the amounts in each scholar’s checking account. I’ve suggested it to the Program Directors, but no promises yet.
Tune in for more updates on how the classes are going and how the students are responding.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
There’s no money in teaching people about money
I’ve learned another reason why there is no emphasis in our society to teach personal finance to teens or anyone, for that matter – there’s no money in it! Well, I guess this isn’t true for Suze Orman or Robert Kiyosaki – I need to get that best selling book finished! But generally teaching the basics of personal finance does not a lucrative career make.
You’ll find people out there willing to teach all about insurance and annuities so that you will, in turn, buy some insurance or put money in an annuity. You can even find banks encouraging people to learn about checking accounts. But, as I’m sure some people in the banking industry have figured out, the less people understand about all the fees involved from not managing your checking account properly, the more the bank benefits. $$$
Now who in the credit card industry really wants us to understand – really understand – all the terms and conditions of a credit card agreement? This has become a much bigger issue over the last few years as there has been more and more emphasis on encouraging people to understand what happens if you go into too much debt. However, there’s so much more to know about credit cards than “don’t get into too much debt” –
· What’s the difference between credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, pre-paids?
· Where do you look to find out about all the fees BEFORE you sign up?
· What are all the fees that may take place if I do something wrong?
· What are some of the things that may go wrong?
· What does “No Payments, No Interest” really mean?
· How can I REALLY get my credit report for free?
I have not found anyone who teaches people how to stay organized so bills get paid. I think as a culture we haven’t come to the realization that this is something we don’t know. We still believe that paying bills is a money issue instead of an organizational issue. But that’s a whole other blog topic.
What about explaining what comes out of your paycheck when you get a job? Who would benefit from this knowledge? Obviously the employee, but who else? Pre-tax deductions, how taxes work, 401(k) accounts. Why would anyone take out the time to teach this to your kids? Teachers are already busy teaching stuff that kids need to know to go to college (which unfortunately does not include these topics). People who really understand these topics usually already have a job doing something else. Are they going to quit to do this? I did. But I think I’m the only crazy one out there.
As I lay in bed at 5AM thinking about all the stuff on my schedule – several workshops, networking events, even an appearance on a local cable show – very few of these activities actually pay me anything. So I can see why others who may have considered this path, would quickly scurry over to an alternative route.
But I’m on my mission. My path has been clearly defined and all obstacles have been removed to encourage me to stay on it. And even though the money is slow in coming, I’m sure it’ll be there in time. I tell my friends all the time, “I have the perfect life! Everything is going really, really well, except that we have no money.”
You’ll find people out there willing to teach all about insurance and annuities so that you will, in turn, buy some insurance or put money in an annuity. You can even find banks encouraging people to learn about checking accounts. But, as I’m sure some people in the banking industry have figured out, the less people understand about all the fees involved from not managing your checking account properly, the more the bank benefits. $$$
Now who in the credit card industry really wants us to understand – really understand – all the terms and conditions of a credit card agreement? This has become a much bigger issue over the last few years as there has been more and more emphasis on encouraging people to understand what happens if you go into too much debt. However, there’s so much more to know about credit cards than “don’t get into too much debt” –
· What’s the difference between credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, pre-paids?
· Where do you look to find out about all the fees BEFORE you sign up?
· What are all the fees that may take place if I do something wrong?
· What are some of the things that may go wrong?
· What does “No Payments, No Interest” really mean?
· How can I REALLY get my credit report for free?
I have not found anyone who teaches people how to stay organized so bills get paid. I think as a culture we haven’t come to the realization that this is something we don’t know. We still believe that paying bills is a money issue instead of an organizational issue. But that’s a whole other blog topic.
What about explaining what comes out of your paycheck when you get a job? Who would benefit from this knowledge? Obviously the employee, but who else? Pre-tax deductions, how taxes work, 401(k) accounts. Why would anyone take out the time to teach this to your kids? Teachers are already busy teaching stuff that kids need to know to go to college (which unfortunately does not include these topics). People who really understand these topics usually already have a job doing something else. Are they going to quit to do this? I did. But I think I’m the only crazy one out there.
As I lay in bed at 5AM thinking about all the stuff on my schedule – several workshops, networking events, even an appearance on a local cable show – very few of these activities actually pay me anything. So I can see why others who may have considered this path, would quickly scurry over to an alternative route.
But I’m on my mission. My path has been clearly defined and all obstacles have been removed to encourage me to stay on it. And even though the money is slow in coming, I’m sure it’ll be there in time. I tell my friends all the time, “I have the perfect life! Everything is going really, really well, except that we have no money.”
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Include your kids!
When I talk to parents about including their kids in what’s going on financially with the household, I get one of three responses:
1) I’m the parent, they’re the child. Money matters is a grown up issue and kids shouldn’t be involved.
2) Why would I want to burden my child with that kind of stress?
3) If I told my kids about the bills we have, they would say it wasn’t their problem as they weren’t the ones to make the decisions about what to buy!
Kids can handle more than you think. People tend to believe that managing money is something you’ll just figure out how to do when you become an adult. But we do nothing to prepare kids for this responsibility as they grow. Don’t let your belief that kids are too immature to handle this kind of information keep them in the dark. They must be prepared for managing money, and the best way to learn that is through their parents.
Stress is a choice. We work so hard to protect and shelter our kids from the trials of life, that we think this is benefiting them some how. Managing money can be a stressful experience, but it’s a necessary life skill. Show your kids how you handle a stressful money situation so they can be prepared to do the same as they get older.
Bring in the mail. The best way to get your kids involved with understanding household finances is to have them bring in the mail. That’s it. Choose the most irresponsible child you have, and make it their new chore to bring in the mail everyday. It’s their job to sort through it and identify the junk. Create a list of expected bills and give that to your child. Have your child check off each bill as it’s received, and keep them all together in a file. When all are received, have him or her bring the file to you so you can pay the bills.
Kids need to see what actually goes on financially to run a household. Let them see that maxed out Visa bill. Show them what bills didn’t get paid because you had to repair the water-heater. Give them an understanding of managing all the paperwork involved with paying bills. This is invaluable life skills that they’ll need in the next few years.
And for the parent that says, “my child would never be responsible enough to manage this task.” I say to you, if they can’t handle this task at the age of 16, how do you expect them to handle it at 23?
1) I’m the parent, they’re the child. Money matters is a grown up issue and kids shouldn’t be involved.
2) Why would I want to burden my child with that kind of stress?
3) If I told my kids about the bills we have, they would say it wasn’t their problem as they weren’t the ones to make the decisions about what to buy!
Kids can handle more than you think. People tend to believe that managing money is something you’ll just figure out how to do when you become an adult. But we do nothing to prepare kids for this responsibility as they grow. Don’t let your belief that kids are too immature to handle this kind of information keep them in the dark. They must be prepared for managing money, and the best way to learn that is through their parents.
Stress is a choice. We work so hard to protect and shelter our kids from the trials of life, that we think this is benefiting them some how. Managing money can be a stressful experience, but it’s a necessary life skill. Show your kids how you handle a stressful money situation so they can be prepared to do the same as they get older.
Bring in the mail. The best way to get your kids involved with understanding household finances is to have them bring in the mail. That’s it. Choose the most irresponsible child you have, and make it their new chore to bring in the mail everyday. It’s their job to sort through it and identify the junk. Create a list of expected bills and give that to your child. Have your child check off each bill as it’s received, and keep them all together in a file. When all are received, have him or her bring the file to you so you can pay the bills.
Kids need to see what actually goes on financially to run a household. Let them see that maxed out Visa bill. Show them what bills didn’t get paid because you had to repair the water-heater. Give them an understanding of managing all the paperwork involved with paying bills. This is invaluable life skills that they’ll need in the next few years.
And for the parent that says, “my child would never be responsible enough to manage this task.” I say to you, if they can’t handle this task at the age of 16, how do you expect them to handle it at 23?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Paying Bills is not a Money Issue
Paying bills is a task that most people will have to handle sometime in their life. However, the assumption has become that the task is simple, and requires no preparation, training, or even discussion.
In today’s society, the belief is that paying or not paying bills is a money issue. “People who don’t pay their bills, must not have any money, right?” Don’t fall into believing this myth. You’d be surprised how many people with money can’t get their bills paid on time.
Paying bills can be complicated – paying bills has become a more complex task than it was for our parents. With on-line banking, automatic deduction, and debit cards there are many ways to pay bills. Do you understand the rules involved with all these methods?
More bills at a younger age – Years ago, people didn’t have bills until they got married and moved into a house. Nowadays young adults can have a mailbox full of bills before they move out of their parent’s home. Phone bills, car payments, auto insurance, credit cards, student loans, and more. There’s a lot more to manage, and young minds aren’t always prepared for that responsibility.
Banks and credit card companies – yes, these institutions can be a big part of the problem. Companies have caught on that big money can be made from loans - especially the high-risk kind. Banks are more willing to give credit cards and make loans than ever before. The interest rates and fees involved ensure that anyone who doesn’t stay on top of paying their bills can really pay a price.
Paying bills is not a money issue, it's an organizational issue. Staying organized so your bills get paid is a skill that actually needs to be taught.
In today’s society, the belief is that paying or not paying bills is a money issue. “People who don’t pay their bills, must not have any money, right?” Don’t fall into believing this myth. You’d be surprised how many people with money can’t get their bills paid on time.
Paying bills can be complicated – paying bills has become a more complex task than it was for our parents. With on-line banking, automatic deduction, and debit cards there are many ways to pay bills. Do you understand the rules involved with all these methods?
More bills at a younger age – Years ago, people didn’t have bills until they got married and moved into a house. Nowadays young adults can have a mailbox full of bills before they move out of their parent’s home. Phone bills, car payments, auto insurance, credit cards, student loans, and more. There’s a lot more to manage, and young minds aren’t always prepared for that responsibility.
Banks and credit card companies – yes, these institutions can be a big part of the problem. Companies have caught on that big money can be made from loans - especially the high-risk kind. Banks are more willing to give credit cards and make loans than ever before. The interest rates and fees involved ensure that anyone who doesn’t stay on top of paying their bills can really pay a price.
Paying bills is not a money issue, it's an organizational issue. Staying organized so your bills get paid is a skill that actually needs to be taught.
Friday, August 24, 2007
What should I teach my kids?
This question is what most parents should be asking themselves about personal finance, because the truth is, their kids most likely are not going to learn it in school.
Many parents feel that if they teach their kids to save and they make sure their kids don’t spend too much money, they’ll be okay. Don’t assume that if your kids get a good education, and then a good job and a good salary, they’ll understand how to manage their money. Financial literacy is more than the accumulation of money.
So what are some ways parents can teach kids financial literacy?
HOW TO BUDGET
Keep your kids on an allowance! Every time I talk to a group of kids I ask how many of them are on an allowance, and very few raise their hands. We’ve moved away from this very informing practice! Kids need to be kept on an allowance, because it teaches them how to budget their money.
If your child is over the age of 12 (and in many cases, even younger), you’re probably giving them money for various activities daily. Figure out how much they spend on a weekly basis, and come up with a flat amount to give them as a weekly or monthly allowance. Let them be responsible for paying for their lunches and snacks, having money for mall trips, and paying for school related activities, like dances.
If they spend all their allowance on some new video game, and don’t have enough left to buy lunch at school, let them learn that they’ll have to pack a lunch or they won’t eat! Giving an allowance forces kids to think about their future (even a weekly future). They’ll have to plan for upcoming expenses and resist temptation to buy things they don’t need. They’ll also learn the benefit of not spending and saving for a big purchase in the future.
Do your kids spend a lot on the internet, downloading music, games, and screensavers? Do they run up phone bills text messaging friends? That should be part of their allowance as well. Don’t give them your credit card number. Pre-paid debit cards are a great tool to help your kids learn to control their spending in today’s cashless society.
Giving your child a certain amount every week on a pre-paid debit card is a great way to implement an allowance. You can buy pre-paid debit cards and phone cards in local drug stores like CVS. There are several pre-paid debit card programs designed just for teens. Many have great tools for parents to allow them to monitor their child’s spending and continually load money on the card. However, many charge fees for these services so read the fine print carefully.
Many parents feel that if they teach their kids to save and they make sure their kids don’t spend too much money, they’ll be okay. Don’t assume that if your kids get a good education, and then a good job and a good salary, they’ll understand how to manage their money. Financial literacy is more than the accumulation of money.
So what are some ways parents can teach kids financial literacy?
HOW TO BUDGET
Keep your kids on an allowance! Every time I talk to a group of kids I ask how many of them are on an allowance, and very few raise their hands. We’ve moved away from this very informing practice! Kids need to be kept on an allowance, because it teaches them how to budget their money.
If your child is over the age of 12 (and in many cases, even younger), you’re probably giving them money for various activities daily. Figure out how much they spend on a weekly basis, and come up with a flat amount to give them as a weekly or monthly allowance. Let them be responsible for paying for their lunches and snacks, having money for mall trips, and paying for school related activities, like dances.
If they spend all their allowance on some new video game, and don’t have enough left to buy lunch at school, let them learn that they’ll have to pack a lunch or they won’t eat! Giving an allowance forces kids to think about their future (even a weekly future). They’ll have to plan for upcoming expenses and resist temptation to buy things they don’t need. They’ll also learn the benefit of not spending and saving for a big purchase in the future.
Do your kids spend a lot on the internet, downloading music, games, and screensavers? Do they run up phone bills text messaging friends? That should be part of their allowance as well. Don’t give them your credit card number. Pre-paid debit cards are a great tool to help your kids learn to control their spending in today’s cashless society.
Giving your child a certain amount every week on a pre-paid debit card is a great way to implement an allowance. You can buy pre-paid debit cards and phone cards in local drug stores like CVS. There are several pre-paid debit card programs designed just for teens. Many have great tools for parents to allow them to monitor their child’s spending and continually load money on the card. However, many charge fees for these services so read the fine print carefully.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Teach this stuff in schools!
Why isn't Financial Literacy taught in today's school? This question has been plaguing me since I decided to create Start Money Smart. And many others are asking this same question. There are financial literacy web pages that generate great discussion on the topic. Many people really believe it should be a priority when educating our young people. So why hasn’t it happened? Why isn’t personal finance added to standard curriculums in American schools systems?
Well, I’ve done some research, and here’s what I’ve found…
1. Teens don’t need to know personal finance to go to college! Standard curriculums in schools are already filled with what kids are required to learn. Many schools will tell you there is no room for additional topics. Schools are under great pressure to generate students who are considered “educated”, which really means “prepared for college”. It doesn’t mean “prepared for life”. If it’s not on the MCAS test or an SAT exam, there’s not a lot of justification for teaching the topic in today’s public school system. And the truth is kids don’t need to know personal finance to go to college. However, they’re inundated with credit card applications when they arrive, and given no education on how to deal with them.
2. Our “money” world is changing too fast. If you’re old enough think back and remember what money was like thirty years ago. Credit cards and charge cards were only for the rich. A 25% interest rate on a credit card was considered loan-sharking. Did anyone ever hear of automatic deduction? What about twenty years ago? There were ATM cards, but no debit cards and no one did on-line banking. Okay, so ten years ago? Well, there were very few pre-paid debit cards, and kids were not running up their parent’s phone bill by texting their friends.
Our money world is changing too fast, and we haven’t been able to keep up with educating ourselves on how to handle it. So for those people who still think, it’s up to the parents to educate their kids on personal finance – I’ll argue that most parents don’t know what to teach their children. They haven’t learned the rules themselves yet.
3. We still believe more money will provide the knowledge. I believe our biggest problem with making a change to our educational system is getting over the idea that “If we just make more money, it’ll be okay.” Some of us are working so hard to educate our youth, and to what end? So they can go to good colleges, and get good jobs, and make good salaries. We still believe that if our kids make enough money, they’ll be okay. They’ll some how learn how to balance that checking account. They won’t buy things they can’t afford, because they’ll magically know how to create a budget for themselves. They’ll figure out taxes and what they need to do to pay their bills on time every month.
If we really want to make a difference in increasing financial literacy in America, we have to let go of the idea that being rich solves problems. In many cases it just creates the need for more education.
Well, I’ve done some research, and here’s what I’ve found…
1. Teens don’t need to know personal finance to go to college! Standard curriculums in schools are already filled with what kids are required to learn. Many schools will tell you there is no room for additional topics. Schools are under great pressure to generate students who are considered “educated”, which really means “prepared for college”. It doesn’t mean “prepared for life”. If it’s not on the MCAS test or an SAT exam, there’s not a lot of justification for teaching the topic in today’s public school system. And the truth is kids don’t need to know personal finance to go to college. However, they’re inundated with credit card applications when they arrive, and given no education on how to deal with them.
2. Our “money” world is changing too fast. If you’re old enough think back and remember what money was like thirty years ago. Credit cards and charge cards were only for the rich. A 25% interest rate on a credit card was considered loan-sharking. Did anyone ever hear of automatic deduction? What about twenty years ago? There were ATM cards, but no debit cards and no one did on-line banking. Okay, so ten years ago? Well, there were very few pre-paid debit cards, and kids were not running up their parent’s phone bill by texting their friends.
Our money world is changing too fast, and we haven’t been able to keep up with educating ourselves on how to handle it. So for those people who still think, it’s up to the parents to educate their kids on personal finance – I’ll argue that most parents don’t know what to teach their children. They haven’t learned the rules themselves yet.
3. We still believe more money will provide the knowledge. I believe our biggest problem with making a change to our educational system is getting over the idea that “If we just make more money, it’ll be okay.” Some of us are working so hard to educate our youth, and to what end? So they can go to good colleges, and get good jobs, and make good salaries. We still believe that if our kids make enough money, they’ll be okay. They’ll some how learn how to balance that checking account. They won’t buy things they can’t afford, because they’ll magically know how to create a budget for themselves. They’ll figure out taxes and what they need to do to pay their bills on time every month.
If we really want to make a difference in increasing financial literacy in America, we have to let go of the idea that being rich solves problems. In many cases it just creates the need for more education.
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