In Preparing students for real-world financial success, Lisa Nielsen states,
“Students often begin pursuing employment as early as high school, but they are not taught best practices when it comes to managing their money.”
Many people I talk to don’t realize this until we are discussing it. Then we talk about how we learned or when we were taught. Many were taught by their parents but now with so many children living in single parent homes or being brought up by grandparents, I think this real life skill is falling by the way side. I learned a hard lesson about credit cards when I graduated from college and maxed out my new credit card. No one taught me how credit cards worked and my parents never had one so they couldn’t teach me. I was thrilled that I was able to get something that my parents didn’t. Luckily, when I got married, my husband had more money sense than I did and got my finances on track.
Here are some skills that I think we need to teach our students. These can be incorporated in lessons for reading, math, social studies, social skills, and/or career preparation.
1. Bank Accounts - how to open up checking and savings accounts, what bank fees are involved, how to balance the accounts, withdrawing and depositing money, penalties
2. Banks/Credit Unions/Rent to Own/Check Cashing Companies - Look at the different types and compare
3. Loans - loan applications, fees, final payoffs, interest payments
4. Health insurance - benefits, costs, comparison shopping
5. Car insurance - benefits, costs, comparison shopping
6. Credit cards - reviewing statements, annual fees, interest charges, other fees
7. Pensions/Retirement - how does the system work
8. Taxes - state, federal, sales
9. Buying a Car - comparison shopping, taxes, maintenance costs, other costs
10. Renting an Apartment/House - comparison shopping, fees, utilities, deposit, maintenance
11. Buying a House - costs, fees, different types of loans, interest, final payoff
12. Budgeting - How to set up a budget, look at expenses and income
These are just some of the things I wish someone had taught me so I didn’t have to learn the hard way. I believe by learning these things, students will be more successful in life. What other financial life skills do you think students need to learn before they leave school? Please share.