If you are the parent of a teen and have been looking for the right time to talk to him or her about money – now is the time. Jill Russo Foster, author of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years
,” says she believes early education is the most important step to becoming financially savvy and avoiding debt. She writes:
I’ve come to believe that financial education is the key for everyone. The sooner you start learning about money and personal finance, the sooner you can take control of your own finances. This book will start you off in the right direction and teach you how to build good financial habits.
Foster, who is now in the mortgage industry, started her financial career right out of college when she began working as a bank teller in an affluent neighborhood. She recounts that most people she saw at the bank wore designer clothes, had the latest car and were also on the overdraft list.
In the book, Foster uses examples of five teens that were given her book to read and later tells of the changes they made to change their money habits. The teens’ stories and her own – she admits to having 27 credit cards at one point – make the book easy to read. Your teen will be able to relate to the teens’ stories and learn from their success and failures.
This 84-page book will teach your teen about the basics of managing their money – think allowances and babysitting money – while thinking of long term goals like saving for college and short term goals like buying an iPod. The book is divided into five chapters that are filled with worksheets and practical examples for teens to understand. The chapters include information on creating a budget, the banking system, establishing credit, strategies for paying for college, avoiding identity theft and making major purchases.
This book is the first in a series of three books on personal finances by Foster. If you would like to win a copy of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years” for your teen, leave a comment explaining why your teen needs to read this book. If you can’t wait to get a copy, you can buy it on Amazon for $15.25.
Buying a copy supports BargainBabe.com.
I have three children, 18, 14, and 10. I think that all of them can benefit from this book for their own reasons. My 18 year old son is going to college and will be on a budget and have to manage his money. My 14 year old son, just started working part time at our karate studio and will need to learn budgeting, saving, and instant gratification vs. the need to wait sometimes. And although my youngest is 10 it is never to early to start teaching the concept of saving and spending wisely.
I also highly recommend a fellow named Dave Ramsey and he has books directed for both adults and kids (that includes fresh out in independence and credit cards usage –college students). He writes bluntly, effectively and enthusiastically. In California he is on the radio 9 to noon on 980 am-great topics to listen to!!!!
Wow…what an awesome book!
I have a son that is going into his 2nd year of college and two teen daughters in high school.
All three of them could benefit from this book!
Each of them have financial needs and none of them work.
Jobs have been very hard to find this summer in our local town.
They hate being broke. This would teach them so much.
Especially about saving!
I have two kids that would definitely benefit from this book. One child is going into college and will have to manage her finances on her own for the first time. My other child is still in high school and money, whenever he has it, tends to burn a whole in his pocket. I think that he needs to read something like this books so that, when he is older, he doesn’t fall into the trap that a lot of kids get themselves into.
I think my teenaged son would benefit from this book because he tends to rely on his savings account to pick up shortages on his checking occasionally – that’s such a bad habit ( it scares me to no end) and no amount of nagging seems to be getting through. Getting good advice from another source miraculously seems to do wonders.
My teenager, you mean my hubby. I need this for my teenage like husband! HAHA!! No, but we have two pre-teens whom my mother-in-law has spoiled to no end & ruined any attempt I have put in to teach them about money, saving, & spending when needed instead of on any little thing they can afford. : (
I do not have children but do teach at the high school level and would love my students to get some good money advice from going through this book!